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Wash. H.S. Time Capsule Disintegrates

Posted on: Thursday, 24 July 2003, 06:00 CDT

A 93-year-old time capsule from a high school in Aberdeen was opened with great expectations, an audience of state dignitaries and no small difficulty.

But instead of the "window to Aberdeen's past" they expected, Secretary of State Sam Reed, Archivist Jerry Handfield and others got a moldy wad of wet crud.

"Old papers," Reed said. "It looks like it's disintegrated, unfortunately."

The capsule was removed last week from the cornerstone laid in 1909 at the Weatherwax High School, about 45 miles west of the state Capitol.

Several blades of a rotary cutting tool broke as the outer container was opened Monday and tinsnips were used to cut into the inner copper box.

A hole about an inch wide at the top, first thought to be from drilling when the capsule was removed from the cornerstone, turned out to be much older.

About 20 people assembled for the opening were crestfallen by the sight of the glommed-up newspapers, photographs, booklets and other material.

Aberdeen School Superintendent Martin W. Kay tried to put the best face on the situation.

"The material inside was not in as good as shape as I had hoped," he said, "but it's not in as bad condition as it could have been."

In an attempt to salvage at least some material, the contents were placed in a freeze drier.

"I've seen cornerstones completely sealed in tar and disintegrated. We should be able to recover a significant amount from this," Handfield said.

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