Time Capsule Brings Back Memories

It was an afternoon of memories, some poignant, some faded, but all sweet as a group of high school seniors returned to Chatsworth Park Elementary School to unearth a time capsule they buried more than 11 years ago.

Twin brothers Satoshi and Masato Muso, 18, took turns shoveling dirt out of the ivy-covered planter, as former students and teachers tried to remember what they had placed in the black tube back in January 1989.

“The school board asked each school to do something to commemorate the Class of 2000,” retired first-grade teacher Sylvia Silver recalled. “The classes decided what to put in the capsule and we sent up balloons. Obviously, we buried it quite deep.”

After several minutes of digging, plant manager Dean Cochran finished up the job, bringing into view a black, dirt-caked tube.

As current students watched closely, Masato Muso unwrapped a foil tube to unveil a picture of him and his classmates, which was water damaged.

“Oh, it got wet,” said Principal Elizabeth Cervantes. “That’s a good lesson if we ever do a time capsule again.”

Next, 17-year-old Katherine Metcalf unwrapped a white hand-painted Class of 2000 T-shirt, followed by Angela Ng, 18, who reached into a plastic bag and took out three Polaroid photos of students wearing the shirt back in 1989.

The time capsule sparked a flood of memories for some of the high school seniors. Some remembered the warm classrooms, which are now air-conditioned. Several remarked on how large the school once seemed to them.

“Everything was so huge back then,” said Katherine, who wants to be a teacher. “I remember being so intimidated by the bigger kids and now I’m twice their age.”