All of Berea Elementary School gathered in the cafetorium on a Friday morning, September 20, 2019 to examine the contents of a time capsule that was sealed in the cornerstone of the building on November 12, 1969.
The student body viewed a video created by art teacher Kelly Brahm that helped them to understand what everyday life would have been like for a student in 1969. Then they saw photos of the cornerstone being opened and copper time capsule removed this past June.
They met former Berea students who attended the school in 1969. Representing the 4th grade was Michael Bellarosa, VC Class of 1978 and current Deputy Superintendent of the district. Dolores (Melville) O’Brien, VC Class of 1979 and currently a teacher at Berea represented the 3rd grade. Montgomery town councilman Mark Hoyt, VC Class of 1980, represented the 2nd grade and Patti Behr, VC Class of 1981 and retired VC art teacher was a member of Berea’s 1st grade in 1969. All the former students recalled being asked as students to create something for the time capsule by their teachers. They readily recognized teacher names and helped Berea’s current principal pronounce one of the most challenging, “Miss Unverzagt.”
The time capsule was a long rectangular copper box about 24”x6”x12”. It contained a copy of the class lists and district directory. Among the contents, there were photos of the 5th grade classes, a poem from the third graders and a handprint painting by the kindergartners. There were copies of the Citizen Herald, a plastic floral cake decoration, an article about the landing on the moon and several 1969 pennies.
All of the contents will be displayed in the main lobby’s diorama showcase for the remainder of this school year. The committee for Berea’s 50th anniversary has planned events for each month. Mr. Solimando ended the assembly by telling the current students that they will be creating items for the time capsule which will be returned and sealed into the cornerstone at the end of the school year.