#IMadeMyMark – Throwback to 1994: Highbury unearth a time capsule
The capsule was buried by Mrs Pam Turner's Grade 5 class in 1994, there were cheers of delight when the spade hit the capsule and the first patch of white PVC pipe became visible.
HIGHBURY Preparatory turned 116 on Friday, 26 April and this year the celebrations were extra special as they unearthed their first time capsule which was buried by Mrs Pam Turner’s Grade 5 class in 1994.
At the time, she promised the boys that the capsule would be dug up on Highbury’s birthday, 25 years later. Her class of boys each wrote a letter about South Africa’s first democratic elections that were taking place at the time, and a second letter to ‘their future-selves’.
They also gathered a collection of things that were ‘new’ and ‘old’ at the time to place in the capsule, a R2 note (which had just been discontinued), other coins at the time, the new South African flag, key newspaper supplements about the election and a collection of postage stamps.The time capsule was created from PVC pipe by Anthony Harris, dad of Alasdair Harris in the class. They then ‘secretly’ buried it at the back of Highbury’s Chapel, in the gardens, about one metre underground.
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On Friday morning, 10 boys from Pam Turner’s class gathered together with their retired educators, special guests and Highbury staff and boys to unearth the capsule.
There was a short ceremony, followed by energetic digging and cheers of delight when the spade hit the capsule and the first patch of white PVC pipe became visible.
The hole had to be made much bigger to be able to get it out and then it was carefully sawn open on the lawn. No-one knew whether the contents would be intact or not after so many years underground, so it was a wonderful surprise to see that everything had been perfectly preserved and it was only the very rusty staples that gave away how long it had been buried. The contents of the time capsule were then set up in Highbury’s Media Centre as a display for the boys, educators and guests to view.
“The timing was highly relevant as South Africa celebrated Freedom Day on Saturday and we await our next election on Wednesday, 8 May. It is fascinating to compare this ‘moment on time’ of 25 years ago with the birth of our democracy, seen through the eyes of Grade 5 boys, with the reality of South Africa today.
“Highbury’s 116th birthday was certainly a day full of memories and a very memorable day,” said Highbury’s principal, Roland Lacock.
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