What remains of Parkvale School's 75th jubilee time capsule contents. Photo/ Supplied
What remains of Parkvale School's 75th jubilee time capsule contents. Photo/ Supplied
The staff and students of Parkvale School, Hastings have lost a part of their history after the opening of a 75th jubilee time capsule revealed a flooded, soggy mess.
Principal Mark Gifkins says a decision was made to open the time capsule prior to the school's centenary over Queen's Birthdayweekend.
Parkvale School's 75th jubilee flooded time capsule before it was opened. Photo/ Supplied
"We were concerned about what we would find and what state it would be in and didn't want everyone feeling disappointed if the contents hadn't lasted the time," Gifkins said.
"Thus it was decided that if everything was still intact we would then re-open it again at the centenary in front of all the attendees."
The time capsule was found, by the school's caretaker, in a garden outside the principal's office.
School buildings were built around it, to maintain the integrity of the contents and of the time capsule.
"The whole area outside is concrete except for the little garden outside the principal's office."
The opening of the time capsule was not preceded by pomp and ceremony, but those gathered decided to wait with bated breath as the time capsule was hack sawed, he said.
"A few of us quietly gathered by the time capsule as the caretaker carefully hack sawed the copious amount of industrial glue that was holding the concrete lid in place.
Parkvale School's caretaker Pete Ashdown gently opens the 75th jubilee time capsule to reveal its contents. Photo/ Supplied
"As he prepared to lift the lid a hush filled the air, followed by a gasp of shock and sigh of disappointment as the lifted lid exposed the flooded capsule.
"The contents though individual encased in plastic sealed bags and placed the a concrete tomb, were floating in water. The bags themselves were full of water and the entire contents ruined."
The contents were carefully removed and identified.
"The contents included - a yellow T-shirt with Parkvale School printed on it. (25 years ago there was no uniform and the top was used for choir, kapa haka and sports representatives).
There was also "A number of very early Ready to Reads (completed stuck together), the famous yellow 75th Jubilee Cookbook, stationery lists and prices, staff and jubilee photos and the identifying plant tag from the jubilee tree."
The soggy mess that is the contents of Parkvale School's 75th jubilee time capsule. Photo/ Sahiban Hyde
As a result of the find the school has decided to undertake research into time capsules to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
"(We) found out that the majority of them have the same result as ours. Basically anything buried underground needs careful preparation and consideration.
