Pupils from Mountview School's runanga with the two time capsules, current principal Anna Norris (second left) and former principal Carmel Hoetawa (right).
Pupils from Mountview School's runanga with the two time capsules, current principal Anna Norris (second left) and former principal Carmel Hoetawa (right).
It was a blast from the recent past at Mountview School in Taupo on Monday when two of the school's time capsules were dug up.
The school was celebrating its 50th Jubilee with a gala and the ceremonial opening of the time capsules at a full school assembly.
And afair bit of effort was required to access what had been buried since 1995 and 2005 respectively, with a plaque in the concrete outside the school office marking the spot of the capsules' burial being carefully removed to lift them out.
While the lid of the 1995 time capsule, a bucket, proved relatively easy to remove, the school caretaker was brought in with a saw to deal to the 2005 time capsule, a plastic tube, which offered some resistance before the saw prevailed.
Pupils watched on in interest as Mountview School principal Anna Norris then revealed the offerings inside.
There was an envelope of work from the pupils of each classroom at the time - interestingly, two of the classes no longer existed - which included photographs, artworks, letters and writing, along with memorabilia such as a newspaper from the year 2005, a poi and even some money.
Mountview School principal Anna Norris unpacks the contents of the 1995 time capsule at a special school assembly last Monday. Photo / Laurilee McMichael
Former principal Carmel Hoetawa, who was at Mountview School when the 2005 time capsule was deposited, was there as guest of honour, while her predecessor John Barnes, who had been at the helm when the 1995 bucket went into the hole, was unable to make it.
Also at the ceremony was former pupil Kayla Nicoll, who was at 9-year-old at Mountview in 1995 and whose own daughter Anahera Marumaru, 13, now attends the school. Kayla had come over especially for the jubilee from her home in Hastings.
"I actually can't remember what I put in it [the time capsule]," Kayla said. 'I remember we wrote a whole lot of stuff and put it in there.
"When mum told me, I thought it would be nice to come back here for it."
The two capsules will be replaced by a new time capsule from 2020. Each class of current pupils at the school will write letters and produce artworks to be deposited in the new capsule which will be laid in the same spot outside the school office, complete with new plaque. It will be opened in 25 years.
"We will come back to Mountview and we will do the same," Ms Norris told the assembled school.
"Maybe you kids might be here in 2045 and you will see the messages that you and the staff of Mountview have left."
