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Time Capsule Tascosa to bury memories By Briley Dockery When Tascosa High School's 50th anniversary time capsule is opened in 2058, it will showcase a byte out of the school's history.
The majority of the items planned to be in the time capsule will be electronic files to make sure information that would be too big on paper can fit into the capsule, said Mike Johnson, one of the school's guidance counselors and the head of the 50th anniversary committee. To make sure as much is crammed into the 12-inch wide, 18-inch deep time capsule as possible, the committee has gotten advisory classes schoolwide involved with the collection of suggestions, Johnson said. By Sept. 25, the capsule was completed, resting in the library, waiting for its paint to dry. Committee members are faced not only with the decision of what to include, but also how digital media will be viewed after 50 years of technological advances. The committee started brainstorming ideas for the contents of a commemorative time capsule last spring and won't make the final decisions until May 2009, Johnson said. "One of our tech savvy faculty members is trying to get a small hard drive that will fit inside to put all of the files on," he said. The material in the capsule will reflect a wide range of activities and programs that make Tascosa what it is. "This project is really easy because the time capsule is being built by one of Trevor Williams' ag classes and the dimensions of the time capsule were determined by the size of the trophy case where we're allowed to put it," Johnson said. All the advisory classes, the new name for home room, are in the process of suggesting what they would like to preserve in the time capsule, and although he is coordinating suggestions, it's the 50th anniversary committee that will make the final decision, Johnson said. For 50th anniversary committee members, the most important thing is accurately representing what Tascosa stands for, said Debbie Thompson, an English teacher and member of the committee. "I like the idea of putting an iPod in it, because I think that's so 'who we are' right now," Thompson said. "I think we'll look at things that are really representative of the time period, the things that really explain who we are at this time and include who we were in '58." One teacher is a Rebel through and through and wanted the capsule to reflect the life of the school. "I wanted to serve on the committee because I am a Rebel, always have been, always will be," history teacher Jana Parsells said. "I have been a part of Tascosa for 24 years of its 50-year history. Three years as a student and the last 21 as a teacher. If Tascosa wasn't the best school in Texas, I wouldn't be teaching here." The time capsule, built by Tascosa agriculture students and painted by art teacher Marissa Norsworthy, will be presented to the school's new principal, Dr. Lynn Pulliam, at the homecoming pep rally today, Oct. 9. After the presentation, the capsule will be stored in its permanent home until it is sealed in May. The first choice of items in the capsule is a list of the original faculty members from the 1958-1959 school year and a list of the faculty members for the 2008-2009 year. The second priority is a complete list of the student body from this year. Heath Parker, the head football coach, has compiled information covering Tascosa's entire football history and will list every coach and every football team roster since the school opened, Johnson said. "This will not be completely sealed up until the end of the year because we're putting a graduation program inside," Johnson said. Johnson has a message for those who come after him and the others now at Tascosa who will be long gone in 2058. "Please be sure when you retire from Tascosa in 30 years or so, that you tell someone there is a time capsule in the trophy case." E-mail
comments about this story Posted: Oct. 9, 2008 |
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