The time capsule buried under the atrium deck at Spicewood Elementary School is 15 years older than the current kindergartners. The items will be revealed when the school celebrates its 40 year anniversary Monday at 9 a.m.
The capsule, which was created in 1994 as part of the 20th anniversary celebration, contains day-to-day relics from life during in the mid-1990s. The items were contained and hidden by now-retired staff member Keith Glowka.
“A lot of the kids weren’t even born yet when we made the time capsule,” said Beth June, former Spicewood Elementary principal. “I honestly don’t remember what we put in, but we tried very hard to be period oriented so it would look like antiques.”
Former staff, community members and alumni will gather Monday with current students and staff to embrace the history of the school and celebrate the 40th anniversary.
“The Spicewood Community is beyond ecstatic to have the special opportunity to open the time capsule from 20 years ago and showcase all the items this school year,” principal Jiae Kim said. “It will allow everyone to take a glimpse back into the past and reflect on the changes and growth Spicewood has experience since 1994 with the time capsule and 1974 with the entire celebration.”
Jerry Don Landers served as the principal of Spicewood Elementary from 1974 to 2000 and is still a strong member of school’s community, visiting weekly to play a staff volleyball game in the gym.
Landers, who easily embodies the spirit of Spicewood’s community and traditions, doesn’t remember what is inside the 1994 time capsule, but said it will surely bring the community back to their great memories, much like a parting gift he received in 2000.
“When I left here, they made me a quilt from each grade level and each specialty team made a little square with a design and all signed them on the back,” Landers said. “The time capsule should be a lot like that, things we would remember 20 years later. I wish we had a time capsule 40 years ago.”
June, who served as principal from 2000 to 2012, hasn’t been back at Spicewood Elementary since her retirement, she said. She’s looking forward to stepping back into the school that became her home away from home.
“After 15 years there, the hardest thing to do was retiring,” June said. “Out of my 35 year career, working at Spicewood was definitely the highlight. It’s a very, very special place.”
