Generations of Middleburgh school children just connected, although most have never met.
Thursday, June 18, members of the Class of 2038 were on hand as the district opened the seal on a time capsule prepared by elementary school children in 2001. They were surprised to find the time capsule also linked back to 1976.
The 2001 time capsule had almost been forgotten. By chance, it resurfaced during an office cleanout. Its faded instructions came just in time for the district to fulfill the directive to break the seal on June 18, 2026.
The box, measuring about 10”x10 x10”, was opened by Superintendent Mark Place, who was just as uncertain as anyone else about its contents. What would the 2001 students have found worthy of including? A common guess was Pokemon cards.
Pikachu was nowhere to be found.
Instead, the box was stuffed with photos, letters, a cassette listing commercials and a map with Post-it notes denoting Middleburgh businesses. Instantly, the Class of 2038 shouted out places they are familiar with – like Mrs.K’s Kitchen – and others – such as the Grand Union – that are no longer open.
Two students found themselves gazing into the eyes of a younger version of a parent. Teacher Terry Burton, who is about to retire, was the first to notice generational connections in the photos. It brought back memories.
“There are pictures of colleagues that I worked with 25 years ago and kids I taught who are now parents – whose kids I have in class,” he said.
Burton carried one class photo over to student Sadie H.
“I was surprised to see my mom there,” said Sadie. “She looked way different.”
Digging deeper, Superintendent Place found a surprise. The box included the contents of a 1976 time capsule. In 1976, the nation was celebrating its bicentennial. Middleburgh children had included commemorative mementos in a time capsule and buried it under a tree. In 2001, students dug it up, explored its contents and put the items back in a box with their own time capsule mementos.
Eva M. thought it was all “pretty cool.” What did she find most interesting?
“Probably the $2 bill or the $1 coin because they don’t use currency like that anymore,” Eva said.
Opening the capsule gave the children a chance to wonder about how student life has changed. Today’s classrooms still contain pencils, desks, and the American flag. In fact, Burton happened to be carrying a copy of “Charlotte’s Web” when he entered the room to view the time capsule. “Charlotte’s Web” is as much of a classroom classic now as it was in 1976.
Today’s classrooms, with computers and digital whiteboards, are also vastly different. If she could travel back in time, Eva M. would have questions.
“I would probably ask them what their favorite class was, or their favorite after-school activity,” Eva said. “Because things are different now than they would be then.”
Superintendent Mark Place says the time capsule perfectly captures what makes the district so special.
“With America’s 250th birthday coming up, opening this capsule was a great reminder of our roots. Seeing Mr. Burton look at photos of his very first students—who are now Middleburgh parents with kids of their own in our classrooms—was just incredible,” Place said. “We aren’t just a school; we’re a continuous chain of family, history, and community.”
The district will seize on the time capsule to teach history to current students and to plant the seeds of learning for future generations. Plans are underway for students to curate a 2026 time capsule to continue the tradition of connecting Middleburgh’s past, present and future.
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