MONROE - With a little bit of luck and the guidance of four metal detectors, a group of former Northside Elementary School students will be able to uncover a piece of their shared school history Saturday.
It was a spring day in 1970 when Northside's sixth-grade class planted saplings in honor of Arbor Day. Joined by their four teachers, the 108 students also buried a time capsule.
Now, some 44 years later, some of those students are going to try to locate and dig up the time capsule. They'll be joined by former principals and teachers for a reunion and unearthing.
The idea for the reunion germinated last year as a few classmates were reminiscing at a local restaurant, according to Louie Bunker, a member of the sixth-grade Class of 1970. He said at the time, the school was still new, opening in 1968, with 520 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. It was a time of transition, as country schools closed and students were sent to Northside.
He and a few classmates recalled planting the trees, leading to a discussion about the time capsule.
The idea for a reunion and unearthing was born. "It just kind of spiraled," Bunker said.
Members of the sixth-grade class were invited and a special effort was made to locate former principals and faculty. As of Thursday, each principal in Northside's history and all four sixth-grade teachers from 1970 planned to attend. Those attending are coming from around the state and will include:
n Principals: Tony Serpe, the school's first principal, from 1968-1971; Don Sorn, 1973-2000; Cory Hirsbrunner, 2000-2009; and Amy Timmerman, 2009 to present.
n Sixth-grade teachers: Fred Lauper, Donna Schluesche, Noel Soltau and Verna Schmidt.
n Other Northside faculty: Janet Austin, Barb Grabow, Kurt Schilling, Eleanor Stalder, Melva Tschanz, Katie Roberts, Julianne Barribeau and Marilyn Kubly-Schmid.
The sixth-grade class and faculty will meet at 11 a.m. for a social hour and lunch. Bunker said the public is welcome to join them at 1 p.m. for more socializing - anyone with an association to the school, including former Northside students or staff members, and their families, is invited.
The group will attempt to dig up the time capsule at about 1:30 p.m., Bunker said - if they can locate it.
Recollections of the day have grown hazy over the past four decades. "I remember it was Arbor Day and all 108 of us were given saplings and we planted them along 32nd Ave.," he said, noting no one he has spoken with recalls the exact location of the capsule.
He's heard various recollections about planting the trees and capsule. "Some remember it happening, they just don't remember where," he said. "It's a bit of a mystery."
Organizers have done research, finding a story and photo in an old Monroe Evening Times publication from the Arbor Day planting. Bunker said Kubly-Schmid, the school librarian from 1968-2004, was instrumental in researching the event.
And Bunker has called in some help to find the burial site: Four people with metal detectors will be going over school grounds Saturday morning before the reunion to try to locate the capsule.
Will they find the capsule? "It's a roll of the dice," Bunker said.
But even if the time capsule isn't located, Bunker is excited to help bring former students and faculty together.
"I just want it to turn out to be a happy reunion," he said.
It was a spring day in 1970 when Northside's sixth-grade class planted saplings in honor of Arbor Day. Joined by their four teachers, the 108 students also buried a time capsule.
Now, some 44 years later, some of those students are going to try to locate and dig up the time capsule. They'll be joined by former principals and teachers for a reunion and unearthing.
The idea for the reunion germinated last year as a few classmates were reminiscing at a local restaurant, according to Louie Bunker, a member of the sixth-grade Class of 1970. He said at the time, the school was still new, opening in 1968, with 520 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. It was a time of transition, as country schools closed and students were sent to Northside.
He and a few classmates recalled planting the trees, leading to a discussion about the time capsule.
The idea for a reunion and unearthing was born. "It just kind of spiraled," Bunker said.
Members of the sixth-grade class were invited and a special effort was made to locate former principals and faculty. As of Thursday, each principal in Northside's history and all four sixth-grade teachers from 1970 planned to attend. Those attending are coming from around the state and will include:
n Principals: Tony Serpe, the school's first principal, from 1968-1971; Don Sorn, 1973-2000; Cory Hirsbrunner, 2000-2009; and Amy Timmerman, 2009 to present.
n Sixth-grade teachers: Fred Lauper, Donna Schluesche, Noel Soltau and Verna Schmidt.
n Other Northside faculty: Janet Austin, Barb Grabow, Kurt Schilling, Eleanor Stalder, Melva Tschanz, Katie Roberts, Julianne Barribeau and Marilyn Kubly-Schmid.
The sixth-grade class and faculty will meet at 11 a.m. for a social hour and lunch. Bunker said the public is welcome to join them at 1 p.m. for more socializing - anyone with an association to the school, including former Northside students or staff members, and their families, is invited.
The group will attempt to dig up the time capsule at about 1:30 p.m., Bunker said - if they can locate it.
Recollections of the day have grown hazy over the past four decades. "I remember it was Arbor Day and all 108 of us were given saplings and we planted them along 32nd Ave.," he said, noting no one he has spoken with recalls the exact location of the capsule.
He's heard various recollections about planting the trees and capsule. "Some remember it happening, they just don't remember where," he said. "It's a bit of a mystery."
Organizers have done research, finding a story and photo in an old Monroe Evening Times publication from the Arbor Day planting. Bunker said Kubly-Schmid, the school librarian from 1968-2004, was instrumental in researching the event.
And Bunker has called in some help to find the burial site: Four people with metal detectors will be going over school grounds Saturday morning before the reunion to try to locate the capsule.
Will they find the capsule? "It's a roll of the dice," Bunker said.
But even if the time capsule isn't located, Bunker is excited to help bring former students and faculty together.
"I just want it to turn out to be a happy reunion," he said.