A feature in The Isle of Thanet News about Newington Primary School children burying time capsules with their memories of the first year of the virus pandemic has sparked interest from the other side of the world.
The story and pictures of boys and girls burying their sealed containers by a tree in the school grounds were seen by the International Time Capsule Society in Atlanta, Georgia in America.
One of its research executives contacted The Isle of Thanet News editor Kathy Bailes and asked to be put in touch with the school.
He said: “We would love to map and catalogue the Newington Community Primary School time capsule you refer to in your article.”
Head Teacher Cliff Stokes said: “It is amazing that our desire to offer future generations an insight into living through a global pandemic through the eyes of children and our time capsule project has become known in America.
“Our children’s input and our school life during one of the most important episodes in history will be recorded for prosperity on a global list of time capsule burials from around the world.
“Our pupils learn the importance of embracing a wider view of the world and we encourage them to learn about and celebrate their place in the world. This is a great example of that idea in action – from our playing field to Atlanta in Georgia in America.
“It is fabulous that our feature in The Isle of Thanet News has triggered this response from the International Time Capsule Society. Our children are excited that their efforts collating memorabilia and information for children of the future have achieved worldwide recognition and will be used to help a global data base of time capsules for educational purposes.
“On behalf of our boys and girls we accept the Society’s invitation with pleasure.”
The society states: “For more than 30 years our library has registered many thousands of time capsules from all over the world. This is a free library service offered by The International Time Capsule Society (ITCS) designed to build the historical record of time capsules and to ensure time capsules can be traced generations from now.
“The ITCS is based at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta (builders of the first modern time capsule – the Crypt of Civilization).
“We believe the knowledge gained in registering these time capsules offers us a wealth of information on the way we remember collectively. Unfortunately, most time capsules are lost or forgotten over time, and as a result our stories and history are lost with them. In an effort to prevent this, the ITCS catalogue, map, preserve and transfer this information to the Worldcat.org. Which is why we are reaching out to you today.”
The society’s dedicated members and volunteers focus on time capsule technology, consulting, cataloguing and research.
Its society’s mission is: to maintain a registry of all known time capsules; establish a clearing house for information about time capsules; encourage study of the technology, history, variety, and motivation behind time capsule projects; educate the general public and the academic community concerning the value of time capsules; and maintain and share a global directory of time capsule interested parties.
Find out more at www.itcsoc.org
