GOLD HILL — After waiting 50 years to open the Gold Hill School 1976 Time Capsule, the moment has come.

The rock was removed, the dirt dug up, and a metal box was found in a plastic bag. The contents were not in great shape. Moisture had gotten in and there was rust and mold. Despite some damage there were some treasures and interesting contents to see and hear.

In 1976 the K-6 grade Gold Hill School teacher Edie Eilender and her students put together a time capsule that was not to be opened until May of 2026.

Some of the things inside were Gold Hill School class lists that go back many years, Boulder Valley Public Schools 1976 Math Curriculum, a school calendar, "Tigers" a classic primary elementary reader published by Houghton Mifflin, several pennies, one Doobie Brothers record, and a cassette tape with voices of the teacher and students.

Thanks to some great effort and 2026 technology they were able to hear the voices again.

May 16 was a celebration day at Gold Hill School to celebrate the past, present, and future. The contents of the 1976 time capsule were on display. Voices from the cassette recording could be heard. School yearbooks were on tables to be looked at.

Current Gold Hill School students have been working with their teacher Chrissy Maedke to make a new time capsule that will be placed back in the ground in an air- and moisture-tight container and not to be opened for another 50 years, May 2076.

In this time capsule they have photos of students and a current class photo. The students have drawn pictures and written poems. There is a Covid test, and a Mountain-Ear newspaper. Chrissy Maedke has written a letter to the future of Gold Hill that will be included.

Gold Hill community members were also invited to leave small items to be included.

As with all Gold Hill School celebrations, this is a community celebration. The Pineytops played music, there was a food truck, and face painting.

Special guests to this event were Gold Hill students who helped fill the contents of the 1976 time capsule. It is their voices on the cassette tape. Some of those students who were able to attend the May 16 celebration were Greg Mason, David Strobel, Clint Buckner, Andy Cox, Hannah (Ryah) Hartman, Kirstin (Soby) Panikkar, and Lara Johnson.

As they reminisced about their days at Gold Hill School they smiled and laughed. They talked about how the building was smaller, but there were more students. They only had one teacher. There was experiential learning at the school then, too.

Panikkar said about growing up in Gold Hill that "...everyone looked out for everyone else. The school always brought a sense of closeness and community. "

She continued, "Growing up in Gold Hill 50 years ago we were given a lot of freedom. Riding bikes, walking to friends' houses, and playing at the school all unsupervised, but the parents always knew where we were and who we were playing with.

"We didn't have video games or cell phones but we had each other. We played board games on rainy days, rode horses, played outside, walked through town looking for 'treasures' and making up our own games.

"School brought us together and we learned to work out our differences (which were many) and to cooperate even if we didn't want to. We learned to work independently and rely on ourselves to problem solve."

When asked about what her hopes are for Gold Hill School in 50 years Maedke said, "I want the school open and serving the community."

The Gold Hill time capsule that will be closed up this year and not to be opened until 2076 will contain photos, student writing and artwork, and newspapers.

Photo by Sara Sandstrom

A community member read a poem during the celebration honoring Gold Hill School, and all the people who have supported it for it's 153 years as a center of education and community. She said it is, "deep, shiny, golden." Gold Hill School truly is a treasure.

Let the words from Edie Eilander that we could hear on the cassette tape help us see what was of value in 1976: "We hope you learn something of your history from this time box."

Let's hope the folks in 2076 learn some history from 2026 and see what was important then and have an understanding of the treasures from the past.

These former Gold Hill School students attended the school in the 1970s and helped fill the time capsule in 1976. They are Clint Buckner, Lara Johnson, David Strobel, Andy Cox, Greg Mason, Hannah (Ryah) Hartman, and Kirstin (Soby) Panikkar.

Photo by Sara Sandstrom