Ceremony planned for opening of school time capsule

 POMONA - Miguel Hurtado arrived at Philadelphia Elementary more than a year ago to serve as its new principal and soon after noticed an odd section of concrete on the front of the school building.

Over time Hurtado did some checking and came to the conclusion a time capsule must be behind the patch.

Hurtado said this week he was pretty sure a time capsule existed in that spot. In the past, in collaboration with a parent, he found a time capsule at another Pomona Unified campus.

Recently some district employees came to the Philadelphia campus and broke out the concrete patch revealing a sealed copper box with the date March 23, 1958 written on it and the signature of Principal Morrison, the headed the school at the time.

What is inside the time capsule is unknown and will remain a mystery until 10 a.m. April 16 when the box is opened at a school assembly.

School alumni, their parents, former faculty and past school staff members are welcome to attend, Hurtado said.

As everyone waits for the date of the assembly to arrive, students have been writing about all the things they believe could be found inside of the time capsule, Hurtado said.

A contest has also been organized designed to select a series of items to place in a new capsule, he said.

Each grade level will determine what single item they would like included in the capsule.

Hurtado, like others at the school, is wondering what the Philidelphia students of 1958 may have placed in the box.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what they deemed important," Hurtado said.