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BENDIGO HIGH SCHOOL
BENDIGO SENIOR SECONDARY COLLEGE
 

 

Opening of the 1913 Time Capsule on August 10 2007
On August 29, 1913 the construction of the Quadrangle began with the laying of the Foundation Stone. History records that at that time several objects were buried on the site, including "a copy of the 1912 Old Gold magazine and assorted other items". In this Centennial year it was thought appropriate to conduct a search and on August 7 2007, after cutting a hole in the floor of the room above and puling away bricks we found a metal box cemented in behind the Foundation Stone.

On Thursday August 10 we gathered in front of the Foundation Stone to hear Jaan Butler, a Year 11 student, describe the laying of the Foundation Stone 94 years earlier. The metal box was then retrieved from its hiding spot and the 'time capsule' was taken to James King Hall, named for the first headmaster of the school and who would have been responsible for placing the box in the location where it has remained all those years. In the presence of a large number of invited guests, staff and 200 excited students we opened the box to find inside an assortment of documents in pristine condition.

The following items were included:
  • 1. Vol. 1, No. 1. Old Gold Magazine December 1912
  • 2. Bendigo Advertiser - dated Friday, August 29, 1913
  • 3. The Bendigo Independent - dated Friday, August 29, 1913
  • 4. Annals of Bendigo 1851 to 1867 - written by G. Mackay
  • 5. The History of Bendigo by George Mackay, Journalist
  • 6. List: Bendigo High School Students - Boys & Girls in alphabetical listing
  • 7. List: Bendigo High School Staff and Advisory Council
  • 8. Record: Former Secondary Schools now merged in BHS
  • 9. Statistics: City of Bendigo 1913 - area, population, dwellings, assessments, valuation, general rate and revenue
  • 10. Hand written description of proposed school buildings
  • 11. Business Card: Frogley J Smith, Builders & Contractors
It was a memorable occasion and one that will rightly live in the history of the college.


Current Videos

1 Dale explains what was known about the existence of the time capsule to guests, staff and the media. He invites guests to participate in a reconstruction of its finding and witness the opening of the capsule after 94 years. QuickTime file

Clip 1. “Preamble”
2.7MB
2 BSSC student Jaan Butler  provides an interesting account of the history of BSSC and describes the ceremony of the laying of the Foundation Stone, including how staff wore primroses to mark the event! QuickTime file

Clip 2.
“Jaan Butler”
4.2MB
3 Dale explains that although the existence of the time capsule had been known about for some time, it was only recently that Barry and Mick deduced its location behind the Foundation Stone. QuickTime file

Clip 3.
“Finding”
2.4MB
4 Barry Dutton re-enacts the discovery and retrieval of the time capsule. QuickTime file

Clip 4.
“Retrieving”
2.6MB
5 Dale invites guests and available staff and students to relocate to the James King Hall for the official presentation and opening of the time capsule. QuickTime file

Clip 5.
“Presenting”
1.2MB
6 Dale provides an overview of significant events that occurred in 1913, the year the time capsule was sealed. QuickTime file

Clip 6.
“History 1913”
2.8MB
7 Barry and Mick open the time capsule on stage and in front of a capacity audience in the James King Hall. QuickTime file

Clip 7.
“Opening”
1.7MB
8 Dale and Faye Frewin start the exciting process of removing the contents of the time capsule. Dale provides a verbal description of each item for the audience. QuickTime file

Clip 8.
“Contents - 1”
5.3MB
9 Items include early Bendigo newspapers like The Independent and the illustrated Bendigonian. Other items include class and staff lists, the first Old Gold magazine, and demographic information about the City of Bendigo. QuickTime file

Clip 9.
“Contents - 2”
4.7MB
10 The contents of the time capsule are removed from the stage so that the audience and media can inspect items more closely. QuickTime file

Clip 10.
“Displaying”
2.1MB




 
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