PICTURE ROCKS, LYCOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — An elementary school in Lycoming County is celebrating a century of learning in a big way. 28/22 News visited the school to see how the school is digging up the past and remembering the memories made.
A lot can happen in 100 years. Presidents, puppies, movies, and memories. That's where we begin our journey today.
In 1925, Ferrell Elementary opened its doors to its first class of learners. Calvin Coolidge was president. Gas was between 20 and 30 cents a gallon. And the Phantom of the Opera topped the charts at the box office. Things have certainly changed since then—new leaders, new actors, and new learners.
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During that first class, though, a group of teachers and staff had a brilliant idea: a time capsule for future generations of students.
"There was a list of bonds of people who had helped fund the school project. There was a list of students in the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes. There was a description of the building at that time period. What it was. Electric lights and steam heat were apparently important to mention," Dr. Mark Stamm, the East Lycoming School District Superintendent, said
Unfortunately, the documents have deteriorated significantly due to weather-related factors.
"The documents were wrapped in newspaper and stored in the cornerstone brick, and when it was taken out, they had just deteriorated over time due to temperature, humidity, and heat behind that brick," Laura Barondeau, the principal of Ferrell Elementary, explained.
They were shown to students on a projector. They're also on display in the school's hallway.
"Surprisingly, the documents are in remarkably good shape for the condition of the box, and it's been sitting there in stone for a hundred years. We were able to get them apart. You're able to read everything. It's neat to see the names of families who are still in the community today," Dr. Stamm told 28/22 News.
The current students of Ferrell are creating their own history with a time capsule that will be opened in 2125. One by one, each class stood up and shared their contributions to the new time capsule. Most put in letters, others put in different items. One class put in a penny made in 2025.
"The letters and the other things the students chose seem very thoughtfully chosen and appropriate for the time," Barondeau said.
Another asks a question in their contribution: Will cursive writing still be around? Who knows.
"I certainly hope so. There's beautiful writing in old documents that we want to make sure we can read," Dr. Stamm laughed.
The new time capsule will also include a complete list of the current students and staff.
