Mount Pulaski opens 1912 time capsule
Among the treasures found, a New York Herald newspaper dated April 15, 1865, which featured the news of President Abraham Lincoln's Assassination

 

[June 18, 2019] 

Louis Volle, Building and Grounds Supervisor of the Mount Pulaski Unit School District 23, spent the last six months searching Mount Pulaski High School for a piece of history. With the 1912 building scheduled for demolition in the coming weeks, Volle had a feeling a time capsule had to be buried somewhere in the 107-year-old structure.

Volle was right. Inside the northeast cornerstone of the building, right underneath the school's office, was a copper box surrounded by limestone.

On Monday night that copper box was opened by Volle, with assistance from interim Superintendent Phil Shelton, as the school board members and public looked on. A crowd of history buffs and curious citizens filled the library of the Mount Pulaski Grade School in anticipation of the treasures inside the box.

Before Volle grabbed his tools and started to meticulously open the box, School Board President Eric Cowan spoke, building up the excitement. "Louis came in on cloud nine ready to open it," said Cowan. "Phil mentioned let's just do it on Monday at the meeting so the rest of the public can be here to witness that as well, a piece of our town's history." Cowan then noted that Volle was the perfect person to open the box as he had been working really hard to get things ready for the new addition over the past several months.

After a couple of minutes and Volle resorting to using tin snips to reveal the contents, the first item pulled from the box made the crowd gasp. It was the New York Herald newspaper dated April 15, 1865 containing the article about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Upon further evaluation of the newspaper, MPHS Social Studies teacher Brian Erlenbush made a call to the Illinois State Museum for assistance in determining the authenticity of the newspaper. While that particular issue of the newspaper is listed among the most rare, this may or may not be a reproduction of one that would have to be looked at by a historian. No one was at the Illinois State Museum after hours to take the call.

There also appeared to be three different publications of a Mount Pulaski newspaper at one time, which was quite interesting. Inside the box were the following local newspapers:

• Mount Pulaski Times dated February 28, 1912.

• Mount Pulaski Times dated December 6, 1906.

• Mount Pulaski Weekly News dated December 22, 1911.

• The Mount Pulaski Citizen dated August 30, 1877.

Other items of interest inside the box were:

• A business card dated November 5, 1912 for William Ryan, Democratic Candidate for Coroner.
   

• A paper listing the 1912 school board members:

President:

C.T. Anderson

Board members:

O.W. Mayer
H.S. Buckles
F.W. Meister
Chas. C. Munce
C.E. West
August Unland

• A paper showing the assets of the First National Bank dated September 4, 1912.

An item featuring the inscription "Farmers Bank of Scroggin and Son."
*Rick Volle of the Farmers Bank of Mount Pulaski was in the crowd and he confirmed that the bank was incorporated by the Volle family in 1917. The Farmers Bank is the oldest bank in Logan County.

• A grammar book from the high school presumably dating back to 1912.
   

• Three random coins.

While the condition of each of the items found in the box were far from mint, that certainly did not decrease the crowd's enthusiasm and appreciation for the history uncovered on this night.

If anything, the excitement of uncovering the 1912 time capsule fueled the conversation for what should be put in the next time capsule. There is still plenty of time to decide that as the demolition of the building begins July 1, 2019 and is expected to be completed in time for classes in the fall of 2020.

Just to clarify, the 1912 and 1927 portions of the high school building are the ones being tore down to make room for the new additions. There will also be modifications to the front of the building facing Spring Street. This construction will improve the entrance into the school's gymnasium and add a more safe and secure school office as visitors enter the building.

*Note of interest:

The 1912 building was constructed following a fire that destroyed the school in 1911.

[Teena Lowery]