Murray Bridge North School’s class of 1996 reunites to dig up a time capsule

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Quarter of a century ago, a PVC pipe filled with memorabilia was buried out the front of Murray Bridge North School.

Twenty-five years later, former students from the class of 1996 have returned to dig up the time capsule and see what they left inside.

There were class photos, well preserved copies of newspapers, book club brochures, a canteen price list – sausage rolls for 95c, anyone? – and a TV Hits magazine.

There were projects by the year seven students, including lists of their favourite foods, TV shows and hobbies.

There were even photos from the time capsule’s burial and handwritten letters from the students who had been at the school 50 years earlier, in 1946.

Nick Heath smiled as he thumbed through the reports he and his classmates had written about themselves.

“A lot of things haven’t changed,” he said.

“My favourite TV show’s still Seinfeld ... my favourite place was Surfers’ Paradise, yeah.

“I can actually remember doing all this – I remember the whole palaver when we buried it.”

Tanya Martin remembered all the boys in her class jumping out the windows as soon as their teacher left the room.

Alicia Williams recalled collecting cans and bottles – then worth just 5c each – to raise money for excursions, while the gala days and around-the-school relays stuck out in Carrie Daniels’ memory.

Joy Kluske came along to the event for her son Damien, now working in the mines in Queensland.

Present-day principal James Parkin said it had been delightful to meet some of the old scholars on Wednesday afternoon.

The time capsule’s contents will remain on display in the school office for the rest of this week, the last of the school year.

Former students will be able to pick up any memorabilia they contributed next week.