A Box Full of Town History

Saugus officials and residents team up to open 70-year-old Saugus High School Time Capsule

(The Saugus Historical Commission issued the following press release this week.)

On Saturday, April 27, students and alumni of Saugus High School joined town officials for the opening of the time capsule which had been placed in the cornerstone of the former Saugus High School in September 1954. After greetings from Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta, Town Manager Scott Crabtree, Superintendent of Schools Michael Hashem, and Saugus Historical Commission Chair Stephen Carlson, members of the audience joined the Town Manager and School Committee Member Tom Whittredge in removing the 32 bolts which secured the lid of the copper box.

Included among them was Elizabeth McKay, whose father William McKay was one of the two men who built the box.

Upon opening, the box revealed a picture of the town some seven decades ago. There were copies of newspapers from the time, as well as town documents including the 1953 annual town report, the 1954 list of persons (voter list), the 1954 Saugus High School yearbook, and other public documents. One of the highlights of the contents was a letter from President Dwight Eisenhower congratulating the town on its 325th anniversary and its commitment to education with the construction of a new high school. A book contained signatures from town officials and students.

The town plans to properly conserve the box’s contents and will be making plans for the display of some of the items.

The program included a trumpet solo rendition of the National Anthem by Josephine Pepper of the Saugus High School Band and two songs by Tonal Chaos, the Saugus High School Acapella Choir. Light refreshments were provided by the Saugus High School Alumni Association and State Representative Donald Wong.

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