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Toronto Memory Y ault Buried Until Year 2026By STEVE WEISS B era Id-Star Staff Writer TORONTO — “I hope they won’t be sad,” said Mrs. Anson Sapp' of the Torontonians who, 50 years from now, will dig up and open the memory capsule vault which was buried Thur-sdaynight in the town sqwuare.About 50-60 people gathered at Third and Market Streets as more than 300 memorv envelopes containing pictures,newspaper clips and letters were placed inside plastic bags and laid inside a 2700-pound cement vault donated by a local vault company and funeral home.Celebration Climax The ceremony climaxed 10 days of Bicentennial activities and was planned by the standing^ of July Committee.Chairman Carl Nordenger said the idea came to him last year when he watched a similar “burial” in another city. For the past few weeks the committee.made up of Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion members, sold the envelopes at $2 apiece, hoping to sell 2,000 of them, thus raising $4,000 to pay off Bicentennial bills. *Nordenger said he was “disappointed” at the 300-plus number sold.Among the committee members involved in the capsule were Tom Olbrysh Sr., Ed Rock, Joe Chadwick and Williard Blanton of the American Legion, and Frank Vanihill, Jack Spry and John Radvinsktof the VFW.Meaning of Moment As Nordenger and his assistants carefully put the plastic bags into the capsule, Mr. and Mrs. Sapp thought about the meaning of the moment and had different emotions.“I plan to be there to see it opened,” said a boisterous Mr. Sapp, who is well into middle age. Said Mrs. Sapp, “I hope they’ll learn something from it.They’ll probablv comparewages andprices.”“Oh, I put in a letter saying what we’ve been doing, some pictures and news clips from The Herald-Star,” she replied when asked the contents of the envelopes. “I’m a sentimentalist.”A recent arrival in the city was Emily Shafer, who didn’t put anything into the vault, but whose aunt, Dr. Jane Shafer, president of the Toronto Board, of Education, did.“I think that this is very nice. An event like this is nicer in a smaller city than it is in a bigger city,” said Emily,- who camt to Toronto too months ago to work for doctor-aunt.Opening In 2026As Carl Nordenger filled up the vault and got ready to help put on the lid, Mrs. Diana Swearingen thought of her young son and daughter, who both would be in their fifties come the year 2026 when the vault is opened.“I put a paper listing the family tree inside the envelope,’’ Mrs. Swearingen answered. “The kids will like that when they get older.” “They’ll get to see what Toronto was like. I think Toronto definitely will prosper.”With the vault filled and sealed, some fitting and shifting was done and then the dirt covering was dropped from a dump truck. Many memories within the earth but, like the grass in the square, to grow and flourish in years to come.Various Age Groups The spectators of middle age and older stared down at the site, people who probably won’t be around in July 2026, people who thought of the times that were.Less comprehending — but seemingly more cheerful — were the younger ones who knew less of the memories enclosed in the vault but who would understand more five decades from now.Nordenger, who said a site marker will1 soon be placed in the square, addressed the crowd briefly.“I want to thank you all for coming and taking part, and I hope you’re all here when we open it up,” he said.Some will.. .and some won’t.
Newspaper Details
Steubenville Herald Star
Steubenville, Ohio, US
Sat, Jul 10, 1976
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Public L.
OH, USA 11 Dec 2023
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