Putnam City Schools Opens 1989 Time Capsule

We're taking a trip back in time, rewinding two and a half decades as Putnam City Schools unseals a time capsule.

Thursday, August 14th 2014, 10:37 pm

By: News 9

Putnam City Schools Opens 1989 Time Capsule

We're taking a trip back in time, rewinding two and a half decades as Putnam City Schools unseals a time capsule.

It was put together 25 years ago and is now being opened as part of the district's centennial celebration.

It's a treasure trove full of memories. We take a look into the yesteryear of Putnam City school children at that time.

While some predictions of how life would be in 2014 are what you would expect 25 years ago, others were right on point.

The year is 1989.

Michael Jackson had fans singing new hits, “Bad” and “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

Back to the Future II and Ghostbusters II were box office blockbusters. Nintendo and Sega Genesis was an instant hit, and the Energizer Bunny was first introduced.

Until this week, an old locked safe in a maintenance building was protecting those memories.

“You think that 25 years ago isn't that long ago, and yet when you begin looking at this stuff, you get a real sense of time and place that you wouldn't without looking at it,” Putnam City Schools spokesperson, Steve Lindley said.

Two boxes full of predictions and moments in time are unsealed. Amid the artifacts, old scrap books and school t-shirts are some pretty interesting predictions about life in 2014.

Some of the forecasts were dead on.

"Computers and electronics and machines will take over our life," said Robby, Central Intermediate School.

"I think there will be telephone TV where you can see the person you are talking to," said Chris, Overholser Elementary School.

"There will be home shopping visual phones," said James, Central Intermediate School.

"I think the price of cars and gas will go up. An F150 is now about $15,000 and gas is between 92 cents and $1 a gallon. Twenty-five years from now, the same kind of truck will be about $30,000 and gas will be about $3,” said Brent, Overholser Elementary School.

Others, partly came true.

"I think we will have solar-powered cars," said Penny, Overholser Elementary School.

"The cars will be all computerized and run like jets. Candy bars will cost $2 and instead of cruising to Hawaii, we will have trips to the moon," said Unsigned, Central Intermediate School.

“It takes people back, and sometimes, you're surprised,” Lindley said.

Putnam City Schools plan to start a new time capsule later this year. This one though will be kept sealed for 50 years.