FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 1999
Anna McGregor, from left, senior development officer for the Museum of Texas Tech;
Gary Edson, executive director; and David Dean, associate director, display some of
the many items donated by community groups that will go into a time capsule.
A-J photo/James Granger
By ANDREA WATSON
Avalanche-Journal
The Museum of Texas Tech wants to ensure that the people of 2100
know what Lubbock was like as the millennium changed.
Lubbock 2000, the millennium time capsule, is a project of the museum, designed to preserve a sample of the way of life in 1999.
''When we first started thinking about this, it unfolded in a way that is related to what we do,'' said Gary Edson, executive director of the museum. ''It's the idea of trying to reconstruct history. Usually, we have to do extensive research and look for things from that time and place. But, if we had the vision to put together that exhibit 100 years before the present, we could tell the story of the community. And now, we're preparing a package so that our story can be told in as complete a way as possible.''
The capsule is being filled with the cooperation of hundreds of people and local groups who have donated materials.
Among the items that will be buried in a time capsule at the Museum of Texas Tech -- to be opened in 100 years -- are seeds from area plants, plans about the growth of the city of Lubbock, and an electric meter donated by Lubbock Power & Light.
A-J photo/James Granger
''We have over 200 contacts,'' said Anna McGregor, senior development officer for the museum. ''It's a very diverse group. We have the Catholic Diocese and the local universities and colleges are participating. We even have baseball cards from the Lubbock Crickets.''
Area school districts have donated a great number of items, she said, as have many other groups <ETH> ranging from the Junior League to one of the local quilting guilds.
''The quilting guild donated a quilt that has a piece from each member,'' McGregor said. ''They left the quilt open so that future generations can see how a quilt was made in case it's no longer a hobby in 100 years.''
McGregor said the museum receives more donations each day.
Lubbock City plans.
A-J photo/James Granger
'We started this close to a year ago,'' she said. ''It was slow in getting going, but once we got moving, it became a constant flow of materials.''
Edson said he hasn't been shocked by the amount of material donated, but the type of materials was a little surprising.
''Most of it is in fairly traditional information forms,'' he said. ''There's a lot of printed pages and videos. When we started this, technology was an issue. All of it could be put on one CD and put in a shoebox. But, my feeling is that the interest is as much in the objects as the information itself.''
Materials from local organizations will be collected for at least another month, McGregor said.
A Lubbock Power and Light meter.
A-J photo/James Granger
''We want this to be completed by Dec. 31,'' she said. ''We're going to display the items at the museum for a year before we bury it to let the public see everything. It gives us a chance to make sure everything we're doing is right and it gives the public a chance to see it before it's buried.''
While the exhibit is on display, museum guests can sign a scroll that will later be buried in the capsule, Edson said.
''We have a sign-in book so everyone can leave their names,'' he said. ''We'll use paper that won't deteriorate. And when the capsule is opened, there will be the signatures of people from our community.''
During the exhibition, community members will have the chance to donate something to the capsule. However, organizers aren't looking for large objects. They want photographs to express what people thought was important as the millennium changed, Edson said.
''We want photos from the community,'' he said. ''We want photos of their family, house, car, whatever is important to them. Those photos will then become a visual record of what life is like today.''
Edson said he and the other organizers have had a lot of fun with the project.
''We want this to be fun,'' he said. ''It's not a life and death sort of thing. We're just trying to create an information source for the future.''
After a year on exhibit, the time capsule will be buried just east of the museum in the circular drive leading to the new auditorium. Ground-breaking on the new auditorium is expected soon, McGregor said. The burial site may also become the home of the Millennium Circle sculpture project.
All of the items will most likely be buried in a 6-by-6-by-6-foot cube of cast concrete, Edson said. However, the size could still change depending on the total amount of donations.
''It will be waterproof on the outside,'' he said. ''We'll set it underground on a bed of sand. We'll have an opening in the top to put the objects in. The objects themselves will be wrapped in plastic with as much air removed as possible. It will be far enough underground it shouldn't be affected by heat or cold and it won't be affected by any type of catastrophe.''
Edson said the top of the container will be at least two to three feet underground.
While the goal of the project had several parts, the most important, Edson said, was to develop a sense of community unity.
''We thought this would be a way to bring the community together to provide a collective vision of ourselves,'' he said. ''We wanted to show how the community sees itself.''
Edson said he also hopes exhibiting the materials will allow people to expand their view of life in Lubbock.
''Most of us only see the part of the world we're involved in,'' he said. ''It's impossible to see all the other things happening, but this is a way to bring those parts together. It would be wonderful if we could all see everything else going on, just for a little while. This will give us a greater appreciation for other people's lives.''
After all of the hard work that has gone into the time capsule project, Edson said he has only one regret.
''I think it will be really neat when it's opened. I wish I could be here to see them open it. I'd like to be the person that opens it up in 100 years and be there to say, 'Wow.' ''
Andrea Watson can be contacted
at 766-8714 or awatson@lubbockonline.com
