The big day had finally arrived – but not without much trial and tribulation.

This was the day, June 28, during which, after 50 years, the time capsule at the former Yukon Vocational & Technical Training School was to be opened.

There was only one problem.

The capsule hadn’t been found yet.

Back on June 27, 1973, a time capsule was placed in a concrete base for the Tree of Knowledge (a steel structure built by two of the school’s welding students) on the grounds and covered with concrete.

The time capsule was reportedly a glass jar containing various memorabilia, including the 75th Klondike anniversary edition of the Whitehorse Star.

Art instructor Ted Harrison and the art students were the ones who originally decided to bury the time capsule.

A ceremony dedicating the Tree of Knowledge was held on June 28, 1973.

Fast-forward to June 28, 2023. Kelly Construction employees and Merle Stevenson of Arctic Backhoe were feverishly working to find the wayward capsule.

A crowd of roughly 65 to 70 people had gathered by 2:30 p.m. and were anxiously awaiting the good news that the time capsule had finally been located.

Following one false alarm, the huge chisel that Stevenson was operating hit paydirt. Or, in this case, concrete.

The time capsule had finally been found.

Donna Clayson, a former secretary at the vocational school and the organizer of the retrieval project, was asked how she felt at that moment.

“Elated. But I haven’t seen it yet. I might burst into tears.” (Clayson did, in fact, start crying.)

“Fifty years I’ve been waiting. This is wonderful,” Clayson said through her tears of joy. “And not have it broken. I’m sorry.”

Clayson took a moment to compose herself while the workers continued to hand-chisel out the time capsule. Clayson agreed it was a pretty exciting moment.

Meanwhile, Mark Kelly of Kelly Construction, the mastermind behind the logistics of the retrieval project, admitted that he was “having doubts for a while there.”

Clayson said, “I was having my doubts too, but I knew it was there. I was here. It had to be here.”

When the workers finally pulled the time capsule out of its cement grave, Clayson gasped, “Oh, my God!

I want to see what’s in it!”

Strangely enough, the “glass jar” turned out to be a plastic art paint container – go figure for an art instructor to use that for a time capsule.

Clayson then said, “Thanks to all these guys. Mark has just been – I couldn’t do it without him. They put a lot of work into this.”

Kelly said he was feeling “pretty good, man. Didn’t think we’d find it, but it’s here.”

He then commented that the workers were just happy locating the time capsule, and that was congratulations enough for them.

The workers, Reg Andrews, Demetrius Fisher, Dave Galbreath and Alec Trebin, said they felt “awesome.

“Very excited. Neat project to do,” said Fisher. Andrews agreed.

The contents included a partially broken vase, a note from Harrison, an edition of the Whitehorse Star dated June 13, 1973 and a small acrylic painting that was nothing more than a blob after its 50-year wait.

There were no notes from students or from anybody else in the container.

Harrison’s note read, “Greetings to people of the future from the Yukon Vocational School. We hope that the times that you live in are not in too much turmoil.” (A prophetic statement indeed.)

The note appears to be dated the 15th, June, 1973. However, it’s very difficult to discern the day itself.

The note is simply signed “Ted.”

From his days as an art instructor in Whitehorse and Carcross and a Star editorial cartoonist, the U.K.-born Harrison went on to an internationally-acclaimed career. He eventually relocated to Victoria, and died in January 2015 at the age of 89.

The Star spoke with former vocational school art student Stan Peters, who was there when the capsule was entombed in concrete.

“It’s something to remember, because I never thought I’d be here for this. Fifty years is a long time.”

Peters said he remembered thinking back then, “‘There’s no way I was gonna be here. Good luck to whoever finds it.’ And here I am.

“Boy, that’s something else.”

Peters added, “I’m sure glad this is happening because it’s something in history. The world has changed quite a bit from when it was there 50 years ago.

“At least they’ll find a few things there that will tell them what it was like here in 1973.”

Former welding instructor Bob McCowan’s daughter, Erin Staven-jord, made the trip from Grand Forks, B.C. for the occasion. She called Clayson “an amazing lady.”

A clearly emotional Stavenjord said, “It’s amazing. I’m just really proud of everybody that put all the effort into it. It just brings back memories of being here as a kid, hanging out in the building. So proud of my dad.”

When asked how she thought her late father would feel right now, Stavenjord responded, “On top of the world.”

Hazel Fekete, an instructor for Basic Training Skill Development (BTSD) at the school, was also on hand.

“I think this is great fun. I don’t remember much about it at all, 50 years ago.

“The thing that I remember is the guys getting their certificates ’cause the MLA handed them out. I guess, as an instructor, that was the important thing for me. But it was a nice day.

“For me, it’s a wonderful sense of history, how far we’ve come.”

Former welding student Zennie Zatorski, one of the welders (along with Ken Wilbern) who welded the Tree of Knowledge, said, “I feel great. It was tough for a few minutes, but I feel good now.

“After 50 years, to see it come true – thanks a lot to this young lady here, Donna (referring to Clayson).”

Stavenjord and her husband, Rob, contacted Zatorski and his wife, Connie, about the event.

“We made it back for this special occasion that I helped to weld 50 years ago,” related Zatorski.

Clayson said afterward, “I want to see it opened. I want to see everything in there. I want to see what I wrote.”

The plan evolved into taking the jar up to the Yukon Archives the next day, where the staff would give advice on how to remove the contents.

Clayson did that the next day. She was joined by the Stavenjords.

When they went to the archives, a moisture check found the capsule to be dry.

The group was advised that they would have to remove the contents themselves or have Outside professionals do it.

They decided sending the capsule Outside would be too risky.

The archival staff recommended they dump the concrete out of the vessel to access the contents.

They went back to Clayson’s garage and did just that. To their surprise, the concrete and all the contents fell out.

Clayson was disappointed with the results.

“I was sad after finding out what was in the jar. I was hoping to find notes from the staff or the students – anyone that went to the vocational school at that time.”

Kelly, while disappointed for Clayson, said, “It was a satisfying project. I’m glad I did it.”

He is now working on plans to archive the Harrison note in the Yukon or somewhere Outside.

Despite the fact that some may be disappointed with the contents of the time capsule, this project is very symbolic of Yukoners coming together to accomplish a goal – and accomplish it they did.

Hats off to all who participated in this amazing project.

By MORRIS PROKOP
and DONNA CLAYSON