Time, Captured

There are moments in life when time folds in on itself …

For old boy Kurt Duvel, now living in London, the opening of Highbury Preparatory School’s Class of 2001’s time capsule earlier this year prompted reflections on memories and how ordinary moments quietly become history.

“I don’t recall exactly what we put into the time capsule a quarter of a century ago,” he says. “But perhaps that is what makes it so special now. At 12 or 13, you don’t really understand that the ordinary details of your school life may one day become history.”

Inside were newspapers, coins, stamps, school programmes, a model of the chapel, and even CDs. Sealed by Grade 7 boys 25 years earlier, the capsule had preserved not only objects from a different era, but the everyday texture of school life in 2001. The opening, held on Founders’ Day this year in Highbury’s Centenary Hall, brought together old boys, parents and former staff to reflect on time and the school’s legacy.

Beyond the capsule, the gathering reminded attendees of the communities that schools create long after pupils leave. Old boys, parents and grandparents came together to reminisce and reconnect, some meeting for the first time, others rediscovering faded connections. Bound by a shared Highbury experience, many found themselves part of a community they had perhaps always belonged to but temporarily forgotten.
“What struck me afterwards was how the capsule preserved the texture of 2001, not only through the expected items like class photographs, school programmes, newspapers, coins and stamps, but also through our boyish handwriting and funny nicknames,” Kurt shares.

Those details feel especially poignant in an age before smartphones and social media, when memories were captured on disposable cameras, notes passed by hand, and CDs were cutting-edge technology. Twenty-five years later, those everyday objects have become artefacts.

The timing added another layer. Kurt’s class left Highbury just before the school’s centenary celebrations in 2003 and before the construction of the Centenary Hall.

“It feels like a bridge between the Highbury we knew as boys and the Highbury that came after us,” he reflects. The occasion also highlighted that a school’s influence often extends far beyond its gates. Highbury’s reflections spoke of lifelong friendships and each generation’s role in shaping its story.

For Kurt, one moment stood out. His grandmother, Sheila, who still lives near the school, attended and was welcomed with open arms. “The most meaningful part for me was that she could attend on my behalf and be so warmly welcomed by the school that helped shape me into who I am today.”

Beyond the capsule itself, the gathering served as a reminder of the relationships and bonds schools create long after pupils leave their classrooms. Old boys, parents and grandparents came together to reminisce, reconnect and share stories spanning decades.

Perhaps that is why time capsules continue to capture the imagination. Whether created by schools, families or individuals, they offer a rare chance to speak to the future while preserving the present. A time capsule is often created with the future in mind. Yet its greatest value may lie in reminding us that history is made not only of grand events, but of nicknames, scribbled notes and small moments that become part of a much larger story.