HOWELL — For people who want to learn more about the first class at the Edith M. Griebling Elementary School by examining a time capsule that was buried in 1962, there is only one problem.
No one knows where to find it.
“They buried it here somewhere,” said Nancy Rupp, principal of the Griebling School. “The bottom line is we can’t find it anywhere.”
Hoping to embrace history, but not necessarily to repeat it, current Griebling pupils created memory books, took photographs and made predictions for the future and placed them in a time capsule of their own.
“This time we’re actually housing it in the building, and it’s in a remote closet that nobody goes into,” Rupp said.
The Griebling PTA donated a plaque to designate the location of the 2012 time capsule, and a teacher created a painting to be placed on the closet door, she said.
The time capsule will be opened in 50 years, she added.
The creation of a time capsule is one of many schoolwide events being held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school.
The school on Havens Bridge Road was named for Edith M. Griebling, who was the first principal of Howell’s Ardena School. Staff members and pupils recently held a birthday celebration that included a studentdesigned slide presentation of the last 50 years of the school.
In addition, the annual “Merry Mural” family night had a birthday theme, as did the school’s door-decorating contest.
In June, the Griebling School will hold a special alumni event, Rupp added.
She said the school continues to have a strong tradition of dedicated and passionate educators, as well as the support of the Howell community.
“We have a very solid community that works well together and we all have the goal of helping the children be successful, and we have had several generations come through this building,” the principal said. “I meet parents who have gone here and now their children are going here.
“I also think having a wonderful staff and people who are really dedicated to their profession adds to the longevity of any institution,” Rupp added.
The principal said she believes the school has been able to adapt to new fiscal challenges and to promote technology to better equip students for the future.
“You are preparing children for what they are going to be walking into with regard to the work force. Who knows what that will be, what that will look like 10, 15 years from now,” she said.
Rupp said the Griebling School needs to continue to attract the best and brightest educators, maintain current technological education tools and foster parental involvement to ensure the school succeeds for another 50 years.