Time Capsule Contents Revealed at Sledgehammer Ceremony

The only thing missing from the opening of a 46-year-old time capsule at Drexel’s LeBow College of Business today was a recording of Peggy Lee singing the 1960s hit, “Is that all there is?”

The time capsule was discovered five days ago beneath a plaque in the floor of Matheson Hall inscribed with “1965,” the year of Matheson’s opening. At today’s ceremony marking Matheson’s demolition, Casey DeFelice of Keating Construction Co. cut open the lead box and turned it over to Dean George P. Tsetsekos, Ph.D., Randall S. Burkert ‘82, chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board, and University Archivist Robert Sieczkiewicz.

Inside were:

• Three issues of The Ledger – “The Quarterly Journal of the Undergraduate College of Business Administration.
• A 1964 “Drexel Profile” card listing undergraduate enrollment at 10,235 and tuition at $1,200.
• A thick Drexel Institute of Technology Bulletin outlining the undergraduate courses for the 1965-66 academic year
• A copy of the student newspaper, the Drexel Triangle, from Friday, April 23, 1965.
• An empty Blue Book used by students to write answers to exams.
• A text book for a course on federal taxes.

The only curious item was a cigarette – broken, perhaps during the excavation of the capsule – with what appears to be several names scribbled on it, including: Ed Martin, Macaulay, Helpin, Barre, Lucke, McNamara and Mueller.

Tsetsekos said he would be seeking ideas from students and others regarding what items should be placed into a time capsule at the 2014 opening of the college’s new, 12-story building. Whatever items are included, let’s hope that a century or so from now those who open it will think of the Black Eyed Peas’ current Top 40 hit “Just Can’t Get Enough.”

Keating President Brad Statler encouraged the Drexel community to follow along with these important milestones in the building process:

• Demolition of the Matheson will continue through November
• Demolition will be followed by driving of the piles and setting foundations for the new building in early 2012
• Building the steel skeleton of the building in May 2012
• Enclosing or “cladding” the steel structure completed by fall 2012
• Completing finishes, systems and installing equipment from late 2012 through late 2013
• Building expected to be open and in full operation spring 2014