Special Services School District Opens ’93 Time Capsule

CREST HAVEN – Many of the people who contributed to the Cape May County Special Services School District’s 1993 time capsule were in the room Oct. 5 when the box of memories was unveiled. Some, who worked here 25 years ago, are still on staff dedicated to the children who attend the district.
Teacher Lynda McDowell served as mistress-of-ceremonies for the events held in the school’s Back Porch Café. Former and current administrators, staff and students packed the café to remember where the district came from and where it is going.
After the flag salute led by student Kaitlyn Colorusso, Superintendent Dr. Nancy Hudanich was first to speak at the event, telling those in attendance that she is impressed by the dedication of the staff.
“The entire staff is working for what is best for the students. That’s what is important in the Special Services School District,” she said.
That message was echoed by other speakers as the ceremony went on.
Thomas Wittington, who was the Board of Education president at the time of the capsule initiation and who served 33 years on the board, gave a timeline of the school system. He explained that students were once housed in buildings all over Cape May County before moving into the current Ocean Academy building in 1981.
“We added a gymnasium building and then the school addition in 1992, and all along the way we always hired the best teachers. They are an asset to Cape May County. That continues today. The teachers still provide love, care and individual help for the students,” Wittington said.
A teacher in the district for 33 years, Sue Wunder began her career as a substitute teacher before being recruited as a full-time teacher by her future father-in-law.
“I wanted to be a writer. I came here as a teacher and my whole future was determined in one day,” Wunder joked.
She went on to talk about how programs, curriculum, and technology developed over the years.
“I remember when the technology department bought our first computer, an Apple II E,” she recalled.
Wunder said that in the beginning students did the cleaning of the school, worked on our cars in the shop and the students working in the kitchen even baked my wedding cake.
“We all worked together to pull the load. We still do,” Wunder remarked.
The hub of the school was always the library and Wunder cryptically revealed the reason why.
“The wizard drew everyone to the library. Nobody will ever forget the wizard,” she said with a gleam in her eye. The crowd would have to wait to learn about the wizard.
Middle Township Mayor Michael Clark presented the district with a proclamation marking the importance of the school to the township.
Clark was followed by Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, who said she was asked to add something to the next time capsule.
“I will include a note that says I hope the country has a woman president by the time the next capsule is opened in 25 years,” Hayes said.
Hayes said the freeholder board knows the important work done in the Special Services District.
“God put the spark in your heart to make sure the children are taken care of,” she said.
The time came to open the time capsule and McDowell drew out the items, wrapped in plastic bags, explaining the difficulty in obtaining the capsule.
“We chiseled the front date marker until we ran into a thick wall of concrete. We decided to go in from the back wall and that was easier.”
The box contained a Footsteps Anthology, filled with student poems copied on a Ditto machine, various newsletters from school departments, photographs, and teacher lesson plans.
McDowell held up a small, gold slip of paper and explained its purpose.
“The students were given these for making good choices, doing their homework, that kind of thing and could redeem them in the school store. We still use these,” she explained.
Among art projects, handprints from the daycare students and a mouse from an old Mac computer was an Apple Computer Magazine containing a mention of a Cape May County Special Services School District student named Brian, whose world was changed by the new computer.
The article explained how Brian instantly “took” to the computer and allowed him to learn and explore on his own, which really helped his development. A teacher in the audience said she still has contact with Brian, who lives in Florida, has a family and a good life.
There was one disappointment in the time capsule, a VHS tape that didn’t withstand the test of time and when played was blank. It had contained images from school dances, talent shows, graduation ceremonies, and construction projects.
However, that disappointment was overcome when former librarian Elizabeth Wittington was called to the podium to remove the final item from the time capsule, the wizard.
An ornately decorated hand puppet, Wittington carefully slipped it on her hand and in her best wizard voice recalled how the students looked forward to the wizard’s lesson each day.
As she spoke, audible sniffles filled the room until the former librarian gave the wizard a final, loving gaze and a light pat on his hat and set him down on the desk.
Memories are bittersweet, but they take us to a place we never wanted to leave but had to be left behind. With that, talk began amongst the staff of what to include in the next time capsule.
To contact Carl Price, email cprice@cmcherald.com.