They opened the capsule and shining stars flew out.
That's always a good sign.
As members of the Bonham Public Library Board of Directors looked on, library director Barbara McCutcheon opened a time capsule full of the hopes and dreams of the youngsters from the summer of 1982. Filled with long-forgotten ambitions of local youth, this very special capsule was sealed and buried almost 26 years ago on the library grounds.
The shiny stars had been awarded for special achievements during the summer reading program and evidently the adhesive that held the stars to some of this buried treasure had played out years ago. The summer reading program, however, is still a treasure to bright, young inquisitive minds.
But back to the summer stars of '82...
Travis Moss was going to be an astronaut. Lee Underwood dreamed of the open road and an 18-wheeler. Steven Hutchins said that, when he grew up, he wanted to be a scientist and cure cancer. Chad Welch and Brad Underwood planned to be airline pilots. Randy Hasten wanted to play the guitar onstage.
"I am in I.W. Evans still," wrote Mark McCutcheon, as if those years would never end. Mark and his sister, Tracy McCutcheon, were both present when the capsule was opened, although neither could remember what they had written in 1982.
"I wanted to play football and we were all big Dallas Cowboy fans," Mark recalls. "They had Danny White playing quarterback, so I thought I had a pretty good chance."
Tracy had slight trepidation she had written something about gracing the sidelines as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader...and she was close. Actually, Tracy had noted that her plans were to be a twirler.
"We had to go to Sherman and get a real baton," Tracy's mother, Barbara McCutcheon remembers, adding that for years the house reverberated with twirling routine music coming from Tracy's room, broken only by the occasional sound of something falling!
Mark is now one of the vice-presidents at Cole Title Company and Tracy is a legal assistant for attorney Steven Miears. Not exactly the quarterback and twirler they had hoped to be, but far more valuable to their community in the roles fate selected.
It is possible that some of the contributors to this time capsule didn't show up Wednesday for fear of what they might have written down as precocious children. North Texas e-News felt it would be such a shame to let those early dreams fade away that we have included several entries from the time capsule of 1982 in case family and friends might forward this to authors who may have been too apprehensive to be there in person.
"I read about 25 books this summer," said Reginald Dunlap, "and I enjoyed it very much."
"I want the crops to grow so the farmers can have more money," was Robert Clift's entry.
Travis Ray Keen had shopping on his mind.
"I went to Burger King with my sister and then bought school supplies," Travis explained. "I hope to go back to Burger King and get more school supplies."
"Let the force be with all Jedi," was Richie Hilliard's timely statement.
There was a poignant moment when the staff found the letter of a very memorable young man that lost his life all too soon in a fatal car crash.
"I moved to a new house after I took swimming lessons and watched The Young and the Restless," noted Henry Dunham.
"You just never knew what hat Henry would be wearing or what color his hair would be," Bonham Public Library Director Barbara McCutcheon said with a sad smile. "Henry was a hoot and we all loved him. It devastated all of us..."
Some of the children seemed to know exactly what life had in store for them. Bret Willis' entry was all about swimming, bike riding and sports. Athletics has continued to play a large role in his life.
Melissa Hutchins wanted to grow up and be a first grade teacher and the library staff believes Melissa did in fact become an elementary school teacher.
Cody Miller wrote that he was going to ride bulls and the staff thinks he may have actually followed through with his boyhood dream.
The summer of 1982 may have played a big role in Jim Tarpley's career selection in a circuitous manner. Jim spent much of that summer playing baseball and piano, but it was a vacation to Turner Falls that may have played a role in his present vocation. An accident sent Jim to the hospital where eight stitches were required to sew up a cut. Today Jim is much better known around Fannin County as Dr. Tarpley.
"This summer I read 40 books," Jim stated in a perfectly typed letter that was preserved in the time capsule. "I live in the first house south of Bonham, Texas."
Randy Ray left behind an insightful list of recommended reading: J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and all of Conan Doyle's work.
The library director recalled the first time she saw five-year-old Randy at Bonham Public Library. He came quite casually attired in cut-offs, flip-flops and sans shirt. McCutcheon thinks young Mr. Ray is now an English teacher in the Metroplex.
"This summer I have been going to Bonham Public Library and checking out great books," Leslie Smith wrote. "I have a cat named Mittens."
The library staff believes that Leslie went on to become a lawyer. In 1982, her father, Ed Smith, was the City of Bonham Attorney. City commissioners at the time included Bill Pate, John Rhodes and Jim Crittenden. Believe it or not, with all that has changed in 26 years, the mayor of Bonham in 1982 serves our fair city in that same capacity today--our faithful public servant, Roy Floyd.
And the summer stars of 1982? They've gone on to shine in communities far and wide. That is aways a good sign...for the families that raised them, the close-knit community that cared for each of them and the library that fueled imaginations so many summers ago. The library staff and board of directors are quite content with beautiful memories and a capsule of stardust.
Don't forget to stop by the library for cookies, coffee or punch during National Library Week and also pick up a bargain left over from the "Books and Blooms" fundraiser.
