The Corner Stone Recovery

It was a brisk, rainy November morning, the kind of day to stay inside and keep warm and dry. Later that day, the sky cleared and the sun began to peek though the clouds. At 4:15 in the afternoon, Ed called Linda and said, “Let’s do it!” They planned their rendezvous at the corner of Walnut and Summit.

After a frenzy of quick calls, a group of LHS alumni began to gather together as history was about to unfold. Ed Smith fired up his trusty saw and the first cut was made. Each could feel the first swipe of the blade, almost as if a knife had been thrust into their souls. The 1937 corner stone at LHS was about to be freed from its long time resting place. With ever so much care, Ed gently began to chip away at the cut bricks with his hammer and chisel. The old building was strong and solid. His task was not an easy one. As LHS alumni, Dennis Holt (’64), Gary Steele (’64), and Linda Cook Steele (’64) watched each small chip fall, Larry Duko Sr. (‘46) and Renee Beltempo Duko (‘48) stopped by during their daily walk. It wasn’t long before the number of onlookers grew. Rudy Frank (’42) was there when the corner stone was laid in 1937. Cindy Kiliany Rodrick (’75) finally arrived and the excitement grew. Jim Tingle (‘58) and Ruth Weikart, wife of deceased LHS alumni, Joe Weikart (’43), long time neighbors of the school had to see what was going on and sensed that something significant was about to happen. Ruth brought her camera in anticipation of preserving the moment on film. Jerry Compton (‘57) and Jim reminisced about the tornado that struck Leetonia on their prom night. Edwin Huffnagle (‘38) and his dog, Alexander, happened by and watched for a while.

Ed continued to chip away at the stubborn bricks and mortar. The group gasped when the hammer slipped and chipped away a small corner from the stone. Ed had left his mark on LHS and now was one of us. Almost as if the old girl knew what was happening, she tightened her grip. This was only the first step in a process that would eventually demolish the endless memories of all those who passed through her doors. The stubborn old lady held steadfast. As daylight began to fade, Mr. Inchak stopped by and told the group that they could go home as they didn’t have to remove the stone. It’s preservation had been included in the contractor’s bid for demolition. The message was passed on to the group.

By this time a good chunk of two rows of brick had already been cast aside. Hypnotically they forged on. The small group stood there in the cold, unable to leave their baby alone. They continued with their quest. By now what began as an objective to preserve a part of their school history became a mission of love. Daylight turned to dusk. Cindy and Dennis got their little flashlights from their vehicles and shown them onto the stone as the noise from hammer and chisel continued to ring. Tom Rodrick (’74) finally arrived from his real job and immediately left to get the proper attire for this momentous occasion.

The night sky grew dark and the temperature dropped. November 19^th was a clear night as the bright orange ball slowly began to rise in the east. Tomorrow was to be the full moon. Gary and Dennis took turns with the hammer breaking through the tough inside corner. Tom returned and pulled his SUV onto the hallowed grounds and shown his lights onto the corner for better light. As Tom took over the hammer for a while, Gary and Linda went home to get containers to hold the brick chips. They didn’t want to let anything lay that kids might use as projectile missiles to break the windows in their precious building. As Gary & Linda were ready to walk out the door and return to the scene, the phone rang. It was Cindy in an excited, high-pitched voice, “It’s out! Get back up here right away!”

It was like a little kids birthday party. Their labor of love had paid off and the celebration began but their excitement quickly faded. There was no time capsule as they had hoped. However, they were filled with pride knowing they were preserving a piece of LHS history for the alumni & community. They continued to chip away at the corner of the old girl in hopes of finding something below where the stone had set all those long years, but nothing was there.

They guys gently lifted the stone into the back of the Holt vehicle. It would be kept safe at the Leetonia Tool Works until the time it would have a new home in Alumni Square. As they carefully laid the stone down, Cindy and Linda started yelling, “There it is, there it is!” The time capsule had been found, safely tucked away in the bottom of the corner stone.

Rudy made Linda promise that they would not take out the corner stone unless he was there so the honor of removing the capsule was given to him. The group grew giddy and the excitement intensified. The beautiful copper box had developed a wonderful patina but the box had been sealed with solder. What to do? Oh, what do we do? Some wanted to break the box open right then, others felt it should not be opened until the dedication of the Alumni Square. The box was reverently passed from one to another. Each gently held the mysterious box and speculated as to what could be hidden inside.

By now it was closing in on 7pm and none in the group had eaten. Ed called home over an hour earlier and said he was on his way, but he was unable to leave what he had started. It must have been fate that bestowed the honor of preserving the memories of all who walked those hallowed halls to this small group of alumni and Ed. Pictures were taken to preserve the historical moment but they remained, reluctant to leave the old lady alone. As hard as it was, they returned to their warm homes with a feeling of immense pride and great anticipation of what the box might hold. “They” were the ones who first held the time capsule since it was set into corner stone 65 years earlier.

It was agreed that the committee, as a whole, would make the decision as to when the box would be opened. This is something special that should be shared by more than a few. Linda had the honor of keeping the box safe and it would be presented to the committee the next night.

On November 21, 2002, the 1937 LHS CORNER STONE TIME CAPSULE
was placed in the Alumni display case at the new school campus for all to see. The group decided to run a contest to guess what was inside.

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