MELANIE CSEPIGA

Times Correspondent

LOWELL | As the Rev. Peter Muha lifted the copper box from its hidden recess behind the bell tower's cornerstone and prepared to open it, the children of St. Edward School let out a collective, "Aah."

Fifty years ago, the leaders of St. Edward Catholic Church filled a time capsule for future generations, and on Friday that generation took a peek at what was put inside.

"You hope there's money," Muha said as he lifted the lid and enjoyed the appreciative chuckles from the children as well as a crowd of adults who joined in the ceremony.

Inside, as expected, were the records of construction of the parish buildings at 216 S. Nichols St., including what were originally the convent and rectory as well as the church itself.

The church was built on 10 acres purchased for $1,000 an acre. There were 284 families in the parish at the time.

Lowell businessman William Langen sat on the Finance Subcommittee for the Building Committee.

On Friday, Langen said he never expected to be witnessing the opening of the time capsule. It was an exciting time back then, he said, recalling, "Lowell was very small. ... This was the cattle grazing area" of what had been a farm.

"Bill, why didn't you put a $50 stock certificate in there?" Muha asked in jest.

The time capsule included one of the church bulletins from the time which, interestingly, offered an article, "How to Correct Children," on its cover.

Noting that the bulletin indicated two confession hours on Saturdays, Muha said, "Wow. That's a lot of confessions," much to the enjoyment of the crowd.

A poem entitled, "Just for a Minute," a pamphlet of Bishop Andrew Grutka's pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, and a number of local newspapers rounded out the contents. The students and adults enjoyed seeing photographs in the newspapers of the St. Edward Church groundbreaking and construction as well as price comparisons. Two pounds of apples for 25 cents?

This week, Muha said, the contents will be returned to the box and added to by the current generation.

"In fifty years from now, you can come to open it up again," the priest told the children, adding, "That's a really cool thing."

The contents were displayed at Masses today and Saturday. About 20 people who were either married, baptized or otherwise were part of one of the sacraments during 1958 and 1959 were recognized during the Masses and enjoyed a fellowship hour afterward.

Four adults who were St. Edward parishioners during construction of the church, rectory and convent attended. They were Langen, Richard Schmal, Dorothy Huseman and Margery Herlitz.