by Debra Garske

In 1922, in Hanford, the Chinese School was dedicated. This school built by the Chinese community for its own was the first of its kind in America. Placed in the cornerstone of the school was a time capsule that contained:

• A letter from Dr. Y.T. Sue, Superintendent, who was instrumental in the creation of the school
• A list of the names of the trustees of the school
• A dictionary of the New Chinese Republic
• Rice and other grains
• A number of Chinese coins.

On December 11, 2022, a special Centennial Celebration was held to honor the 100-year anniversary of the building. The celebration was a joint effort of the Chinese Preservation Society, and the Kings Players, the current occupants of the building, which became the Temple Theater in 1964.

During this ceremony, which included a re-enactment of the 1922 ceremony along with speeches by current dignitaries and shared memories of those experiencing the Chinese School days and early days of the theater, the contents of the 100-year-old time capsule which had been excavated, were on display. Unfortunately, all that remained intact of the original contents were the Chinese coins, fused to the bottom of all that remained of the time capsule. The paper items had turned to dust.

On May 2, 2024, 60 years after taking over the building, The Kings Players installed a new time capsule in the cornerstone. Present for this simple ceremony were Mayor Travis Paden, Arianne Wing of the Chinese Preservation Society, and various members of the Kings Players.

This time the contents included:

• A copy of Arianne Wing’s book, Disturbing the Dust (describing recipes and memories of Hanford’s China Alley)
• The Kings Players’ Mission Statement, Board of Directors, and programs from the plays they performed in 2022
• News articles and photos from both the 1922 ceremony and the 2022 Centennial Celebration
• Photos of the original content remains and excavation
• A glass bottle containing cotton, and one containing a sampling of the original contents, including a few Chinese coins
• A selection of newly minted coins from 2022,and a signed $2 bill
• A Chinese flag, circa 1922
• A copy of the program from the Centennial Celebration.

Since no suitable container for the new time capsule that could fit in the former space could be located, John (JR) Rabe of the Kings Players had one custom made of stainless steel by Morgan and Slates. The paper items were sealed in acid-free sleeves and the container was specially sealed and bolted shut. Everything possible was done to ensure these contents would endure for the next 100 years.

Both the excavation of the original time capsule and the installation of the new time capsule were done by JR Scott Construction. The Kings Players and the Chinese Preservation Society greatly appreciate this company’s time and skills to make this endeavor a success.

We can only imagine what future citizens will discover when they excavate the contents in 2122. Hopefully, a little more of our efforts will have survived.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.

If you love local theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.