BY GAIL M. WILLIAMS
Muleshoe Journal Correspondent

Muleshoe ISD faculty witnessed the opening of a 1986 time capsule Monday at their annual back-to-school meeting.
“It was kind of like opening a present on Christmas morning,” said John Gulley, high school economics, government and Spanish teacher who opened the 32-year-old safety deposit box.
No one remembers who came up with the idea for the time capsule, but it was probably put together in honor of the 60th anniversary of the city of Muleshoe, which was incorporated in 1926.
The time capsule was stored in a safety deposit box in what is now AimBank.
“They had to use a drill to open the safety deposit box to get the capsule out,” Gulley said. “Nobody knew where the key was.”
The contents are evocative of the times. Perhaps the most interesting item is a video of a school program put together in honor of the anniversary. Plans are being made to digitize the video.
According to Gulley, some of the other contents were:
• A VHS recording of the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters.”
• A cassette recording of The Muletrain News.
• Programs for various patriotic presentations by students.
• A program of the 1965 dedication of the National Mule Memorial.
• Money from 1986 including change and a dollar bill.
• Copies of local and area publications including the Muleshoe Journal, the Bailey County Journal and the Lubbock Avalanche Journal.
• Copies of national publications including U.S. News and World Report, TV Guide and Newsweek.
One of the national headlines that stood out for Gulley was the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, which took place Jan. 28, 1986.
“It brought back memories,” he said. “I forgot it was that long ago.”
Eighth-grade English teacher Dean Black said that, from a historical standpoint, it might be possible to use the contents of the time capsule in classes.
“It relates to history, to what’s going on in history and the preservation of your heritage,” he said.
According to online sources, the city of Muleshoe was founded in 1913, and Black says 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the school. Both he and Gulley graduated from Muleshoe High School in 1968, so their history with the school goes back a combined 100 years.