Tech High School Honors Past, Looks to the Future with Time Capsule

ST. CLOUD -- The centennial celebrations of the century-old Technical High School have come to an end with the sealing of a time capsule to be opened in 2117.

At the current Technical High School, students from District 742 filled the capsule with several items to hopefully show the full weight of history from the school, when students at the new school open it in 100 years.

School Board Member Bruce Mohs says, while they'll be giving up the old Tech facility when moving into the new one, they won't be giving up the century worth of memories.

"The real memories of Tech, and feelings of Tech are inside of each of us. So that doesn't get transferred to anybody, that remains with each of us. So that means that there are 35,000 plus stories in the past 100 years."

Some of the items included in the time capsule are a Declaration by Governor Mark Dayton, "Techoes" Yearbooks from 1921 and 2017, a course description from 1919-1920 school year, and an ariel photo of Tech taken between 1916 and 1938.

Tech's Principal, Charlie Eisenreich says, while it's bittersweet, he's excited about the new school and proud to see it come together.

"To walk into a new facility, start fresh and start new, and to that excitement with the student body and staff. I'm extremely proud and excited to be able to move there. I'd like it to be tomorrow if we could."

As for what will happen with the current Tech, that's still in the air. The city will take over the grounds once the school district moves in after the 2019 opening of the new Tech.

The Tech properties were recently appraised by Chadwick Appraisals out of Bloomington. Tech's land has a value of $890,392, and demolition/abatement would cost around $3.5-million, which leaves Tech having a net value of negative $2.6-million.

The media services building is valued at $1.3-million.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis wants to have a plan for the current Tech in place by the end of 2018.