Somerville looks back, moves forward

When the Somerville Community Corporation began work on the old Saint Polycarp School, they had their eyes peeled for a special part of the past they wanted to preserve: a time capsule from the 2nd and 3rd graders of the 1950s. The blast from the past was revealed at the groundbreaking ceremoney of the Somerville Community Corporation’s affordable housing program.

Dignitaries were joined by alumni of Saint Polycarp school during the symbolic groundbreaking before the opening of a time capsule. Mayor Joseph Curtatone [front row, third from the right] was in attendance.

Speakers noted the irony of looking back during a ceremony that marked the third phase of a new housing development.

From left, Saint Polycarp alumni, Camile (Amato) Long, of Peabody, Ursula (Salerno) Koslowski, of Winchester, Jack Tripi ,of Woburn, Meridith Levy, Director of Community Organizing and Planning at Somerville Community Corporation, Dave Pignone, of Stoneham, and John Burns, of Tewksbury, recall their school days before the opening of the time capsule.

Former classmates Mario DiPerna, of Winchester, Koslowski, Carole Lanzoni Giordano, of Malden, and Tripi admire a class photo before the capsule was opened.

Koslowski admires a class photo placed on a school desk as prelude to the opening of the time capsule.

Audience members expressed their excitement during the opening of the capsule.

Pignone and Burns work to remove a copper box from the cement casing of the time capsule. Opening the box was also a group effort.

Saint Polycarp School Class of 1953

Giordano holds a personal photo of herself with mother superior Sister Georgina Therese, which she brought to the ceremony.

Theresa Finngan, of Medford, holds a booklet displaying a photo of the Reverend Thomas Garrity, which was sealed the time capsule.

Koslowski holds up a May 12, 1951 edition of Boston Catholic newspaper “The Pilot’’ that was retrieved from the capsule.

Koslowski, Giordano, and Levy look through documents which had been sealed up for decades.

An alumnus holds a note written by his Catholic school teacher many years ago.

Saint Polycarp alumna Giordano holds up a scapular that was taken from the capsule.

Levy, Pignone, and Burns look through documents from the past.

Saint Polycarp alumni Long and Giordano look through signatures of classmates that were kept in the capsule for over 60 years.

Three generations related to late Saint Polycarp student John Molloy were present. Wife Jean Molloy, daughter Jean Molloy, and granddaughter Silvia Dalton hold his signature.