Former students and staff will gather for 25-year opening

By MARY BAILEY The Reporter

A time capsule was buried in 1999 in the sidewalk in front of where McCord Elementary School once stood.

Now, 25 years later the “McCord Time Capsule” will be opened for the community to remember the special days of a school so close to the hearts of many.

Retired school teacher, Debbie Galloway, remembers her time being not only a student but a teacher at McCord.

“I started working there in 1975. I have so many great memories,” Galloway recalls. “When I was a third grade teacher, I was in the older part of the building and they had creaky wood floors. It was just like an old school house. We had radiators in our classrooms and a broiler in the basement that provided the steam to heat the radiators. When the steam would start up it would clank so loud you could hardly talk over them.”

Galloway said in her years at McCord she taught whole families and the staff there also became her family.

“It was the small school atmosphere and the friends I made while I was there. It was the entire staff, we were just one big family,” Galloway continued.

Just two years after the time capsule was placed in the ground, the school closed.

While going through scrapbooks and Polaroid pictures, Galloway found a picture taken on May 24, 2001, which was the last day McCord Elementary School was open.

“Here we all are,” as she held the picture of her and other staff members on the last day. “We all just held each other and cried. It wasn’t just teachers, it was the entire staff, the students; we were all so sad. We were always around each other, we were just like a team. Those are some of my favorite memories from McCord.”

Audrey Williams, Albertville Museum Coordinator, was also a student at McCord and has many fond memories of her time there.

“I was there in the early 90’s and I just loved McCord,” Williams said. “I remember the old floors and how it had a very distinctive smell. I loved Mr. Cole (Richard) and Mr. Orr and Mrs. Bunch were my favorite teachers. I remember all of my friendships there. I had just graduated when I found out it was going to close and I was so sad because it was so special.”

Williams said the opening of this time capsule keeps the memory of McCord alive.

“The building has been gone for a little while now but this is a way to remember and keep its memory alive. So many of the older citizens of Albertville were students there and it is a very important part of their past.”

Mr. Richard Cole, principal of McCord Elementary School passed away years ago but one thing is still remembered about his love for the school.

“Mr. Cole watched them tear down the school,” Galloway said. “But he wanted to protect the capsule. The day that they were going to asphalt around the football field he went and got his lawn chair and sat beside the capsule. He was there all day because he wanted to make sure it never got covered up. I think he should be remembered for that. He loved that school. We all did.”

The opening of the McCord Time Capsule will be held on May 2 at 4 p.m. at McCord Field on East Alabama Avenue.

The Albertville Museum will also have a special McCord Elementary Exhibit for the entire month of May, starting May 7.