When we removed the old cabinets on Wednesday, we discovered a small time capsule. Stuck beneath fifty-year-old cabinetry were several faded papers and coupons — not glamorous, but fascinating glimpses of everyday life decades ago.
Here’s a list of what turned up:
- Coupon for 5¢ off two bars of Princess Dial soap (described as “the soap with moisturizing cream right in it”)
- Coupon for 12¢ off two cans of Campbell’s Soup for One (expired 4/30/81 — interestingly, that was about seven months before I was born)
- Coupon for 15¢ off two packages of Soft-weve toilet paper
- Dentist appointment reminder card for Mrs. Floyd Pollay, scheduled for April 28, 1971 at 2:00 PM
- A Beginner Bible Story booklet dated November 1958
- A Storytime pamphlet titled “God’s Helpers,” dated November 30, 1958
- A poison antidote chart with a 1965 copyright
- A child’s drawing by Lisa Pollay dated April 11th (time noted as 3:15)
These items offer a small, intimate record of daily life — reminders of shopping habits, family schedules, religious materials and even emergency information from another era. They’re fragile but evocative, each piece carrying a story: the coupons reveal what household brands were important, the appointment card hints at family routines, and the booklets and chart reflect community and domestic concerns of the time.
How to preserve them? A few practical options:
- Carefully flatten and store in acid-free sleeves or archival folders to prevent further deterioration.
- Digitize each item by scanning at a high resolution to preserve details and share them without handling the originals.
- Label each scan and original with any known dates or names to keep the context clear for future reference.
- If you want display copies, print reproductions on archival paper and keep the originals safely stored away from light and humidity.
For sentimental items like the drawing or the appointment card, consider making a small photo book or digital album so family members can view the finds easily. If you prefer to keep things simple, a single scanned archive with captions and dates will create a searchable record while protecting the physical pieces.
