People got a glimpse of the past at Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital this week.
A time capsule buried behind the 1983 cornerstone at the former St. Mary’s Hospital on Kabel Avenue was opened during a presentation Monday.
“I knew it was always there. I wasn't going to forget about it,” said Jerry Hirman.
Hirman worked in laundry at St. Mary’s back in 1983. He’s worked his way up to maintenance at the now Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital which is across town from the old hospital.
When he learned Aspirus was selling the old hospital, Hirman worked to ensure it was removed.
“I just didn't want that to be left behind,” said Hirman.
Hirman got to be the person to carefully empty the time capsule in front of a crowd Monday. He didn’t know what was going to be in there as the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother who ran the hospital back then were the ones to put it together.
“All of that old stuff is just amazing how it can be in there for so many years and still look as good as it did today,” said Hirman. “It was all those little things that they cherished a lot that were put in there that really sticks here, to the heart, that it's not forgotten.”
Matt Thompson is the Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator for Aspirus in the North Division.
He announced to the crowd what items Hirman was pulling from the time capsule.
“The history of healthcare in Rhinelander dates back to the late 1800s and so it's really cool to see some of those old artifacts come to life,” said Thompson.
The items in the capsule ranged from old newspapers to coins to prayers cards to rosaries.
“I expected old coins, I expected medallions, I expected rosary and we saw all of those. Those have been traditional for time capsules in healthcare, especially Catholic healthcare, but to see some of those other items was very cool. The old newspaper articles have always been phenomenal as well to see those come out,” said Thompson.
Perhaps the favorite item to come out of the time capsule was, for many, the long list of names of people who worked at St. Mary’s at the time.
“The biggest thing to me is the names. I know probably half of those people in there,” said Hirman. “There's a lot of people in there that aren't there anymore, but all signed it. I can remember that being there, signing that.”
The time capsule reveal brought out former St. Mary’s employees.
Dorothy Skye was one of them. Dr. Skye was an OB/GYN who came to Rhinelander in 1984 when she received the job offer to work at St. Mary’s.
She recalls being delighted by the range of healthcare offered in the region.
“To find that quality and that number and that investment in a little town in northern Wisconsin, it was like, wow,” said Skye.
Skye says it’s a calling for everyone that ends up working in healthcare. She emphasized that healthcare is a team effort, from the housekeeping staff to the radiologists and obstetricians.
“We can't do a darn thing without our teammates and that respect and collegiality and the joy of working for those folks that just can't be beat,” said Skye.
Like the prediction that was placed in the time capsule more than 40 years ago that spoke of the mark St. Mary’s would make in the community, Skye hopes that dedication to wellness will continue into the future.
“A time capsule is a palpable and visible glimpse of the past, but it's also a reminder, a prompt that, ‘Hey folks, keep this going. Don't quit. Make it better,’” said Skye.
Sister Lois Bush and an archivist from the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother were supposed to make it to the time capsule reveal on Monday, but couldn’t make it due to weather.
Sister Lois was the CEO of the former facility.
They still plan to come look at the items and take some for their own archives. Whatever is left will be added to the history display at Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital.
