September 8, 2025 • 20 mins
On this episode of Old Time Radio Snack Wagon, we feature an installment of Behind the Story narrated by Marvin Miller: The Crypt of Civilization. This fascinating program, originally broadcast by the Armed Forces Radio Service, explores one of the most ambitious time capsule projects in history.
Conceived in 1936 by Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, president of Oglethorpe University, the “Crypt of Civilization” was designed to preserve a record of human culture and knowledge for 6,000 years. Sealed in 1939, the crypt holds microfilm books, recordings, everyday artifacts, and even devices meant to help future civilizations understand English. This episode dives into the origins, challenges, and aspirations of the project, raising timeless questions about what we choose to preserve and how we imagine the distant future.
Subscribe to the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon at https://www.snackwagon.net
Relevant Links
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/old-time-radio-snack-wagon-rare-historic-radio-programs--5919985/support.
Conceived in 1936 by Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, president of Oglethorpe University, the “Crypt of Civilization” was designed to preserve a record of human culture and knowledge for 6,000 years. Sealed in 1939, the crypt holds microfilm books, recordings, everyday artifacts, and even devices meant to help future civilizations understand English. This episode dives into the origins, challenges, and aspirations of the project, raising timeless questions about what we choose to preserve and how we imagine the distant future.
Subscribe to the Old Time Radio Snack Wagon at https://www.snackwagon.net
Relevant Links
- Oglethorpe University: The Crypt of Civilization – official background on the project.
- Smithsonian Magazine: The World’s First Time Capsule – an in-depth look at the crypt’s history and significance.
- New Georgia Encyclopedia: Crypt of Civilization – historical context and details of what was included
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/old-time-radio-snack-wagon-rare-historic-radio-programs--5919985/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, there are you, Adam Graham the very same and
this is my old Time Radio Snackwagon.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Old Time Radio snack Wagon, where we
serve up a bite sized portion of old time radio.
And now here's your snack wagon host Adam Graham.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Hello, friends, and welcome to a new season of the
Old Time Radio snack Wagon. I had in mind something
I wanted to serve up to you to start this season,
and I spent quite a while searching for it and
had almost given up until I found it. This covers
one of the stories that really, I think started me
(00:49):
on a train of thought that would lead to this podcast.
It's an episode of Behind the Story, and Behind the
Story once again features the talents of Marvin Miller, but
unlike in Armchair Adventures, this is a non fiction series.
(01:10):
The series aired on Mutual at Non fifteen to non
thirty and there's it started airing in nineteen forty nine,
and I found a review of it in Billboard and
June Bundy began her review with Behind the Story as
another turtif force for that breakfast Balladier Marvin Miller. Breakfast
(01:36):
Balladier or not, I'm not certain what that means, since
he doesn't sing. It was a series where Miller would
relate true incidents as a human interest angle and would
voice any real life characters for the purpose of recreation.
The series was aired over mutual as a sustaining feature
(02:00):
with public service announcements. This particular recording is from the
Armed Forces Radio Service. It's the topic of this episode
that makes it so interesting to me. So here now
is the episode The Crypt of Civilization.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
From Hollywood. The Armed Forces Radio Service presents Behind the
story story is unusual but true, as narrated by your
favorite storyteller, Marvin Miller.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Today, I want to take you behind the story of
a remarkable hidden room, a room containing the treasure of
a great era of culture, the treasure that will not
be regained by man for over six thousand years. First
a brief message, and then you hear about the repository
of the wisdom of the ages, the Crypt of Civilization
(03:14):
in our story. Behind the story, who said.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I do not agree with a word you say, but
I will defend to the death your right to say it.
Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson. No, it was a Frenchman and
a powdered wig who never saw America his name was Voltaire.
But Americans like that kind of talk. They like freedom
of speech. That's why men like Franklin and Jefferson wrote
(03:40):
freedom of speech into our constitution. That made it official,
that made it a law. It's a law we like,
and every time we have our say it's a law,
we obey. What we say may be a private opinion.
It might not make sense to the other guy, but
if he doesn't like it, nobody can do talk fact,
(04:01):
he's free to do that. It's guaranteed by our constitution.
Freedom of speech. It's yours and its mind. Our Bill
of Rights in the first Amendment of the Constitution says
so it is one of our freedoms.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Today, I'm going to reveal the story behind the story
of one of the most elaborately planned treasure hunts in
the annals of the human race. But unlike most treasure hunts,
the location of this treasure is no carefully concealed secret.
In fact, its exact location has been distributed throughout the
world in several different modern day languages for one of
a better word. The treasure maps are curious, wafer thin,
(04:42):
indestructible plaques. Some of them have been found in places
as remote as a monastery hidden in the shadows of
Himalayan peaks in far off seeking. Others are in India, Egypt,
a Thailand jungle temple. One of the imperishable keys to
this fabulous treasure has even been planted in the potala
in Forbidden Lasa, Tibet. The polylingual plaques bear this message.
(05:05):
Near a place once known as Atlanta, Georgia, there was
a house of learning known as Oglethorpe University. Its exact
location can be determined by a triangulation from Stone Mountain
and from Kenesaw Mountain prepared by the United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey in the twentieth century. If the eightieth
(05:26):
century scientists will dig at the specified spot, they will
come upon a crypt of stone twenty by ten by
ten feet, guarded by a door of stainless steel. Within
the crypt will be found writings and objects of great value,
encompassing the best examples of civilization and knowledge known to
(05:46):
the world from the time of Christ to the mid
twentieth century. Sounds like a science fiction yarn, doesn't it.
But this is no fantastic pseudo scientific story. This is
the true story behind the story of the crypt of Civilization.
It all began in nineteen thirty six as an idea
(06:07):
of doctor Thornwell Jacobs, president of Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia. Basically,
his idea was to preserve records of our civilization for
future generations. Doctor Jacobs explains his idea of canning civilization
for the ages this way. It may be difficult for
most of us to realize that our present civilization, in
(06:30):
all of its technical advances, occupy only a few seconds,
as it were in the vast spread of geological time.
Our present day civilization will eventually fall. Our huge dams
and tall buildings of which we are so proud will
be reduced to ruins. This may not be a pretty
picture to contemplate, but it is one that will be
(06:50):
just as true as the story of the downfall of
the mighty Empire of ancient nineveh. We, however, are the
first generation equipped to perform our archaeological duty to the future.
That duty is the purpose of the Oglethorpe University Crypt
of Civilization. Doctor Jacob's announced intention aroused considerable interest in
(07:12):
the scientific world, and of course it received a certain
amount of jocular comment in the newspapers. There was one man, however,
who considered this project so important that he immediately phoned
doctor Jacobs's long distance. His enthusiasm and freely offered suggestions
were so valuable that he was invited to come to
Oglethorpe and become archivists in charge of the crypt. He
(07:33):
was doctor T. K. Peters, well known archaeologist and in
better of an important process for reproducing books on microfilm.
At their very first meeting, these two far seeing scientists
began making plans for the preservation of civilization's records for
future generations. The technology of the day assured that a
time enduring crypt could be constructed. The big problem was
(07:57):
what to put in it. Poletus digress here for a moment.
If you were asked to select some object representative of
our civilization, what would you choose? Something worthy of being
carefully preserved for six thousand years. That is a puzzler,
isn't it? Well? Doctors Jacobs and Peters had some ideas
(08:17):
about it. For example, doctor Jacobs felt that the crypt
should contain certain books, for example, encyclopedias and motion pictures
picturing the world today and especially the physical features of
our cities. And countryside, our industries, and our social activities.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Of course, doctor Jacobs, And how about a phonograph or
a film record carrying our salutation from the President of
the United States to the rulers, whoever and whatever they
may be, of the eightieth century.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Excellent doctor. We must, of course also include such homely
everyday things as the foods we eat, our drinks, even
our chewing gum.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
Yes, oh, there's so many things we must describe and illustrate.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Our sports and recreations, our buildings and their furniture, and
our engines, printing presses, automobiles, airplanes, typewriters, radios. You know that, Peters,
I'm beginning to believe that our major problem is not
what to put into the crib. I agree begins to
appear that our greatest problem is what are we going
(09:22):
to leave out? A moment's pause here, then I'll return
to tell you just what things doctors Peters and Jacobs
decided should go into the crypt of civilization in our story.
Behind the story.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
How'd you like to make a thousand bucks? Easy? Maybe
on one of the big quiz shows. The loaded question
usually concerns American history. All you have to do is
bone up on the answers. Well, let's say the quiz
master asks you what freedom is guaranteed but the first
Amendment of the Constitution. You remember that the first ten
amendments are known as our Bill of Rights. But with
(09:57):
what right is the first Amendment concerned? Trial by jury?
Freedom of assembly? You're not sure. Then you see a
soldier in the last row waiving a newspaper in the air,
and without batting an eye, you say, the First Amendment
guarantees our freedom of the press. You win a thousand
bucks and your picture goes into your hometown newspaper, one
(10:20):
of thousands of newspapers published across the United States, free
to print the truth as it's given them to know
the truth. So remember, in case you're on a quiz
show and the question comes up, freedom of the press
is in the First Amendment. It is one of our freedoms.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Continuing our story behind the story of the Crypt of Civilization,
doctors Jacobs and Peters began collecting the archives for the vault,
while student assistants working in three ships tackled the enormous
task of reproducing hundreds of books on microfilm and sealing
them in small metal containers. From all over the world.
Interested scientists, historians, and sociologists sent documents and object they
(11:00):
felt would be valuable contributions to the storehouse of knowledge.
As more and more papers, models, and other materials poured in,
doctor Peter's task became the increasingly difficult one of selection
and elimination. After all, the vault was of limited size.
It was a twenty by ten by ten room sized
vault hollowed out of solid granite beneath the Oglethorpe University campus.
(11:24):
To preclude the possibility of any air or moisture seeping
into the vault, the walls and ceiling, as well as
the floor, were lined with vitreous porcelain enamel. Just what
did doctor Peter select to go into this carefully designed vault,
constructed at great cost Well, generally speaking, the articles and
materials selected were those thought to have the greatest value
(11:44):
from an archaeological standpoint in picturing and interpreting our times
for the future. Among the trivia were a conglomeration of
articles used in everyday nineteen thirty nine life. These commonplace
articles included a can opener, I wonder if that one worked,
an alarm clock, a miniature camera, safety raisers, cigarettes, what
a spot for a commercial ladies make up, a wristwatch,
(12:07):
a slide rule, a n aophile, a padlock, a mickey,
mouse cup, and scores of other things that we use
every day. Trivial things, but to a scientist of the future,
they will give an accurate picture of common things used
and enjoyed by the average citizen. On the serious side,
an enormous amount of material was microfilmed. This included the
contents of several hundred representative books of fiction material reflecting
(12:30):
the tastes and interest of mister average citizen. Other microfilm
material included scientific texts, philosophies, a series, robot catalog, the
World Almanac, major parts of the Encyclopedia Britannica, and newspapers,
slick magazines, pulp magazines, comics, circulars, travel folders, airplane and
railroad schedules, and countless photographs of clothing, types of transportation, dwellings, food,
(12:52):
and many other carefully selected objects that will give the
archaeologists to the future a keen insight on how we
lived in the two twentieth century. Working models in stainless
steel and other physical items in the crypt were put
there primarily to explain and illuminate the microfilm records. With
each reel of film are instructions for making a large
(13:14):
microfilm reading machine. These, in turn were enclosed in asbestos
and stainless steel containers. The time for this program does
not permit listing all the material it went into the crypt,
but you may be assured that every object chosen was
selected only after considerable thought. Finally, when it came time
to close the crypt, doctor Peters was confronted with his
(13:35):
most perplexing problem of.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
What use are the hundreds of microfilm books and a
great many other specimens concerned with words, either spoken or
written if in the future knowledge of the English language
is lost.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Doctor Peter solved that problem by inventing what he called
his language Integrator. This was an ingenious device which is
the key to the entire contents of the crypt and
is placed in the entrance with a large arrow pointing
to a handle on it. Many centuries hence, when the
crypt is opened, the discoverers doubtless will turn that handle.
When that is done, a phonograph record will start to
(14:09):
revolve and speak simple English words. At the same time,
a mechanism will turn over simple pictures drawn on metal.
Each picture will correspond to and is synchronized with the
spoken word. Doctor Peters believes that in this way the
discoverers might learn the possibly dead English language at last.
(14:30):
On May twenty eighth, nineteen thirty nine, the huge stainless
steel door to the Crypti of Civilization was welded into
a stainless steel angle frame set permanently into the stone
of the crypt. It's fascinating to speculate on the possible
knowledge and intelligence of those people, whoever they are, who
will open the crypt many centuries. Hence, among them may
(14:52):
be some of the actual descendants of those who contributed
gifts to the crypt for you see two. Each contributor
a metal card was given which entitled his descendant to
be present at the opening of the vault at noon
on May twenty eight, year, eight thousand, one hundred and thirteen.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
George Flaman speaking behind the story, is a regular presentation
of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, a voice
of information and education.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
And welcome back. This is such a fascinating project and
(18:05):
it's an amazing time capsule that they created there. Now,
there was actually a period where the Crip was essentially
forgotten about, yet the doors still remained sealed, and it
was remembered about the turn of the century. And of
course the contents have been posted online and there are pictures,
(18:27):
and there are all sorts of debates as to whether
this will actually survive or it's currently surviving. Everyone's an expert,
of course, because this is the internet, such as the
age that we live in. But I find the story compelling.
The effort was extraordinary, using the best efforts and knowledge
(18:52):
of the time to leave a record of civilization as
it existed. Of course, there are questions will the actually
work test of time, will it survive until the opening date,
will the uh will it be opened before the scheduled
(19:12):
opening date? And will the measures that they have taken
to make this decipherable to future generations actually work. This
is an incredible story where the final ending may not
be written for another six thousand years. It's time for
me to close up the old snackwagon, but don't worry.
(19:34):
We'll be back with another serving of old time radio
goodness before you know it. If you want to enjoy
some of our longer form podcasts, you can feast away
at my website at Great Detectives dot net. Your emails
are also welcome at Adam at snackwagon dot net.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
The Old Time Radio snack Wagon comes to you from Boise, Idaho.
Your host is Adam Graham. Sound production is by by
Ryne's Media LLC. You can listen to past episodes of
the Old Time Radio Snackwagon as well as connect on
social media at our website at snackwagon dot net. Email
suggestions for episodes to Adam at snackwagon dot net. This
(20:17):
has been the Old Time Radio Snackwagon.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Until next time. Goodbye,
Hey, there are you, Adam Graham the very same and
this is my old Time Radio Snackwagon.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Old Time Radio snack Wagon, where we
serve up a bite sized portion of old time radio.
And now here's your snack wagon host Adam Graham.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Hello, friends, and welcome to a new season of the
Old Time Radio snack Wagon. I had in mind something
I wanted to serve up to you to start this season,
and I spent quite a while searching for it and
had almost given up until I found it. This covers
one of the stories that really, I think started me
(00:49):
on a train of thought that would lead to this podcast.
It's an episode of Behind the Story, and Behind the
Story once again features the talents of Marvin Miller, but
unlike in Armchair Adventures, this is a non fiction series.
(01:10):
The series aired on Mutual at Non fifteen to non
thirty and there's it started airing in nineteen forty nine,
and I found a review of it in Billboard and
June Bundy began her review with Behind the Story as
another turtif force for that breakfast Balladier Marvin Miller. Breakfast
(01:36):
Balladier or not, I'm not certain what that means, since
he doesn't sing. It was a series where Miller would
relate true incidents as a human interest angle and would
voice any real life characters for the purpose of recreation.
The series was aired over mutual as a sustaining feature
(02:00):
with public service announcements. This particular recording is from the
Armed Forces Radio Service. It's the topic of this episode
that makes it so interesting to me. So here now
is the episode The Crypt of Civilization.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
From Hollywood. The Armed Forces Radio Service presents Behind the
story story is unusual but true, as narrated by your
favorite storyteller, Marvin Miller.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Today, I want to take you behind the story of
a remarkable hidden room, a room containing the treasure of
a great era of culture, the treasure that will not
be regained by man for over six thousand years. First
a brief message, and then you hear about the repository
of the wisdom of the ages, the Crypt of Civilization
(03:14):
in our story. Behind the story, who said.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I do not agree with a word you say, but
I will defend to the death your right to say it.
Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson. No, it was a Frenchman and
a powdered wig who never saw America his name was Voltaire.
But Americans like that kind of talk. They like freedom
of speech. That's why men like Franklin and Jefferson wrote
(03:40):
freedom of speech into our constitution. That made it official,
that made it a law. It's a law we like,
and every time we have our say it's a law,
we obey. What we say may be a private opinion.
It might not make sense to the other guy, but
if he doesn't like it, nobody can do talk fact,
(04:01):
he's free to do that. It's guaranteed by our constitution.
Freedom of speech. It's yours and its mind. Our Bill
of Rights in the first Amendment of the Constitution says
so it is one of our freedoms.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Today, I'm going to reveal the story behind the story
of one of the most elaborately planned treasure hunts in
the annals of the human race. But unlike most treasure hunts,
the location of this treasure is no carefully concealed secret.
In fact, its exact location has been distributed throughout the
world in several different modern day languages for one of
a better word. The treasure maps are curious, wafer thin,
(04:42):
indestructible plaques. Some of them have been found in places
as remote as a monastery hidden in the shadows of
Himalayan peaks in far off seeking. Others are in India, Egypt,
a Thailand jungle temple. One of the imperishable keys to
this fabulous treasure has even been planted in the potala
in Forbidden Lasa, Tibet. The polylingual plaques bear this message.
(05:05):
Near a place once known as Atlanta, Georgia, there was
a house of learning known as Oglethorpe University. Its exact
location can be determined by a triangulation from Stone Mountain
and from Kenesaw Mountain prepared by the United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey in the twentieth century. If the eightieth
(05:26):
century scientists will dig at the specified spot, they will
come upon a crypt of stone twenty by ten by
ten feet, guarded by a door of stainless steel. Within
the crypt will be found writings and objects of great value,
encompassing the best examples of civilization and knowledge known to
(05:46):
the world from the time of Christ to the mid
twentieth century. Sounds like a science fiction yarn, doesn't it.
But this is no fantastic pseudo scientific story. This is
the true story behind the story of the crypt of Civilization.
It all began in nineteen thirty six as an idea
(06:07):
of doctor Thornwell Jacobs, president of Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia. Basically,
his idea was to preserve records of our civilization for
future generations. Doctor Jacobs explains his idea of canning civilization
for the ages this way. It may be difficult for
most of us to realize that our present civilization, in
(06:30):
all of its technical advances, occupy only a few seconds,
as it were in the vast spread of geological time.
Our present day civilization will eventually fall. Our huge dams
and tall buildings of which we are so proud will
be reduced to ruins. This may not be a pretty
picture to contemplate, but it is one that will be
(06:50):
just as true as the story of the downfall of
the mighty Empire of ancient nineveh. We, however, are the
first generation equipped to perform our archaeological duty to the future.
That duty is the purpose of the Oglethorpe University Crypt
of Civilization. Doctor Jacob's announced intention aroused considerable interest in
(07:12):
the scientific world, and of course it received a certain
amount of jocular comment in the newspapers. There was one man, however,
who considered this project so important that he immediately phoned
doctor Jacobs's long distance. His enthusiasm and freely offered suggestions
were so valuable that he was invited to come to
Oglethorpe and become archivists in charge of the crypt. He
(07:33):
was doctor T. K. Peters, well known archaeologist and in
better of an important process for reproducing books on microfilm.
At their very first meeting, these two far seeing scientists
began making plans for the preservation of civilization's records for
future generations. The technology of the day assured that a
time enduring crypt could be constructed. The big problem was
(07:57):
what to put in it. Poletus digress here for a moment.
If you were asked to select some object representative of
our civilization, what would you choose? Something worthy of being
carefully preserved for six thousand years. That is a puzzler,
isn't it? Well? Doctors Jacobs and Peters had some ideas
(08:17):
about it. For example, doctor Jacobs felt that the crypt
should contain certain books, for example, encyclopedias and motion pictures
picturing the world today and especially the physical features of
our cities. And countryside, our industries, and our social activities.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
Of course, doctor Jacobs, And how about a phonograph or
a film record carrying our salutation from the President of
the United States to the rulers, whoever and whatever they
may be, of the eightieth century.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Excellent doctor. We must, of course also include such homely
everyday things as the foods we eat, our drinks, even
our chewing gum.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
Yes, oh, there's so many things we must describe and illustrate.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Our sports and recreations, our buildings and their furniture, and
our engines, printing presses, automobiles, airplanes, typewriters, radios. You know that, Peters,
I'm beginning to believe that our major problem is not
what to put into the crib. I agree begins to
appear that our greatest problem is what are we going
(09:22):
to leave out? A moment's pause here, then I'll return
to tell you just what things doctors Peters and Jacobs
decided should go into the crypt of civilization in our story.
Behind the story.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
How'd you like to make a thousand bucks? Easy? Maybe
on one of the big quiz shows. The loaded question
usually concerns American history. All you have to do is
bone up on the answers. Well, let's say the quiz
master asks you what freedom is guaranteed but the first
Amendment of the Constitution. You remember that the first ten
amendments are known as our Bill of Rights. But with
(09:57):
what right is the first Amendment concerned? Trial by jury?
Freedom of assembly? You're not sure. Then you see a
soldier in the last row waiving a newspaper in the air,
and without batting an eye, you say, the First Amendment
guarantees our freedom of the press. You win a thousand
bucks and your picture goes into your hometown newspaper, one
(10:20):
of thousands of newspapers published across the United States, free
to print the truth as it's given them to know
the truth. So remember, in case you're on a quiz
show and the question comes up, freedom of the press
is in the First Amendment. It is one of our freedoms.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Continuing our story behind the story of the Crypt of Civilization,
doctors Jacobs and Peters began collecting the archives for the vault,
while student assistants working in three ships tackled the enormous
task of reproducing hundreds of books on microfilm and sealing
them in small metal containers. From all over the world.
Interested scientists, historians, and sociologists sent documents and object they
(11:00):
felt would be valuable contributions to the storehouse of knowledge.
As more and more papers, models, and other materials poured in,
doctor Peter's task became the increasingly difficult one of selection
and elimination. After all, the vault was of limited size.
It was a twenty by ten by ten room sized
vault hollowed out of solid granite beneath the Oglethorpe University campus.
(11:24):
To preclude the possibility of any air or moisture seeping
into the vault, the walls and ceiling, as well as
the floor, were lined with vitreous porcelain enamel. Just what
did doctor Peter select to go into this carefully designed vault,
constructed at great cost Well, generally speaking, the articles and
materials selected were those thought to have the greatest value
(11:44):
from an archaeological standpoint in picturing and interpreting our times
for the future. Among the trivia were a conglomeration of
articles used in everyday nineteen thirty nine life. These commonplace
articles included a can opener, I wonder if that one worked,
an alarm clock, a miniature camera, safety raisers, cigarettes, what
a spot for a commercial ladies make up, a wristwatch,
(12:07):
a slide rule, a n aophile, a padlock, a mickey,
mouse cup, and scores of other things that we use
every day. Trivial things, but to a scientist of the future,
they will give an accurate picture of common things used
and enjoyed by the average citizen. On the serious side,
an enormous amount of material was microfilmed. This included the
contents of several hundred representative books of fiction material reflecting
(12:30):
the tastes and interest of mister average citizen. Other microfilm
material included scientific texts, philosophies, a series, robot catalog, the
World Almanac, major parts of the Encyclopedia Britannica, and newspapers,
slick magazines, pulp magazines, comics, circulars, travel folders, airplane and
railroad schedules, and countless photographs of clothing, types of transportation, dwellings, food,
(12:52):
and many other carefully selected objects that will give the
archaeologists to the future a keen insight on how we
lived in the two twentieth century. Working models in stainless
steel and other physical items in the crypt were put
there primarily to explain and illuminate the microfilm records. With
each reel of film are instructions for making a large
(13:14):
microfilm reading machine. These, in turn were enclosed in asbestos
and stainless steel containers. The time for this program does
not permit listing all the material it went into the crypt,
but you may be assured that every object chosen was
selected only after considerable thought. Finally, when it came time
to close the crypt, doctor Peters was confronted with his
(13:35):
most perplexing problem of.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
What use are the hundreds of microfilm books and a
great many other specimens concerned with words, either spoken or
written if in the future knowledge of the English language
is lost.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Doctor Peter solved that problem by inventing what he called
his language Integrator. This was an ingenious device which is
the key to the entire contents of the crypt and
is placed in the entrance with a large arrow pointing
to a handle on it. Many centuries hence, when the
crypt is opened, the discoverers doubtless will turn that handle.
When that is done, a phonograph record will start to
(14:09):
revolve and speak simple English words. At the same time,
a mechanism will turn over simple pictures drawn on metal.
Each picture will correspond to and is synchronized with the
spoken word. Doctor Peters believes that in this way the
discoverers might learn the possibly dead English language at last.
(14:30):
On May twenty eighth, nineteen thirty nine, the huge stainless
steel door to the Crypti of Civilization was welded into
a stainless steel angle frame set permanently into the stone
of the crypt. It's fascinating to speculate on the possible
knowledge and intelligence of those people, whoever they are, who
will open the crypt many centuries. Hence, among them may
(14:52):
be some of the actual descendants of those who contributed
gifts to the crypt for you see two. Each contributor
a metal card was given which entitled his descendant to
be present at the opening of the vault at noon
on May twenty eight, year, eight thousand, one hundred and thirteen.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
George Flaman speaking behind the story, is a regular presentation
of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, a voice
of information and education.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
And welcome back. This is such a fascinating project and
(18:05):
it's an amazing time capsule that they created there. Now,
there was actually a period where the Crip was essentially
forgotten about, yet the doors still remained sealed, and it
was remembered about the turn of the century. And of
course the contents have been posted online and there are pictures,
(18:27):
and there are all sorts of debates as to whether
this will actually survive or it's currently surviving. Everyone's an expert,
of course, because this is the internet, such as the
age that we live in. But I find the story compelling.
The effort was extraordinary, using the best efforts and knowledge
(18:52):
of the time to leave a record of civilization as
it existed. Of course, there are questions will the actually
work test of time, will it survive until the opening date,
will the uh will it be opened before the scheduled
(19:12):
opening date? And will the measures that they have taken
to make this decipherable to future generations actually work. This
is an incredible story where the final ending may not
be written for another six thousand years. It's time for
me to close up the old snackwagon, but don't worry.
(19:34):
We'll be back with another serving of old time radio
goodness before you know it. If you want to enjoy
some of our longer form podcasts, you can feast away
at my website at Great Detectives dot net. Your emails
are also welcome at Adam at snackwagon dot net.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
The Old Time Radio snack Wagon comes to you from Boise, Idaho.
Your host is Adam Graham. Sound production is by by
Ryne's Media LLC. You can listen to past episodes of
the Old Time Radio Snackwagon as well as connect on
social media at our website at snackwagon dot net. Email
suggestions for episodes to Adam at snackwagon dot net. This
(20:17):
has been the Old Time Radio Snackwagon.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Until next time. Goodbye,
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.