Mystery Unveiled: Ancient Doodles Inside Maine's Old School Hint at Centuries-Old Secrets
A Restoration Project Reveals Forgotten Pieces Of Maine’s History
The University of Southern Maine’s Academy Building first opened as a private high school in 1806. Students flocked to the institution from far and wide due to its reputation as a competitive and enriching educational facility.
In 1878, the building was acquired by the University of Southern Maine. Today, it is referred to as the Academy Building and serves as an art studio for students on the college’s Gorham campus.
University of Southern MaineThe Academy Building, originally constructed in 1806, on the grounds of the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus.
Because of its age, the structure has recently undergone a series of renovations that began in 2022. While removing rotted wooden walls and floorboards, construction crews discovered a large collection of notes, doodles, and other messages dating back to the Academy Building’s early history as a private high school. According to a press release from the university, the papers were hidden in a gap in the wooden panels next to a stairway.
So far, workers have recovered dozens of notes and sent them over to the university’s special collections experts for analysis.
What Did Teenagers Write About 200 Years Ago?
University of Southern MaineA student’s note discussing their admiration of apple blossoms.
The collection of papers recovered from the school’s walls has revealed fascinating details about students’ daily lives and romances. Among class notes littered with math equations, grammar lessons, and to-do lists, there are unflattering doodles of teachers, confessions of love, and details about secret rendezvous.
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