Whispers from the past have resurfaced at the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham campus, where construction crews restoring the historic Academy Building have unearthed a trove of handwritten notes, sketches, and teenage confessions dating back nearly two centuries.

Tucked away in the wooden walls of a structure first built in 1806, these fragile papers offer a remarkable glimpse into the everyday lives, frustrations, and flirtations of 19th-century high school students — now being carefully preserved and studied by university historians.

A Time Capsule in the Walls

The discovery occurred during an ongoing restoration of the Academy Building, which originally served as a private high school before being absorbed into the University of Southern Maine in 1878. Renovations began in 2022 to revitalize the building, which today functions as an art studio for university students.

While removing decayed woodwork and floorboards, crews stumbled upon an unexpected find — a bundle of old papers stashed in a narrow cavity beside a stairwell. The handwritten notes, once meant for sneaky exchanges and secret sentiments, had quietly rested between the walls for nearly 200 years.

“Some of them are sums, calculations, and lists. Things that you would expect,” said Dr. Libby Bischof, a university historian. “But there’s also really funny caricatures of teachers… This is sort of like the text message or the Snapchat that they’re sending in the middle of class, that they shouldn’t be.”

Glimpses of Teenage Life in the 1800s

The handwritten relics span an array of emotions and insights — from awkward love notes to lighthearted sketches mocking authority figures. Among the dozens of scraps recovered so far, many reveal the same themes modern students would recognize today:

• Romantic invitations: “Ada, would’nt you like to swing after school?” one student scrawled.

• Secret plans: “Should we take a walk?” reads another furtive note.

• Delicate observations: One letter muses about the beauty of apple blossoms.

• Playful rebellion: Students doodled caricatures of teachers, exaggerating features like large noses and bushy beards.

Though some notes are faded and fragile, others remain startlingly intact, penned in ink or graphite and brimming with youthful energy. They document a quieter, analog form of teenage expression — written on scraps of paper rather than typed into a phone.

A Building With Layers of History

The Academy Building has stood in Gorham, Maine, since 1806, attracting students from around New England for its rigorous academics. It later became part of the University of Southern Maine and continues to serve students — albeit now in a creative capacity as an art space.

As restorations progressed, the hidden documents revealed just how vibrant its early halls had been. The university has since handed the artifacts over to its special collections team, who are now carefully analyzing and preserving the material.

“We’re really getting a sense of the day-to-day experience of 19th-century teenagers — and it’s striking how relatable some of it still is,” said Dr. Bischof.

Preservation Through Digitization

Because of the delicate state of many of the notes, the university is in the process of digitizing the collection to make it accessible to both students and historians. Many papers have faded or become partially illegible, but specialists believe digital enhancement may help recover additional content.

Once archived, the letters and sketches will provide not just a charming curiosity, but also a rich resource for researchers studying American education, youth culture, and social communication in the pre-digital era.

Echoes of Teen Spirit, Two Centuries On

This unusual discovery transforms a simple renovation project into a remarkable archaeological moment — not one of ruins or relics, but of doodles and daydreams. It turns out that 200 years ago, just like today, students passed notes behind teachers’ backs, crushed on classmates, and sketched their way through boring lectures.

Thanks to a chance find behind the walls, the teenage voices of early 19th-century Maine can now be heard once again — offering humor, heart, and history from a bygone generation.