Workers replacing the blackboards at Emerson County High School, Oklahoma, made a remarkable discovery when the old installations were removed, revealing lesson material preserved for nearly a century.
As the old blackboards were removed to make room for new whiteboards, staff from MAPS for Kids renovations revealed historic work, dated from November 30 and December 4, 1917. School principal Sherry Kishore said the near-perfectly preserved drawings and writings "blows me away" with how vividly they connect the school's present to its history.
Among the variety of subjects on display were children's washing instructions, quotes from the Pledge of Allegiance, musical notes, and remarkable multiplication wheels displaying a technique that Kishore had "never seen in my life". Pictured also were children's drawings of pilgrims and turkeys, which helped date the work as taking place some time before the Thanksgiving break.
The blackboards were not the only discovery, however, as report cards and newspaper clippings from the presidency of Woodrow Wilson were also found stuffed into the school walls. As renovations to the school's third floor are set to continue, authorities from the school and the city are excited about the possibility of future discoveries. In the meantime, discussions are underway regarding the permanent preservation of the blackboards.