There’s so much change in the world these days that we sometimes forget that the past is still with us — sometimes literally.
That’s what a school in Oklahoma found out recently.
The school was removing its old chalkboards to make way for new whiteboards when construction workers made an unexpected discovery.
When Emerson High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma wanted to install new whiteboards in its classrooms, the school’s administration called in a construction team.
Before setting up the spiffy new boards, the workers had to tear down the old ones. But what nobody knew then was that they were about to make a historic discovery.
For many young people today, it’s hard to imagine what it was like to go to school 100 years ago.
But when the construction workers were finished that day, they had opened a portal back to 1917.
Behind the old chalkboards was another older set of blackboards.
And incredibly, they had been preserved in perfect condition… for almost 100 years!
With the chalkboards gone, the blackboards revealed 100-year-old drawings and beautiful handwriting that teachers only dream about now. And because the boards had been perfectly protected, they didn’t look more than a day old.
It’s a fascinating time capsule that shows what it would’ve been like to go to school 100 years ago.
Everything was there — from math and reading to music and writing!
There was also a calendar with a picture of a girl and a turkey.
This means that it must’ve been Thanksgiving right after the new blackboards were set up.
There was also a multiplication table that revealed what the curriculum and teaching methods looked like at the time.
“I have never seen that technique in my life,” Sherry Kishore, principal of the school, told The Oklahoman.
It might seem strange to younger people, but for the older generation, it was a journey back to their youth. Principal Sherry showed the discovery to her 85-year-old mother — and she’ll never forget her reaction.
“She just stood there and cried. She said it was exactly like her classroom was when she was going to school,” Principal Sherry tells The Oklahoman.
The school was built in 1895 and has undergone several renovations over the years, but none of them have brought discoveries like this.
“It’s like you’re walking into a time capsule that’s been preserved. The chalk is so bright and clear that it could have been done yesterday,” Principal Sherry says.
Now, the city is doing its best to preserve the beautiful drawings for many years and generations to come.
Fascinating story, right?!
Watch a video about this amazing discovery here:
[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCYEVrN0mw” /]
Personally, I think discoveries like this are so cool. They give us insight into what life was like in the past.
What was your school like? Do you remember things about your school or the way you studied that have changed since you graduated? Let us know and get nostalgic in the comments section on Facebook!
And don’t forget to share the article with your friends so they can also take a look at this awesome discovery from 1917!