The presence of schools in our lives can not be overstated. In regards to life experiences, school could be argued to be the single most common part of our lives. Memories from school are particularly present throughout one’s life journey and forms the identities of all through powerful memories; good and bad. In terms of our relationship to buildings, the school building is only second to home for most. In a small town the school buildings are oftentimes some of the most present not just in social influence, but also by being sizeable, sometimes the single largest building might be a school. In a town that sports a history primarily of industry and outdoor life the understanding of a structures role in the locality along with the opinions and actions of the citizens might take on a different form than were it to be in a city with a rich tradition of culture. Nevertheless, the population with a relationship with a particular school all have memories and those are subsequently to be shared among each other.

With this in mind, what happens when a school building is demolished or approaches status as condemned? The memories of former students, faculty and others remain through photographs and friendships still close to heart. How does demolition of a physical thing so large and emotional affect people’s opinions and actions in regards to their hometown and each other? This study aims to provide understanding of the relationship between town, inhabitants and school buildings by mapping and analyzing how memories are shared through social media. Loss and collective identity can be respected, neglected, encouraged or misunderstood. Contributions to the understanding of the processes related to this helps further research and potentially courses of actions. The result of working with the chosen material shows that those engaging in discussions online in this forum regarding the buildings collectively contribute to the creation of a common relationship with the past and present within the confines of the topic, even though a consensus in terms of emotional connection and opinion is not apparent. The act of sharing pictures and anecdotes are met with extensive contributions in the form of comments and shows the interest among the population to partake in the exchange of memory.