When Maple Hall first opened 30 years ago, a resident wrote a letter to a friend in Kentucky. She placed the letter in an envelope, addressed it, sealed it and put a stamp in the corner.

At some point after that, before it could be mailed, the letter, dated 9/8/68, slipped into a tiny crack between her dresser and wardrobe.

The letter stayed hidden until just recently — a few weeks before Maple Hall will close for renovations.

To ease the closure of their own lives in Maple Hall, fate has stepped in and given the residents of Maple Hall a little piece of history — ironically, in the year that matches the month and day the letter was written.

Here are the contents of the letter written — on two personalized yellow stationery cards with “Secrets from Susan” printed across the top of each card — the month Maple Hall opened:

9/8/68

Dear Sandy,

I’m almost ashamed to write it’s been so long. Classes begin tomorrow so I thought I’d get a note off to you before the work sets in. It’s hard to believe I’m a junior in college already. The years really fly by.

The past summer I worked in a nursery school in Des Moines. I had about 20 children from ages 2-5. They were lots of fun, but I sure gained a new insight into what teaching will be like. I took a night course at Drake 2 evenings a week and earned 9 credits which will come in handy.

Jan leaves for Iowa City this Thursday. She has the freshman quivers, but I have lots of confidence in her.

I’m living in one of the new dormitories on campus. It isn’t as warm and cozy as my previous dorm but it’s modern. I live on the 6th floor of an 8-floor bldg. We have an elevator we go up and down in. Sure is a shock to look out the window though.

Rich, myself and some friends went to the Cinerama last night and saw the Space Odyssey: 2001. It was really abstract. That’s about all that can be said for it.

The last couple of days I’ve been getting together with some of my old friends. My old roommate from Conn. who quit to get married last fall came back. She never got married due to some difficulties. It’s good to be back in the old swing of things. Take care.

Love, Susan

The cards were placed in a matching yellow envelope, the envelope addressed, and an Elks stamp that cost six cents was put in the upper right-hand corner.

Though every effort has been made to locate the woman who wrote the letter, as of presstime, she had not been found.

However, greater success has come in locating the intended recipient of the letter, Sandra Arney, now Sandra Huffines.

Huffines is still living in Kentucky and never attended Iowa State, but in the late 1960s she was a 4-H Club exchange student in Iowa.

“I came to Delmare, Iowa and spent a week with Susan and her family,” Huffines said.

For a few years, the two corresponded but eventually lost track of each other.

“It’s been over 20 years since I spoke with her or her parents,” Huffines said.

Huffines has agreed to let Maple Hall keep the letter as part of its yearbooks, after she has a chance to read it herself.

“I would really like to see and read the letter,” Huffines said.

After the letter was opened, it was read at house meetings, shared among residents and read at the Maple Hall staff meeting.

“It was an awesome feeling. I got goosebumps when it was read to me by Lois Bowers, the sixth floor resident assistant. I had a lump in my throat,” said Kim Araya, Maple Hall director.

Michelle Haskins, junior in dietetics, was the woman who found the letter.

“I dropped a timecard down between the dresser and wardrobe. I used a piece of construction paper to get the timecard out. When I got it out, the letter was with it,” Haskins said.

For many residents of Maple Hall, the letter is a unique look into the history of their residence hall, and a connection to all the women who have lived there for the last 30 years.

“It was really interesting. By reading it, you could tell times were different,” Haskins said.

The temporary closing of Maple Hall has forced hundreds of women to find new places to live in other residence halls and off campus.

“In this letter is a woman starting her journey in life, in a new hall. I have women who are ending their journey with the closing of this hall. No matter 1968 or 1998, boyfriends, socializing, classes, etc., things haven’t changed much,” Araya said.

“I have lived in Maple for four years, and I would have stayed if it wasn’t closing,” said Michelle Kudym, senior in music education.

Maple residents arrived last fall to work crews making emergency repairs to the outside of the building.

In November, residents were told the hall would close right after the spring semester.

“The women could have quit at day one, when they came in the fall with this huge fence and then knowing they would have to leave their home, but they didn’t,” Araya said.

“I think it’s kind of sad. I have always liked living here, everyone knows each other. There is a great sense of community,” Kudym said.

“There is a melancholy feeling. In the last three weeks, there has been a lot more camaraderie, even during Veishea. The closing has brought everyone closer together — bonded them,” Araya said.

“We always tried to have fun and be there for each other,” Kudym said.

Maple Hall officially closes on May 9. The renovated hall will open just in time for the fall semester in 1999.

“We are headed towards the year 2000 and in the right direction. I think this is the end of an era of 30 years. We are moving into the 21st century, and it will be a new beginning for everyone who will live and work in Maple Hall,” Araya said.