A Brief History of Lee Academy
Lee Academy was founded in 1845 by strong-minded people who were determined to provide an educational institution for the growing region. We began as a school to train teachers for the many rural schools that dotted the countryside of eastern interior Maine. By the early 1900s, however, the state of Maine had assumed the responsibility of training teachers and the mission of the school shifted. Lee Academy became the major educational institution of the region east of Lincoln and as far as the Canadian border.
The traditions of academic excellence, attention to the needs of the individual student, and a knowledge of our importance to the region have guided the school in its changes and growth.
Capital improvement plans are made with the above traditions clearly in focus. Buildings have come and gone in the long history of Lee Academy, but the campus has always existed in the center of the town of Lee. In early days, education was both academic and vocational, with students employed in Academy buildings or on the school farm. Later, as agriculture decreased in the area, emphasis on academics increased. In modern times, a science building was added (1970), a new classroom and technical skills building was constructed (1988), and a beautiful 150 year old former church building was acquired (1996) and renovated to expand the music department and various special services.
It is an exciting time for Lee Academy. We have always provided an excellent education and a wonderful opportunity for young people to develop and mature, both intellectually and socially. These goals are the focus of the curriculum and programs and of the quality people who serve both students and the wider Lee Academy community.