Purse and prom invite lost in the 1950s will be returned to former student — now in her 80s
A student who graduated from an Indiana high school in 1955 will have her lost purse — and the contents within it — returned to her more than six decades later, thanks to workers who discovered it perfectly intact during a recent demolition of the building.
The purse, preserved like a time capsule, belonged to Martha Ina Ingham, who is now in her early 80s and lives in Florida, according to a statement shared with Yahoo Lifestyle by Erin Bojorquez, public information officer with Greater Clark County Schools.
Among the sweet mementos saved for posterity inside the bag were two notes — one from a friend and another from an admirer asking Ingham to prom. The workers also found a red lipstick, a pin, a track-and-field ribbon, a Jefferson High School basketball schedule and a bus schedule, plus Ingham’s identification cards.
The crew was doing construction on the building to make way for a new elementary school when it unearthed the black bag. The school district decided to post photos of the purse on Facebook in hopes that it would make its way back to Ingham.
People were absolutely charmed by the discovery. The prom invitation, particularly, had commenters swooning. It reads:
“Dear Marty, I’ve heard that Paul has asked you to go to the prom with him — if he hasn’t I would like very much to take you. Love, Torchy. P.S. If you have already consented to go with Paul please forget that I have asked. If he has asked but you haven’t consented yet please consider my invitation.”
“I love the wording,” one person wrote. “So respectful!” said another.
The other note, from a friend named Carter, discusses dating and friendship. “I’m just going to date everybody and be friends with everybody,” it reads. “When I leave here I want to be everybody’s pal!” The note also makes mention of the infamous Paul. “Paul is an alright guy. But you’ll never catch him, he runs too fast. Ha! Ha!”
Someone who saw the Facebook post forwarded it to Ingham’s youngest son, who alerted his mom of the heartwarming news, according to Bojorquez.
I’m thrilled I was able to connect with Marty’s family,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle. “I hope this little piece of history brings back fond memories of her years at Jeffersonville High School.”
Bojorquez said she was also in touch with one of Ingham’s daughters, and she plans to mail the purse and all of the items back to the former student this week.
The mystery of the purse’s owner may have been solved, but one burning question remains: Who ended up being Ingham’s prom date?
Yahoo Lifestyle has reached out to Ingham and her son.
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