More and more, when I am shopping for old photobooth photos, I look for ones that appear in a context that gives me more information about the person than a single photo might. I was thrilled to find this beautiful and unintentionally funny letter written by Cathy Prindler to her favourite teacher Mrs McConnell. I am guessing she would have been 11 or 12 years old, as she is about to enter a junior high school in the USA, although the very 1960s back-combed, mini bee-hive “do” looks like it should belong to an older girl.

The letter has been glued to an album page and at some point cut out of its home, possibly for selling. It is another item made melancholy by the fact that it has parted ways with its owner through death, accident or neglect.