JEFFERSONVILLE — Greater Clark County Schools leaders have located a woman whose purse was found recently during demolition for the new downtown school — which had been hidden for nearly 70 years.

Crews with HCL Construction found the purse with identification for Martha Ina Ingham at the end of January while removing cabinets in a science classroom at the Franklin Court building near Court Avenue. The site will be the home of a new downtown elementary school, expected to be finished in time for the 2020 school year.

Ingham was a senior in 1955 at Jeffersonville High School, which had been housed at the Court Avenue site until the early 1970s. The found purse contained items from 1954. Last week, Greater Clark County Schools posted a photo of the purse with a call out to the public for help locating Ingham or her family. By Friday night they had made contact with two of her children.

“Marty was found thanks to the power of social media,” Erin Bojorquez, public information officer with GCCS said in a text message today. “A family member came across our post and then shared it with [her] youngest son. I’m thrilled I was able to connect with Marty’s family.”

Among the items in the purse are a 1953-54 Jeffersonville High School basketball schedule, lipstick, identification cards and a letter asking her to prom. Bojorquez has made arrangements to mail the purse to the owner and her family, who live out of the area.

“I hope this little piece of history brings back fond memories of her year at Jeffersonville High School,” Bojorquez said. “I also hope to answer the community’s burning question about who took Marty to prom.”

Source: News and Tribune