Back to Addie Hammel’s photo album…

I don’t know anything about this group. I wonder whether maybe it’s a piano teacher with her students, but that is just wild speculation based on the fact that we know Addie studied piano.

The only identifications I have are Addie Hammel (upper right), Bessie Hammell (front), Lena Saylor (left of Bessie). The only reason I know Lena’s name is that there is an individual portrait of her in the album with her name and age written on the back. That portrait looks like it was taken about the same time as this one, so she was evidently about 20 in both. In 1905 Addie would have turned 19 and Bessie 17.

Just based on how the people are arranged, if this is a teacher with her students, I assume the teacher is upper left, and maybe Addie is the leading student. All utter speculation, though. If there is significance to Bessie’s reclining posture I can’t guess what it might be. Suggestions welcome.