What happened after a surprising package arrived at Camelback High School is almost as remarkable as what was in the package itself.

    The package, without a return address, contained two books, a note and a money order. The note revealed that the books were from the Camelback library, and the writer explained that he had been a student at the school in 1958 but his family moved to Colorado hurriedly and he was unable to return the books.

    But he calculated that at 2 cents per day delinquency dues for 51 years, he owed $745. He sent along a few more dollars in case, he explained, that the rates had changed over the years

The money order from “almost a graduate” was for $1,000 to the Camelback High School Media Center. Librarian Georgette Bordine was thrilled with the find, and plans on using the money to buy books. She is also going to frame the letter.

    Principal Chad Gestson has written a thank-you letter to the mystery person whose only identification was a P.O box in Walsenburg, Colo.

    Bordine says the two books were in good shape and still relevant for student reading today.

    The unique story about the mystery package soon got around the Phoenix community and then the state and, thanks to the Internet, and technology, has now spread worldwide.

    A couple of local TV stations, radio stations and a newspaper spread the story on or about Nov. 13, and a few days later it appeared on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood ... and the BBC in Great Britain.

    Google alerts found it in the Seattle Times and on YouTube, and one Camelback alumnus e-mailed that he saw it in his local paper in Fargo, ND. The story showed up on blogs from the Philippines and India, and a television show from Ireland covered it.

    The story was picked up by The Associated Press as well, reaching thousands of newspapers and broadcast outlets across the country.

    Bordine received a call from NBC, and Brian Williams, who was in Phoenix to receive an award, used the item on the Nov. 17 NBC Nightly News broadcast.

    The Phoenix Union High School District also received an inquiry for photos from Weekly Reader.  One of the two newspapers in Walsenburg, Colo. (population 3,800), from where the package was sent, also called.