As technology became an integral part of the daily lives of busy workers and talkative teenagers, the world became busier. With the ability to send messages to everyone they knew at the touch of a button, humans began writing fewer and fewer letters. The Patriot News claims that since 2007, the Post Office has sent 20-23 billion fewer pieces of mail each year. In 2009, 3,100 U.S. Postal Service branches were consolidated or considered for closure. Regardless, teachers continue to review the basics of letter writing with their students. In high schools, lessons on handwriting and envelope format are taught primarily for the purpose of constructing thank you cards and cover letters (web). Online innovations shape the way friends and family communicate with each other. The average person is more likely to send loved ones a text message or email to ask how they are than to write a long memoir of recent events on paper. However, teachers want their students to learn the basic skills of letter writing. Maryann Manning of Teaching Pre K-8 says letters should be written to express gratitude to guests or hosts and sympathy to those who are ill or have lost someone. Elementary school students should be introduced to the practice by telling them that relatives write to each other often throughout their lives. The differences between formal and informal handwritten correspondence, as well as the various formats and etiquette surrounding business letters are motivating factors for middle and high school students. For every age, there is a correct way to write letters that is professional and authentic. Despite technological advances, this form of communication will not die out as long as humans need to talk to each other about business or social (web) affairs. Numbers can