45 years ago today

[73ss454]

I was sitting in 9th grade social studies when the intercom in the room came on with news of the shooting of President Kennedy. My teacher Mr. Frolich started crying and I didn't really know what was going on.

 

[ScooterGuy]

In college

On that day and time, I waslking between psych classes at San Diego State University. I slid/slumped down the wall and just moaned for a long time, with my head in my hands. I don't remember much of the rest of the day.

 

[Khan]

That long?

Sitting in 8th grade study hall when it came over the PA system.

 

[Moemg]

I was a junior in high school . We were let out of school early and everybody was crying . I also remember when JFK was inaugurated . We had a huge snow storm and were home from school for a week . It was my birthday so my Mom & I had a special lunch and watched the inauguration.

 

[HFWR]

In Mrs. Johnson's fourth grade class...

 

[ERD50]

Our teacher came in with the news also. I was 9 YO, I knew it was an 'event' and obviously sad that someone was shot, but the whole impact of it didn't really hit me. They brought in a TV and we followed the news. We never did anything like that before, except maybe a rocket launch.

Bobby Kennedy's assignation really hit me. By that age, it was just crazy to think someone would do that, and to a family that had already suffered this tragedy.

In an odd way, it was John Lennon's shooting that really got me. Politicians, activists are at least aware that they are taking these risks. You make enemies in those lines of work (obviously does not justify the actions), but to kill a guy singing and playing guitar - there isn't even a twisted point to that.

-ERD50

 

[TromboneAl]

I sure hope the secret service is better at protecting presidents these days.

 

[kyounge1956]

I was only in the second grade when JFK was shot, and my memories of the day are very vague. We were sent home from school, and about all that I recall of the event is that when I got home my mother was standing in the middle of the room watching the television—I assume a news broadcast although I don't remember what was on the screen or what the announcer was saying—only my mom, standing there, still holding the vacuum cleaner she had been using. This picture in my mind is a "still", but I'm not sure whether my mom was frozen in shock, or whether that first sight of her etched itself so strongly on my memory that I've lost all recollection of what happened the next moment....

 

[kyounge1956]

I sure hope the secret service is better at protecting presidents these days.

And even more, I hope we have no occasion to find out whether they are better or not.

 

[bbbamI]

I was only 6 years old, don't remember much at all.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I was only 6 years old, don't remember much at all.

Bah damn kids.

 

[Rambler]

Bah damn kids.

I was 2 YO...I don't suppose it meant much to me then...can't remember.

R

 

[Poundkey]

I was in a 10th grade spanish class at Memorial high school in Houston. Bad day....

 

[harley]

I was in second grade. Didn't quite grasp it, but I remember being annoyed because the next day was Saturday, and the cartoons weren't on due to the coverage.

 

[OAG]

In the Military at the time. We were mustered the next morning for the "formal announcement". For those that do not know what a Muster is - it was every one accounted for, many had to return to base if they were on leave and close enough to do so, then the Commanders would announce it officially including who was now President. Very sad time for all of us and of course we were apprehensive on "what comes next" and where we could be headed.

 

[Coach]

I was in seventh grade, Social Studies. I was in Scout uniform because we'd had an assembly that morning. We lowered the flag in front of the school to half-staff. I bought my first newspaper after school that day.

But my strongest memory is of Sunday, hanging out in the living room, my Dad was watching TV when all of the sudden he shouted, "My God, somebody just shot Oswald!"

Coach

 

[Ronstar]

I was in 3rd grade - I remember the teachers crying as we watched the tv coverage in school.

 

[FurBall]

7th grade social studies -- announcement on the PA system -- old lady Stoloff (must have been 30) started crying. We were sent home.

First time I ever saw my mother cry.

 

[Dawg52]

I can remember the class room and that we were about to go outside and play football. But can't remember if it was the 4th or 5th grade. The play teacher announced the news.

 

[fisherman]

Not done cooking yet. I had only been in the oven for five months. four more to go at that point. I do remember where I was when Regan was shot but that was not today in history.

 

[Goonie]

I was in kindergarten, and the principal asked my teacher to step out into the hall. When she came back in she told us that the president had just been shot, and school was being let out for the day. One of my older siblings came down to our class to get me for the walk home.

I remember watching the TV coverage of it that evening along with my family, as well as JFK's funeral a few days later.

 

[REWahoo]

I was a HS soph, at home eating lunch and watching the news on TV when Walter Crankshaft broke in to say there was a report shots had been fired on the President’s motorcade in Dallas.

Back at school, the principal called us all into the auditorium around 2PM to tell us the President was dead and we could all go home. What that sticks in my mind more vividly than anything else about that day was the quiet as we left the auditorium and walked down the hall to our lockers. No one said a word - the only sound was footsteps and the clack of opening and shutting metal lockers. Compared to the normal bedlam of hallway noise, it was an eerie experience.

 

[Meadbh]

I grew up in Ireland and was six at the time. Because of the time difference, I was already in bed when it happened. My parents heard it on the radio. Mom told me about it when she came upstairs to tuck me in. I remember she was crying.

 

[Gail]

Sophomore Biology class, fifth period, when the Principal came on the intercom to tell us about the shooting.

I was watching television when Reagan was shot, and I remember thinking "Please, not again."

 

[W2R]

November 22, 1963 - -

I was a sophomore in high school. As we chattered happily to one another in home room before the bell rang, one of the guys came running in and told us the President had been shot. This guy was a real card, so we thought he was cutting up and nobody believed him. Several were making jokes about it.

We realized he was serious when the teacher came in with tears streaming down her face, and the Principal got on the P.A. to tell us and to lead us in prayer for the President (not a parochial school, either). Then, we were allowed to go over to the auditorium and watch television coverage on the big TV that was available over there, if we wanted to do so. I did that.

I found it very hard to believe, since up to that time I had thought that in the 20th century assassinations were something that occurred in third world countries, and not in the U.S. It just seemed impossible.

The assassination of JFK still intrigues me and bothers me. For me, it changed the world in so many ways.