Community Chat

[J Town Girl]

I was in my freshman year at the parochial high school I attended. Our principal came on the intercom and announced that President Kennedy had been shot.  

We were dismissed early.   It was particularly distressing for our parish because one of our priests had developed a friendship with the Kennedy's when he was a parish priest at the church where the Kennedy's attended Mass.  

I remember we had a special Mass to honor John Kennedy.  

[Malcontent]

 Sixty years ago today Pops and I married.

[Winkk]

I remember this so clearly.  I was at work walking down the hall and someone came out and said they heard about it on the radio.  Everyone was in shock.

[Eleanor55]

I was 8 years old, in 3rd grade. We had just come in from recess, after lunch, East Coast time. I went to a Catholic school & the nun told us that the President was hurt in Texas & she had us say a prayer for him, praying he would recover. School dismissed normally a few hours later. When I got home, it was all over the radio & tv. 

For the next four days, we sat at our big dining room table, in front of the black & white tv. One of my aunts & uncles came over to watch tv with us. Hushed voices. I remember my mother putting out a big box of assorted Stella D'oro cookies & making tea as we watched the tv. 

I will never forget those 4 days. 

[lgfan]

I wasn't born yet when Kennedy was assassinated but I do remember Reagan's attempted assassination in the early 1980's.

[Mi47]

11th grade high school.   Stopped to get a drink of water at water fountain, heard another student that the president had been shot, thought they were talking about a student president of a club.   Got into class, teacher came in crying and she told the class what had happened in Dallas.    The bus ride home was in total silence. 

The year before,  I met and shook his hand when he made a visit to Detroit.   

[millieshops]

I was in my first year as a teacher.  I was standing by my classroom door at dismissal when a girl from one of my morning classes skidded to a stop in front of me and through her tears told me JFK had been shot.

We had no TV's in the school, but there was a radio in the teachers' lounge.  On a normal, that room would have been vacant after dismissal.  About half of the faculty stood silently shoulder to shoulder and listened to the reports as the news came in.  Only when hope was gone did the group talk and walk out.

[twinsister]

I was in the 5th grade - 11 years old.  Another teacher came into our classroom and whispered something to my teacher and they both started to cry. She told us and then an announcement over the PA system said we were going home early.  The next four days our TV was on and we were glued to it.  I remember seeing Jack Ruby shoot Oswald and the funeral.

A few years earlier, in 1960,  JFK was campaigning in Brooklyn at an outdoor rally.  My father wanted to see him and he took me along.  We were able to get up front and I remember JFK looking down at me and smiling.  Will never forget it.

[Kachina624]

I had just graduated from college and was biding my time working at Lit Bros. Department Store in suburban Philly prior to entering my class in Officer Training School in the USAF.

The news came over a TV that was playing in an adjacent department.   Of course everyone was stunned and went through the rest of the work day pretty much in a trance. Everyone just wanted to get home and be with their families.

[qualitygal]

Was in my 11th grade, history class.  So shocked. Didn't go home early, but I think a number of people we also in shock.