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Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,664
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

That really defined a turning point in history to me and I'm sure many in our nation.

 

I remember the principal coming to our class and telling my favorite teacher who then gently told us.

I will never forget that.

 

My mother took us to DC to see the President's casket drawn through the street.  It was cold and very very quiet. She lifted me up on her shoulders so I could see. I remember a beautiful white horse in front of the casket though I learned there were several horses.

 

I later read about Black Jack, the riderless horse who was later buried with military honors himself.

He couldn't be riden because he was too wild but he walked in 1,000

funerals it is reported.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,378
Registered: ‎11-01-2010

I remember. And they still won't admit what actually happened.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,839
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

@on the bay So you saw the funeral procession. You saw history as it happened, unfortunately what sad history. 

My Dad took us to Arlington Cemetery shortly after the Eternal Flame was lite.

I was in seventh grade when Kennedy was assassinated. We were not told in school. It was a Friday afternoon so when we left school there was a food truck parked outside the school. So we lined up to buy a snack and the man in the truck told us about the assassination. 

We all went to the nearest friend's house near the school. And we all piled in to turn on the TV.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,664
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: November 22, 1963

[ Edited ]

@drizzellla,

I remember too you could only hear the somber clip clopping of the horses hooves on the cement. No other sound.

Even though very young, I knew how momentous it was to see this, because it was something we were living with.

I felt really sorry for John John especially.

What a sad, horrible day and how sad it must have been to see the eternal flame.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,663
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I was Freshman, we were in History class when announcement came over the loud speaker, "JFK had been shot".  Then nothing more.  we were talking,amongst ourselves, the teacher was distraught.  Then the announcement came clear and loud.  "We regret to announce,President John F Kennedy is dead." You could hear the Principal's voice quiver.    We were ordered to go to cafeteria. Some kids were running , screaming, parents were driving up. We met  in cafeteria and  let go. It was awful.  I went home and family watched that one black and white tv for days. Mom, dad crying. We all were    It was so eerie. Just eerie, and unreal.  The streets were vacant, dead and silent. You couldn't hear anything but TV sets,radios for days. I think the nation pivoted that day. Peace seemed like it ended for a while. 

“sometimes you have to bite your upper lip and put sunglasses on”….Bob Dylan
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,334
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

I was in school, the 5th grade.  Another teacher came in to our classroom and whispered into my teacher's ear and they both started crying.  We were released early and sent home.

 

I remember we were glued to the TV for the next four days and saw when Jack Ruby shot Oswald.

 

When JFK was running for President in 1960, he was appearing at a local political club in Brooklyn.   My father wanted to see him and took me along.  We were able to get to the front of the crowd and I remember JFK looking down at me smiling. Even at 8 years old I thought he was handsome.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,492
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I was 9 years old and in the fourth grade walking home from school in Brooklyn when one of the kids said that the president was shot & killed...  I just didn't believe him.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,492
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@felixmom wrote:

Just read in The New Yorker that JFK's granddaughter (Tatiana Schlossberg) has been given a diagnosis of terminal leukemia...to read it on 11/22...! My heart..

 

Another Class of '66 present.

Spoiler
 

 

 


Wow that is so sad!  I had to look it up and she has two small children. Too many tragedies in that family!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,738
Registered: ‎07-12-2012

@Kachina624 wrote:

I had just graduated from college in August and was working in a department store awaiting the start of my USAF Officer Traing School class to start January 2nd.

 

The news came over a TV in an adjacent department of the store.


@Kachina624   Did you serve in Vietnam?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,492
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@drizzellla wrote:

@on the bay So you saw the funeral procession. You saw history as it happened, unfortunately what sad history. 

My Dad took us to Arlington Cemetery shortly after the Eternal Flame was lite.

I was in seventh grade when Kennedy was assassinated. We were not told in school. It was a Friday afternoon so when we left school there was a food truck parked outside the school. So we lined up to buy a snack and the man in the truck told us about the assassination. 

We all went to the nearest friend's house near the school. And we all piled in to turn on the TV.


@drizzellla We weren't told in school either.  I went to public school in Brooklyn, NY and only found out on my way home from school.  An older boy walking home told all of us younger kids.

 

I have heard that most schools told their students but just don't know why ours never mentioned it.