Memories of the Kennedy Assassination

[Stephen Fox]

Where were you that day and what do you remember.

The Local Electrical Co Op monthly magazine had several testimonies in their latest edition and several of them were fascinating.

Why shouldn't Bl.com have its on catharsis.

Upon third entry here I will share my memory of Mrs. Goforth's 5th grade class at Central Elementary in Gaffney, S.C.

http://alabamaliving.coop/article/reade ... v-22-1963/

[Dave Roberts]

I was a senior in high school sitting in Mrs. Hillman's 6th period Solid Geometry and Trigonometry class when the announcement was made by the principal in a grave and broken voice over the school intercom. As soon as the announcement was completed, Mrs. Hillman said, "God help us; Johnson's President."

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

Typing class...9th grade. Went home and picked up pecans.

[David Flick]

[Mrs Haruo]

Fourth grade- in a suburb of Seattle. Some kid in the lunch room said the president had been shot and we told him that was nothing to joke about and talked about other things. Went out on the playground and saw the sixth graders were gathered around the kids that had transistor radios in quiet groups out on the ball field. The bell rang and we went into class and Mrs. D. came in, blotting her eyes. She had been in the faculty room watching the news reports. She sat at her desk and quietly explained that "Our President has just died in a hospital in Dallas Texas. The Vice President is being sworn in as President. His name is Lyndon Johnson". Some girl thought she said "Linda" and got all excited thinking we would have a "Lady President". Mrs. D. said "No, Carla, his name is LYNDON and wrote the name on the board. My last name was "Johnson", so someone asked if I was related to him. I said "Not that I know of". Mrs. D. tried to get us back to the usual afternoon routine, but our hearts weren't in it. I don't remember much of the rest of the day, except that we had dinner on TV trays in the living room watching the special evening news reports on TV. That was the first time I had sat in Daddy's lap in a long time as he tried to answer my questions during the commercial breaks.

[Sandy]

I don't remember a whole lot about it. I was five. We were in the car, and the news came on the radio. My Dad pulled over and stopped. I remember watching the funeral on television, and that's about it.

[Haruo]

I don't have nearly as detailed a recollection as the Mrs. has. I remember we were sent home early after an announcement that the president had been shot (killed? don't recall), and when I got home my mom and the next door neighbor lady were crying because President Kennedy was dead. I don't recall being told who was now president, but I am sure I knew the name of the current VP and enough about government to know that barring some weird intervention (like maybe him being killed, too) the vice president would become president. Somehow I was thinking it was earlier than fourth grade. But it had to be fourth grade, because it was Nov. '63... I wrote a play about it and the next time we went to Spokane I declaimed it to my grandma and she told my dad he should wash my mouth out with soapy water because it had the word "****" in it.

[Haruo]

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed: Gee, you all are making me feel with your talk of being grade school and high school. I had been in the army, finished college, was married, had 2 kids and was in Seminary at SBTS the first time around. I had 2 P/T jobs one of which was driving a school bus, I had just pulled into a service station to get gas in bus the before my afternoon run and had started pumping gas when the attendant inside the station "Oh My God NO ". I thought he had just found the cash drawer empty or some such personal tragedy. I set the Pump on automatic fill. You could do that in those days, in KY.. As I started for the station the attendant came out spouting expletives and repeating about three times they shot the president then he said it is in the radio. He took the School board, GAS for bus ONLY credit card, and retreated to the building. I am not sure how long he took but I needed to get to the school so I went in and he was leaning over the radio listening and paid no attention to me. when I asked for the card and a receipt he mumbled and went to the cash-register and then handed me the receipt with a trembling hand and card saying he he's dead.

When I arrived at the school there where many more parents there to pick up their children than usual. My bus that had been full in the morning was only about 2/3 full and I was told by the principal to wait till a teacher had checked the kids on the bus against a list of ones who had been picked up. It looked as if some kids had been crying but for the most part they where much more quiet than usual. One little 1st grade girl cried softly all the way to her stop. Others started crying when they saw their parent waiting for them. Two mothers ask me why their child was crying and did not know about the president being shot. both where visibly upset when I told them. Traffic seemed more crazy than ever but I am not sure, maybe my nerves where a bit more frazzled. We did not have a TV and the radio reports where very sketchy. I listened to the same stuff over and over and learned little. Then the call in talk shows came on and that may have been the start of my dislike for gossip and conspiracy theory.

[Stephen Fox]

[Stephen Fox]

Told me at the Collinsville Trade Day last week he had just finished HS a year earlier. Said he was workin at AE Emsee Chicken House blood testin chickens behind the Union Grove Baptist Church when he got word Kennedy was shot. Said he remembered it was a "layin flock". By marriage he is kin to Don Gregory, a physics teacher at UAH who sells knives on Saturday. Gregory was in the 4th grade at Aroney.

[David Flick]

[Dave Roberts]

[Lou]

I was not quite 5 years old on that day. I don't remember anything of the assassination itself, but I do recall being babysat at our next-door neighbor's house the day of the funeral, and watching the funeral procession on her TV set.

David, I know the Plainview area, having grown up in the TX panhandle.

[Sandy]

[Stephen Fox]

would fit well into the Criswell network and sermon series outlined in Davis riveting book Dallas 1963

[Stephen Fox]

Shared his Memory of the the assassination in Oct 79 in a dedication of the Kennedy Library. Ted was there. It is recounted in Larry Sabato's Magnificent book The Kennedy Half Century. I'm reading the book now and recommend it to all, From Thornton to John Pierce, from Flick to Sandy and Sandy's friends at FBC Spartanburg.

Carter said he got word from a friend on his peanut farm in Plains. Carter got down off his tractor and prayed for the Country. A Few minutes later he wept openly on the concrete steps of his Peanut warehouse, the first time he had wept in ten years, since his father died.

[Tim Bonney]

I was in utero. I was a month and six days from being born. So, needless to say, my memories of that day are more than a bit fuzzy.

[Stephen Fox]

Has a srong story with reference to the Death of FDR in the Life Magazine Special Edition to JFK out now from Wal-Mart to your local grocery story.

[Stephen Fox]

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/arc ... ed/281568/