Hodgin
US Veteran
In my 5th grade class. This was the first year we had an intercom system and the principal announced the shooting over the it.
Where were you when you heard?
- Thread starter PALADIN85020
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My recollection
Actually I remember that day quite well.
I was 22 years old and was working in a Cadillac-Oldsmobile dealership here in town and had just came back in the west big door from a lunch break when my friend and I got the word of the shooting (assassination). I could not believe what I was hearing and started listening to the reports. We didn't even have television in the customer lounge in those days. I, like you stayed glued to the television that evening and for about the next week for sure and watched everything play out. Something I will never forget.
Actually I remember that day quite well.
I was 22 years old and was working in a Cadillac-Oldsmobile dealership here in town and had just came back in the west big door from a lunch break when my friend and I got the word of the shooting (assassination). I could not believe what I was hearing and started listening to the reports. We didn't even have television in the customer lounge in those days. I, like you stayed glued to the television that evening and for about the next week for sure and watched everything play out. Something I will never forget.
I was in the fifth grade. Our principal came on the PA system and announced that the President had been shot and asked us to pray for him. A little while later she announced that he had died. I remember our teachers being very upset.
When I got home my mother -- a proud Irish Catholic -- was distraught. I remember her saying over and over "they got him, they got him" as if it just would not register.
We watched the funeral live on television, and I remember my Dad explaining to me the meaning of the riderless horse with the boots backward in the stirrups.
Very sad time...I hope our nation never, ever goes through anything like that again.
When I got home my mother -- a proud Irish Catholic -- was distraught. I remember her saying over and over "they got him, they got him" as if it just would not register.
We watched the funeral live on television, and I remember my Dad explaining to me the meaning of the riderless horse with the boots backward in the stirrups.
Very sad time...I hope our nation never, ever goes through anything like that again.
CAPops
Member
I was a sophomore in High School taking an English test when the radio came on the PA system. The teacher was upset and sent me to the office to have the PA silenced. The princible told me the president had been shot and we should stop the testing and listen to history being made.
The rest of the day was mostly silent disbelief.
The rest of the day was mostly silent disbelief.
3rd grade
Mrs. McCants. Principle announced on the PA that he had been shot and was waiting for further word. He came back on to say that he was listening on some old radio gear that had a tendency to start smoking but he would stay with it. He came back on and announced "He is dead". A few minutes later school was closed and we went home to watch the TV for the next few days which was nothing but giant funeral. During part of the procession there was a drum beating very slowly and every time it hit, your stomach sank. I haven't heard that on any footage since but I'll never forget it.
Mrs. McCants. Principle announced on the PA that he had been shot and was waiting for further word. He came back on to say that he was listening on some old radio gear that had a tendency to start smoking but he would stay with it. He came back on and announced "He is dead". A few minutes later school was closed and we went home to watch the TV for the next few days which was nothing but giant funeral. During part of the procession there was a drum beating very slowly and every time it hit, your stomach sank. I haven't heard that on any footage since but I'll never forget it.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Third grade-just got sent to the principal's office for shooting spitballs. Was next up for the B slap (catholic school-we had nuns back then) when the news came in-Principal came out of the office crying-hugged me and sent me back to class. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!. Worst thing however was they preempted all the Saturday morning cartoons-that made it hit close to home for me. I don't think mom and dad liked the Kennedys.
Old TexMex
Member
4th grade kid. (Missus Blackard)
They sent us home. Everyone either walked or rode a bike or motorcycles. It was a warm sunny day here. I thought I would have to join the army.
They sent us home. Everyone either walked or rode a bike or motorcycles. It was a warm sunny day here. I thought I would have to join the army.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
I was in 3d grade in Yakima, WA. I remember getting sent home early, but that's about it.
BLACKHAWKNJ
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9th Grade, Princeton High School, Princeton, NJ, Mr. Carman's Latin class. PHS did not have a PA system, rumors started to fly, then ALL the teachers were called to the principal's office at once. They set up TVs in the auditorium and cafeteria. IIRC school was not dismissed but we all sort of drifted away.
gertieharry
Member
First grade at St. Theresa's Catholic Elementary. The nuns all went into shock, we gathered in the auditorium and said prayers. Later Father brought in a TV and we watched the coverage about what had happened. As Kennedy was the first catholic president, his death had special meaning to our school. As a 6yr.old, given the response of my educators, and the Cold War hype of the era, I thought the world was ending.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I was also 22 and working out of rosenburg texas. I stayed at a ancient small hotel, "The plaza hotel". We had got rained out and came in. The old lady that owned the hotel told us and then added, "What will everyone think of texas now?" I heard that parroted a number of times the next couple days. I wasnt a democrat but still thought it gross when my work partner said, "Well, he wanted to be just like lincoln so he ended up like lincoln." Think I seen ozwald killed watching tv in the hotel lobby later.
I was in Mr. LaCerva's 9th grade French class. I don't recall if it came over the loud speaker system or by a messenger sent to each class. I do recall that we went to the gym where a TV was set up and we watched the events unfold until it was time for the busses to come and take us home. It was a regional high school in North Caldwell NJ and I lived several towns away so walking home was not typical.
I was in Ms. Sky's 9th grade American government class. When another student who had been in the office, entered the classroom and told us that president Kennedy had been shot. As the barer of the news was the class clown no one believed him. About two minutes later the head master gave us the sad news. School was dismissed for the day, and I went home, and like most of America I was glued to the T.V. I was also watching when Ruby shot Oswald, in the garage of the Dallas P.D.
After 50 years there still so many unanswered questions.
After 50 years there still so many unanswered questions.
25elk
Member
Junior year at Tulane and was staying temporarily with my father in NOLA.
Was watching TV when the Oswald incident went down and saw Oswald get shot on live TV. New Orleans was a hot bed of conspiracy theories and conjecture then that included the local DA, Jim Morrison IFIRC. Oswald had a NO connection as well and it was wild. Do I believe the Warren Commission? NO! Are there any people alive who know the truth? Probably a few...after all, I'm still here and only 70 in two days. Since all this happened around my birthday I'll never forget.
Was watching TV when the Oswald incident went down and saw Oswald get shot on live TV. New Orleans was a hot bed of conspiracy theories and conjecture then that included the local DA, Jim Morrison IFIRC. Oswald had a NO connection as well and it was wild. Do I believe the Warren Commission? NO! Are there any people alive who know the truth? Probably a few...after all, I'm still here and only 70 in two days. Since all this happened around my birthday I'll never forget.
PlaytheAces
Member
Sixth grade. I'd turned eleven a few weeks before. Just after lunch, our teacher announced the news of the assassination to the class. I remember her emotional delivery of the news, and some discussion with the other kids later, but not a whole lot more about that day. Honestly, it affected the adults a lot more than it did us kids. We were just kids. At that time we were watching neighbors build fallout shelters, listening to weekly air raid siren tests, being told to stock up on canned goods, doing duck and cover drills, wondering about nuclear bombs and satellites - this was just something else happening in an adult world we had no control over and didn't fully understand.
I remember clearly two days later, sitting on our sofa, watching our black and white Magnavox on a Sunday morning and seeing Ruby shoot Oswald. I'm pretty sure it was a live broadcast.
In my mind, that point has always been a dividing line. The end of the relatively peaceful fifties/early sixties, and the beginning of a whole new era.
I remember clearly two days later, sitting on our sofa, watching our black and white Magnavox on a Sunday morning and seeing Ruby shoot Oswald. I'm pretty sure it was a live broadcast.
In my mind, that point has always been a dividing line. The end of the relatively peaceful fifties/early sixties, and the beginning of a whole new era.
Steve in Vermont
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In a class in my freshman year at Univ. of Mass, professor was called out, came back in to make the announcement. Class was dismissed and as I walked back to my dorm there were groups of people, many of them crying. Numbness and disbelief was the mood.
carpriver
US Veteran
Our classes were changing, I was going form Gym class to general science. I was a sophomore in high school. Our gym teacher told us that Kennedy had been shot; the science oild us he had died. Science was last hour at school so we went home at our regular time. My parents were upset, Kennedy was of there generation, it felt their hope had been killed. We watched the TV, I saw Ruby kill Oswald. We watched the funeral. There was such a sense of sadness in our house and in the nation. Kennedy was supposed to be the one to bring the nation together and forward into a bright new future.
monet61
US Veteran
7th grade, Oley Jr. High School. We started noticing teachers crying and really didn't know what was going on. Finally they got us all into classrooms and told us. They turned on the radio and we listened to the news for the rest of the day. It was a sad day.
vigil617
US Veteran
Second grade classroom. The intercom came on suddenly, and a radio was being played through it. In retrospect, I wonder if it was Walter Cronkite being broadcast by radio as well as TV.
Parents started arriving at school, unbidden, almost immediately to pick us up.
The local high school football game was cancelled that night, of course, as were the college games the next day. Nothing was on TV but the news.
I saw Ruby shoot Oswald. It's like a dream now. It was incredible that, on live TV, someone could walk up to him in the police station, with a cop handcuffed to him, and shoot him in the gut. Everyone was still in such a state of shock then, that Oswald's murder was in some crazy-seeming way almost predictable and understandable.
I've often wondered how today's kids' reaction to the WTC attack compared with ours to Kennedy's assasination. It hit them pretty hard, and was replayed over and over on TV, and of course school let out early in many places that day also.
Still, I have to believe it was different in 1962. It was the President, after all. And he was young, and had a pretty wife, and kids. Everyone was in a state of shock, disbelief, and great sadness -- as on 9-11, and yet.....
Parents started arriving at school, unbidden, almost immediately to pick us up.
The local high school football game was cancelled that night, of course, as were the college games the next day. Nothing was on TV but the news.
I saw Ruby shoot Oswald. It's like a dream now. It was incredible that, on live TV, someone could walk up to him in the police station, with a cop handcuffed to him, and shoot him in the gut. Everyone was still in such a state of shock then, that Oswald's murder was in some crazy-seeming way almost predictable and understandable.
I've often wondered how today's kids' reaction to the WTC attack compared with ours to Kennedy's assasination. It hit them pretty hard, and was replayed over and over on TV, and of course school let out early in many places that day also.
Still, I have to believe it was different in 1962. It was the President, after all. And he was young, and had a pretty wife, and kids. Everyone was in a state of shock, disbelief, and great sadness -- as on 9-11, and yet.....
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