WHERE WERE YOU WHEN...?

This Sunday is November 22. For many of the Baby Boomer Generation, it is a day that many of us can say, “do you remember where you were when you heard the news?”

For today’s generation, it is likely a similar scenario they will play out for much of their remaining years…except the date recalled will be September 11, 2001.

On November 22, 1963, then President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while in Dallas, Texas. He was a young president, much like the president in office today. He came into the office with a spunk and desire that the nation had not seen from their president in a long time…if ever. There was a great feeling across the nation that this ‘young man’ was going to lead the country into a new time.

History has since shown us, that he wasn’t that great of a president after all, and his failings and faults were many. But on November 22, 1963, he was killed in Dallas and the nation mourned at hearing of his death.

I was in the fourth grade at Franklin Elementary School in Vincennes on that day. Mrs. Pepmeier was my teacher. I recall a student knocking on the classroom door and bringing a message written on paper and handing it to Mrs. Pepmeier. I remember her uttering an “Oh!” as she read the note. She then laid her head in her arms on her desk and began to sob.

Minutes later, the principal came over the loudspeaker that each class had in their room. He said he had just received some sad news that the president had been assassinated. He asked that we remain quiet and pray for the president’s family and our nation during this sad time.

I don’t remember anything else at school that day, but I recall getting home and telling dad what I had heard at school. He seemed as if it was new news to him, like he hadn’t heard about the assassination yet. My guess now, is that he too had heard the news, (it had happened several hours before I got home), but he was allowing me the chance to tell him about it as if I was the first person to do so.

That is basically my recollection of that day. Not a whole lot, but a vivid memory that I likely won’t ever forget. As I said, the newer generations’ recall of the day the terrorists flew the planes into the twin towers of New York, will likely live within them as well.

It has been 46 years since the assassination of JFK and we still recall it. By the time the nation is remembering the 46th anniversary of 9/11, those of us who remember November 22, 1963 probably won’t be around. Unfortunately, there’ll likely be some other sad anniversary that will take its place.


Dan