>Tom,
>
>>For those of you who are old enough to remember this date it is one, which you will not soon forget. It is amazing how people can remember exactly where and what they were doing at this time.
>
>I was in sixth grade in Alabama and we were taking a test when the first word of the shooting came to the school principal (Mr. Wallace). I remember that he came to the door for a moment and the teacher (Miss Brumbeloe) talked with him briefly, but did not interrupt our test -- so we didn't know anything tragic had happened...
>
>until what probably was about 20 or 30 minutes later...
>
>Mr. Wallace appeared suddenly in the doorway and stiffly and loudly said, "The President is dead." He then turned away quickly and left. We all sat there stunned while Miss Brumbeloe tried to explain.
>
>Later that day, on the way to band class (last period of the day), one of the seventh-graders said to some older boys, "Ha, Ha! The *n-word*-lover is dead." That got him a prompt slap up side the head from one of the older boys, who said, "Shut up, you idiot! Don't you understand that our President is dead? Don't you have any respect?"
>
>Wow, lots of memories burned indelibly into my brain -- and just as clear today as when they happened.

David;

I was in Biloxi, Mississippi that day. I can remember holding my Parker pen writing a letter home while listening to the radio. I can see the room I was in very clearly. Strange!

Handling a death is not an easy task. When I was in school if someone had died - student, teacher, parent or anyone of importance, it was not discussed except as a statement of fact. Today they have grief counselor’s at schools. It sounds like your principle was like everyone else of that era - not equipped to handle the event.

The attitude towards JFK in the south as I experienced it was much like what you described as a comment from one of the students. I will not dwell on that issue.

Tom