What do you remember about Friday 22 November 1963

[RobinA]

41. Was Five and In First Grade

Midafternoon we were told we were being dismissed to go home. No reason given. So we go through the dismissal routine and the buses are outside waiting just like usual. It was a big mystery, because back in the day we NEVER had early dismissal or days off in the middle of the school year, and it wasn't a holiday. Outside I saw the flag at half staff and asked a teacher why the flag was only half up. She told me that it meant someone important had died and to ask my parents. I immediately assumed it was my Grandparents who died, because they were important. And old (probably in their late 50's at the time). Got on the bus upset that my Grandparents died and heard from another kid that President Kennedy had died. My parents were Republicans, so I was afraid they would be glad he died. I didn't say anything when I got home because I didn't want to hear that they were glad. They weren't. They never really talked about around us (I was 5 and my sister was 3). Later that year I learned to read and I was obsessed with everything Kennedy. They could tear Life Magazine out of my cold, dead hands. Especially Caroline and John-John, who were my age and my sister's age. I couldn't imagine what it was like to have your father die at the age I was then.