This was not the message that I intended to post today, but I decided that I could not let the day go by unnoticed. There’s nothing like an anniversary to make you think about the passing of time. As I was working at Wellwood Middle School this week, I was very aware that the kids had no personal connection to President Kennedy. It was only when I realized that the teachers were also too young to remember that day in Dallas, that the full impact of the passing of 50 years really hit me.

Of course, I remember where I was on Nov. 22, 1963.  I was in the girls’ locker room at East High School getting dressed after gym class when Principal Clark came on the loud speaker. I don’t remember the girls’ reaction, but I’ll never forget that a cheer rose up from the boys’ locker room on the other side of the wall. I’ve often wondered why that was and if  any of those boys/men  think about that today. School was not dismissed, but, when the bell rang, we all went to our last class of the day, social studies for me. Our teacher, Mr. Vick, did not say a word. We all took our seats and sat in silence, except for the sound of soft crying, for 42 minutes. When the bell rang again, we all got up and walked  home.

The reponse today would have been quite different. The TV would be playing in every room. Texts would be flying back and forth. Parents would be showing up at school to pick up their kids. For us, it was the beginning of the end of innocense that characterized American children in the 1950’s and early 60’s. Now, violence seems to plague our life, invading even our schools. I question if there are any innocent children over the age of 5 left in America. Fifty years have taken their toll. 

Here’s my tribute to JFK.

1963

 A top down in Dallas.

A grassy knoll.

A blown back head.

A bloody pink suit.

A crawling Secret Service agent.

A hurried up oath.

A riderless horse.

A small boy’s salute.

 Still life in a paralyzed nation.