[Buffalo Jim]

It's amazing to consider that the % of our current US Population who were alive on this sad date is now but a small segment .

Where were you that day and what were you doing when you heard the news of the tragedy in Dallas ?

I was in 8th grade and age 13 . It was the last period of the school day which was Homeroom -- a study or activity period .

It just happened that my Homeroom teacher was also my American History teacher and in the latter years of her career . Her best friend was our Math teacher who managed the Homeroom right next door and was also an older long time teacher .
I was just sitting close enough to the door to see the Math teacher call out our History teacher into the hallway . I heard a loud gasp and then a loud " No ! NO ! My God NO !"
Our entire room came to an immediate halt and into total silence .
All eyes were on the doorway . When our much loved teacher came into the room she was covering her face and managed to choke out " The President has been killed ". She then sat at her desk and sobbed .
A few minutes later the Principal came on the speaker system and announced the same news and also that all activities were cancelled and that most likely school would resume on Tuesday .

[raynan]

I was 12 and in the 8th grade in a parochial school, St Clement's. Suddenly the intercom system came on and we could hear the mother superior flipping through radio stations. We all started to giggle thinking she flipped the switch by accident. Then the news anchor announced the President had been shot. We were told to gather our things and head for the church. While we were in the church praying it was announced that President Kennedy was dead. I remember not walking home with friends as usual but going to the nearest bus stop to ride home and that everyone on the bus was crying. Several days in front of the TV with my parents, seeing Oswald shot and the funeral with the riderless horse and young JohnJohn saluting will always be very clear memories for me.

[murray607]

I was a 13 year old in Scotland. I had gone to a First Aid class in the basement of our church. It was about 7pm (7 hour time difference from Texas) when the church minister, suddenly came into the room, face flushed and obviously disturbed. He announced that President Kennedy had been shot and was dead. We were all shocked.

The one thing that I feel on reflection, is that was it was not just the US that lost it's president, but the world lost a champiion for those who were oppressed and treated unfairly.

[DianeM]

I was 12 in Miss Ritz' 7th grade French class. I don't remember much else of the day.

[John_W]

I was 13 in 8th grade at Southside Jr. High in St. Petersburg. I had just finished PE and was in the locker room when the coach came in with the news.

[tpop1]

I was a 17 YO high school senior walking down our street when Freddie Fasano's mother came out her front door and told us "They shot the president!"

My only frame of reference at that moment was the scene of the guys who tried to shoot Truman at the Blair house.

Played golf that afternoon then spent the next 3 days in front of the old black and white TV watching everything unfold...including Ruby killing Oswald live on TV.

Shaped our whole life!

[janieb]

I was 11, in 6th grade in Torrance, California. I mostly remember the most popular boy in class breaking down and crying when we heard the news. I also remember watching the tv for the next 3 days.

[CFrance]

I was a sophomore or junior in high school. We were in English class--young teacher whom nobody particularly cared for. Someone came to the classroom door, spoke with her. She came back in and coldly taught the rest of the class without saying a word to us.

When we found out after class, we were thunderstruck that she would do this. Now I wonder if she was told not to say anything. Can't remember what the other teachers did.

[Virtual Geezer]

I was in 12 grade in Advanced Trigonometry and Finite Element class. The announcement was made over the PA system. It was the good Brother of Holy Cross (Think the Brothers that run University of Notre Dame, a Catholic all boys school at the time.)ended class and we all said group prayers.

A day a president I will never forget.

VG

[jblum315]

I was 21 and working at my job as an editorial assistant in NYC.

[mfp509]

I was a sophomore in high school in Plainfield, CT and school had just been dismissed for the day. As I left my homeroom, a teacher came running down the hall yelling that the President had been shot. When I got home turned on the tv and was glued to it for the next three days. What a sad, sad day.

[Taltarzac725]

I was 4 (born 2-24-1959) and have not the foggiest idea what I was doing when JFK was shot in Dallas. My mother was sick with a flu when she was pregnant so I had a very hard journey with speech and co-ordination problems. I was even in a camp for the mentally retarded as they unfortunately called us in the early 1960s. These hurdles still did not stop me from getting four degrees including a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1989.

When I was looking for a job after getting my MA in Librarianship and Information and Information from the University of Denver GSLIM, the American Library Association had its convention in Dallas that Summer of 1984. We toured around downtown Dallas and I remember one of the recent library school grads who was from the Dallas area pointing out the Book Depository, the grassy knoll, the various other places that became part of history on November 22, 1963.

[DaleMN]

17 and a senior at New Richmond Senior High in Wisconsin. Social Studies 'large group' when announcement came over PA. School cancelled for the rest of day and first basketball game of our season cancelled as well. Some vivid memories that left lasting impressions on my life.

[Lobwedge60]

I was sleeping in my barracks at Wurtsmith AFB in Michigan after coming off an all night emergency repair effort on the B52/KC135 (POL) fueling system. Went on alert immediately.

[Bizdoc]

Onboard USNS Daniel Sultan between Japan and Hawaii.