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Remembering JFK

Started by WesternElectricBen, November 22, 2013, 06:28:49 PM

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WesternElectricBen

Of course, as I being one of the youngest members, I would have never seen/met JFK. But I think it is still important to remember him, as nobody so far has wrote this topic.

50 years ago, today, he was assassinated. My dad said he remembered being dismissed from class early, not understanding what happened.

A way to wrap this to telephoneia, as most of us know, Jackie Kennedy requested the black princess phone.

Ben

DavePEI

#1
Though I am Canadian, I still and will always remember the day the President died. We had so much respect for the man. I was 12 when it happened. In Brockville where I grew up, kids were sent home from school once the president was shot so we could watch the coverage on TV. I remember watching the coverage for hours, wondering why such a great man had been killed. The same thing also happened the day Martin Luther King was killed. Also at least once during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

WesternElectricBen

I would have never knew they would have let Canadians out too.

To me, I always thought Martin Luther was very important, but I have never really studied JFK. 

Though I have gone to JFK terminal but I cannot remember what state that is in.

Ben

DavePEI

#3
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on November 22, 2013, 07:01:39 PM
I would have never knew they would have let Canadians out too.

To me, I always thought Martin Luther was very important, but I have never really studied JFK.  

Though I have gone to JFK terminal but I cannot remember what state that is in.

Ben
It just shows how universally he was respected. Back in those days, the two countries were on exceptional terms. No passports were needed to cross the borders. In a lot of ways the two countries were a whole lot closer than they are now - 911 ruined that all, tightened up border restrictions, passports, and the close relationships the US and Canada had always had.

By the way, a bit of trivia. Do you know who Bill Shatner is aside from Captain Kirk? He is a Canadian,too, born in the Côte Saint-Luc neighborhood of Montreal, Quebec.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: DavePEI on November 22, 2013, 07:14:01 PM
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on November 22, 2013, 07:01:39 PM
I would have never knew they would have let Canadians out too.

To me, I always thought Martin Luther was very important, but I have never really studied JFK.  

Though I have gone to JFK terminal but I cannot remember what state that is in.

Ben
It just shows how universally he was respected. Back in those days, the two countries were on exceptional terms. No passports were needed to cross the borders. In a lot of ways the two countries were a whole lot closer than they are now - 911 ruined that all, tightened up border restrictions, passports, and the close relationships the US and Canada had always had.

By the way, a bit of trivia. Do you know who Bill Shatner is aside from Captain Kirk? He is a Canadian,too, born in the Côte Saint-Luc neighborhood of Montreal, Quebec.

Dave

It is amazing how things change so suddenly, from Air Travel being a nice, "get their when you get their" before the plane leaves and you are fine. Where now you go a few hours early [unless if your traveling with my mom (about 5 min after boarding starts)] and have to go through security.

I have never had any interest in Star Trek, but now I know!

Ben


Phonesrfun

I was in the 7th grade.  News came in the morning while we were on a break outside.  I had a paper route at the time, and I saved a copy of the edition that came out later that day (Attached)

I remember being glued to the TV on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and watching the whole thing unfold.  First the rumors, then the uncertainty as to whether he was dead or still alive.  Then the news about Oswald, and then the shooting of Oswald right during the live broadcasting of the procession in Washington DC, and actually seeing all of that on TV in real time was really new.  In 1963, all of that was developing technology.

The Bell System pretty much owned all forms of long-haul communications, including wide band television channels that the networks leased in order to bring this sort of thing to our living rooms.  It was spectacular to see it all unfolding right before our eyes.  Even then, news still traveled slower than it does today.

The Bell system and all phone companies really pulled out the stops to give us live unfolding news that really wow'd the country and changed the way TV news was done.  Remember TV for most people in the US was not a reality until the early 1950's even though it had been conceived of and tried in the late 1920's  Development of TV was really done on a commercial basis in the late 1940's after the war and into the 1950's. 1963 was only 13 years into the real developmental stages of TV.

Kennedy was one.  Then there was Martin Luther King, Jr, and then Bobby Kennedy.  All in about 5 years and King and Bobby Kennedy were back to back.

I saw Bobby at a rally in Portland, OR, when he was campaigning a couple days before he was shot.  It just blew us all away.

So, yes I too remember what I was doing that day.

 
-Bill G

twocvbloke

There's at least one secondary school named after JFK here in the UK, it was mentioned a few times (unrelated to the anniversary of his death though) on the recent series of River Cottage, so even the UK recognises his importance... :)

One thing that stands out in my memory is when they did an episode of Red Dwarf (sci-fi comedy for those who don't know) in the 90's where they had their own rather far-fetched idea of a 2nd shooter, in which it was JFK himself who shot his former self in the motorcade, all through the art of time travel, and never being caught because as he killed himself, he no longer existed and faded away, thus blame went onto Oswald even though he wasn't ideally positioned for aiming (you'd have to watch the episode to understand it!!), like I say, rather far-fetched, but it's just a story, although it does remind us that his death actually happened...

WesternElectricBen

Wow, I would have never thought there would be a JFK school across the pond.

It is very cool that you kept that news paper this long, my friends dad has about 20. https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1467336_552314018194875_1139549231_n.jpg

Ben

Dennis Markham

I was an 8 year old boy, then living in Huntsville, Alabama.  I was in third grade.  All of the 3rd grade classes were practicing for an up-coming Christmas program.  That was when the word Christmas could still be used in public schools.

Our teacher was called away and when she returned she was crying, telling us about the President being shot.  School was closed immediately.  When I got home, my older sisters, then in junior and senior high school were also arriving home.  Everyone was crying.  It was a real sad time for us all.

However, living in Alabama which was struggling with the Civil Rights movement in 1963, not everyone was saddened.  Kennedy had challenged then Governor George Wallace, forcing him to integrate the University of Alabama.  There was some hatred there for JFK and his brother Bobby---the Attorney General.  My sisters told of one teacher who laughed and said it was a great day.  But I think for the most part the nation was stunned and saddened.  My observation as an 8 year old.

Being one of 9 children we related to the Kennedy family if for no other reason as JFK was one of 9 children.  Like 9-11, I'll never forget that day.  It still leaves a lump in my throat to watch the television coverage of those events.

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: Dennis Markham on November 22, 2013, 09:46:03 PM
I was an 8 year old boy, then living in Huntsville, Alabama.  I was in third grade.  All of the 3rd grade classes were practicing for an up-coming Christmas program.  That was when the word Christmas could still be used in public schools.

Our teacher was called away and when she returned she was crying, telling us about the President being shot.  School was closed immediately.  When I got home, my older sisters, then in junior and senior high school were also arriving home.  Everyone was crying.  It was a real sad time for us all.

However, living in Alabama which was struggling with the Civil Rights movement in 1963, not everyone was saddened.  Kennedy had challenged then Governor George Wallace, forcing him to integrate the University of Alabama.  There was some hatred there for JFK and his brother Bobby---the Attorney General.  My sisters told of one teacher who laughed and said it was a great day.  But I think for the most part the nation was stunned and saddened.  My observation as an 8 year old.

Being one of 9 children we related to the Kennedy family if for no other reason as JFK was one of 9 children.  Like 9-11, I'll never forget that day.  It still leaves a lump in my throat to watch the television coverage of those events.

Now that is an interesting difference.

Just the fact that you were practicing for Christmas, I mean, how ignorant was the school system back then?

Though, that is terrible that a teacher would laugh at the civil rights, now all we do is write about how good Dr. King was.

Ben

Phonesrfun

The 1960's were a very pivotal point in the history of the US and the western world, for that matter.  Lots of changes. 
-Bill G

jsowers

I was in kindergarten and really don't remember the event very clearly, but my mom took a Polaroid picture of me standing next to the old Philco TV during Kennedy's funeral procession.

Quote from: Dennis Markham on November 22, 2013, 09:46:03 PM
However, living in Alabama which was struggling with the Civil Rights movement in 1963, not everyone was saddened.  Kennedy had challenged then Governor George Wallace, forcing him to integrate the University of Alabama.

In all the programming that was on in the last two weeks, TCM showed these three short documentaries about JFK, one of which was about how Kennedy dealt with the Civil Rights movement and George Wallace. There were several scenes with Attorney General Bobby Kennedy talking to Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach on a Touch-Tone keyset. A 12-button keyset--in 1963! It must have been an Autovon set since Touch-Tone had just been test marketed mere days before 11-22-63 and this was in May, 1963.
Jonathan

xhausted110

we had a moment of silence at 1:30 eastern time in school yesterday, the minute the president was shot, 50 years ago.
- Evan

Doug Rose

I was in the fourth grade when another teacher burst into the room crying. The President has been shot. At the time we did not know he was dead. It was so sad and everyone felt it. The country was scared, truly scared considering the Cold War. Fall out shelters for the masses and Bomb shelters in your homes. We had one. Maybe we were a much more united country back then or maybe I was just a child. Being a Catholic from Massachusetts, JFK was a big deal to us. I clearly remember Walter Cronkite telling me the president was dead. He was clearly shaken giving the world the horrible news.

  As I grew up I found he was a man with flaws, as most men are. Still a Great man, made his mistakes; Bay of Pigs, was a hero; PT 109 and backed Kruschev down and avoided a huge war with the USSR. Time has proved him to be a Great President. A true Leader.

It was an era of Presidents and Senators, not Democrats and Republicans fighting over every little thing. Everyone backed the President, he was the supreme leader. As Dylan said, "times they are a changin'."

After fifty years, the man is still missed. "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Word up Mr President!...Doug
Kidphone

WesternElectricBen

Doug and jsowers, interesting stories, everyone's is just a bit different!

Wow, that is cool that they had used touch tone before is was publicly introduced in the GOV.

Evan, that is nice your school did that, I wouldn't have remembered if my SS teach didn't mention it.

Ben