story1304.xml
Title
story1304.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-08-20
911DA Story: Story
On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was driving to the middle school where I taught. As I drove up the 215, I was listening to the local Christian radio station that just plays music, no commercials, no news, just good music. As I was getting lost in my thoughts of another day, the D.J. came on between songs and informed us listeners that a plane had struck the WTC. In my mind I was saddened; however, I thought it must be a navigational error.
As I entered the parking area I heard the D.J. say another plan had hit the towers. I called my wife before I got out of my car and told her ?We, America is under attack!? Being she taught at a later school than I, she had not heard any news of the event. She turned on the television to get the news.
When I left my car I saw a few other teachers in the parking lot scurrying to their classrooms to get any news they could. I did the same. I turned on the television to see gray smoke pour out of the towers. I was to go on yard duty that morning, but I skipped it to stay in my room and see what was happening.
Being in a school, we had to make some decisions pretty fast about how we were going to handle this day. Were we going to shield the students and not talk about it, or were we going to face it. Our principal made the decision to face it. Our televisions were on all day.
When my students entered my classroom they were silent as they watched the television. They were greeted with the first tower falling. As the day waned and we watched more and more of the events un-fold, I was looking for the right words to dismiss my students. I ended the day with this:
?Students- welcome to history. Every generation has its photographic memory. My parents can tell you what they were doing when President Kennedy was shot. I remember sitting in front of the television in fifth grade, in Mrs. Paulsen?s room, as we watched the Challenger burst into flames. You, your generation just experienced your moment. You will never forget.?
When I got home, the conversation was short and heavy. It was so strange to be in a country that was under attack.
The week and weekend that followed we became media junkies. Our friends came over and we watched CNN and Fox News Channel. We had our computers connected to the internet looking for any type of information. We prayed and hoped for survivors to be found, and we were secretly crushed when no-one was found.
The day, the weekend, the memory, will never be forgotten.
As I entered the parking area I heard the D.J. say another plan had hit the towers. I called my wife before I got out of my car and told her ?We, America is under attack!? Being she taught at a later school than I, she had not heard any news of the event. She turned on the television to get the news.
When I left my car I saw a few other teachers in the parking lot scurrying to their classrooms to get any news they could. I did the same. I turned on the television to see gray smoke pour out of the towers. I was to go on yard duty that morning, but I skipped it to stay in my room and see what was happening.
Being in a school, we had to make some decisions pretty fast about how we were going to handle this day. Were we going to shield the students and not talk about it, or were we going to face it. Our principal made the decision to face it. Our televisions were on all day.
When my students entered my classroom they were silent as they watched the television. They were greeted with the first tower falling. As the day waned and we watched more and more of the events un-fold, I was looking for the right words to dismiss my students. I ended the day with this:
?Students- welcome to history. Every generation has its photographic memory. My parents can tell you what they were doing when President Kennedy was shot. I remember sitting in front of the television in fifth grade, in Mrs. Paulsen?s room, as we watched the Challenger burst into flames. You, your generation just experienced your moment. You will never forget.?
When I got home, the conversation was short and heavy. It was so strange to be in a country that was under attack.
The week and weekend that followed we became media junkies. Our friends came over and we watched CNN and Fox News Channel. We had our computers connected to the internet looking for any type of information. We prayed and hoped for survivors to be found, and we were secretly crushed when no-one was found.
The day, the weekend, the memory, will never be forgotten.
Collection
Citation
“story1304.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 9, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/17495.