Fifty Years

This isn't connected to my family history research, just common memories of this day 5o years ago that some of us have.

I saw a news article this week with a photo of a woman with old clippings and it reminded me that I had some of those. This one was actually dated November 22, 1963. I guess the Tallahassee paper printed a special edition that afternoon.

I was in elementary school that day and remember my cousin Don Parramore, who was a Florida State University Policeman, coming to pick up my cousin, sister and me. School had been dismissed early. At that point of that day there were all kinds of rumors about a conspiracy, possible war, Cuba and Russia being involved. Being in Florida we still had leftover sand bags in our attic to protect against Cuban missiles. Don didn't want us to be home alone. Thankfully it was the only day in my life I left school in a police car.

What you were doing and where you were at when you heard the news used to be a common question but you don't hear it much these days. I realized this week that most of the people around, at church, work and even those on the TV news weren't even born that day.

Come on CBS, how about letting Dan Rather have some time tonight to bring it back for those of us who spent the weekend glued to the black and white TVs and give the others a glimpse of what it was like.