I was sitting in Mrs. Brown's third grade class at John R. Williams Elementary School.
It was going to be a special day, because Mrs. Brown had arranged for her grown son to bring a box television set to our classroom. We had all attended an assembly the day before, during which one of our sixth grade teachers explained how her friend, Christa McAuliffe, had been selected as the first teacher to fly into space. She beamed as she shared with us the application process Christa went through, and told us how all three sixth grade classes would be participating in a special Space Program Unit during the Challenger's mission.
The students in our class waited impatiently while our teacher's son fiddled with the television reception. In fact, my fuzzy memory of this day includes a very clear memory of Mrs. Brown anxiously asking us to quiet down....several times.
There were a few minutes of waiting...questions, discussion. The countdown began, and we excitedly joined in. BLASTOFF!
For 73 seconds, we watched in wonder. And then, disaster.
We now know what a disaster this truly was. But in those moments, it was just confusion. Confusion as our teacher grasped for an explanation. Confusion as the country looked on in horror.
I don't have much memory of what ensued next, except a rather quick exodus of the television from our classroom, followed by an announcement over the PA system by our principal, explaining the fate of the space shuttle.
Some people have lived through a handful of these tragic events- there are many that preceded this, some bearing much greater loss. This, however, was the first real disaster our generation witnessed and remembers. Unfortunately, it wasn't the last as we've watched explosions, massacres, and terrorist attacks take their place in our mental scrapbooks. Each bears a story as we remember sounds, smells, faces...all bringing us back to those fateful days.
Where were YOU when the Challenger exploded?
(I've emotionally prepared myself for those of you who will respond with "I wasn't born yet".)
18 comments:
Standing in the living room of a house in Elk Grove that I was inspecting for American Savings. I'll never forget pausing with the homeowner to watch the launch and then both of us stunned with tears in our eyes, not believing what just happened.
Like 9/11 it's a day I'll never forget.
Watching on TV.....a heartbreaking experience.
Watching at home...excitement turned to tragedy.
I was at home....watching it on our tiny tv in the kitchen. My mom was in the other room getting ready to go somewhere and when it happened, 4 year old Sueann said, "mommy, the spaceship blew up!" and my mom came running to see....sure that I was mistaken. But for once the 4 year old got it right.
Mine is very similar. In my third grade classroom. Announcement over the loud speaker. Teachers and students not sure what to think.
Who knew that several years later my oldest would be born that same day.
I was at home with my mom and while I don't remember any specifics there... maybe she didn't have the tv on, I don't know... I'll never forget going to kindergarten that afternoon and knowing that something was so wrong, because my teacher who was solid as a rock, was very struck with sadness. We had a bulletin board up of the astronauts and had talked about a teacher going into space. So exciting and upsetting all at once... it's definitely my first memory of tragedy.
I had just turned 5, so my memory is hazy at best.. I remember seeing it on tv, but what I remember most is the Punky Brewster episode that they did about it..
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dRkLjK1jZNg
I was in 2nd grade. We had a tv in our room & watched it live. After it happened, our teacher shut the tv off, turned on the classroom lights & carried on. I think she was too stunned to talk & had to appear "normal" for the rest of us.
I was a student at NDSU, and the news reports were all over the television sets in the Memorial Union. I was watching with a number of other students who had gathered and we all watched in shock of what had happened.
In my third grade class...my teacher told us about it. Days before, I remember my teacher having been super excited because a fellow TEACHER was going into space! Ugh...I think the first time I actually SAW the explosion was at home later that afternoon. It was such a sad, sad day.
At home. They played it over and over again on tv, and what got me most was Christa McAuliffe's parents standing there watching the launch and having to come to grips with the fact that they had just lost their daughter.
9th grade first period, wait I meant 1st grade (too late)
Erin Hill: 2nd grade? I was in 2nd grade the day Pres. Kennedy was assassinated.
Steve Runck - Chadwick Hill was in 10th! Jamie Stavenger, we are studying astrology & space travel right now & just discussed the Challenger on Monday after looking through a book that highlights events of the 20th century. I didn't realize that we were approaching the anniversary.
I was in high school in Virginia, was spending the night at a friends house. School was called off due to bad roads and snow and we were going to watch the launch and then go sledding/tubing with friends.
I was born 5 months later.
^ and there it is. Thanks, Chris Steiber.
Hope you were emotionally prepared for that. ;)
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