[This is my annual diary in remembrance of this day in 1963.]
I was in second grade at Limerick Avenue Elementary School in Canoga Park, California (a suburb of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley). It was a sunny day; we were all outside playing in the free time following lunch. Suddenly the "freeze" bell rang (when this bell rang, we were literally supposed to freeze in place until the monitoring teacher would blow her/his whistle, after which we would line up and be led into class). But the bell was early — way too early.
My teacher, Mrs. Marshall, led us into our classroom. Her face was red, and it was clear that she had been crying.
