September 11, 2001

Sunday - September 11, 2011

The picture above was taken at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, WV. There are over 3,000 flags which were placed in the section called "The Healing Fields." 75 of these flags are in memory of the 75 people on that fateful plane which carried Marshall University's football team, coaches, staff, members of the Huntington community, and the crew of the chartered team plane. The remaining flags are in memory of all who perished at the hands of those evil people who hijacked the planes! These flags blowing in the wind represent a person who died a horrible death!

2,996 deaths have been recorded from those terrorist acts with 19 of them being the terrorist! 2,977 innocent people died that day!

Do you Remember where you were ten years ago today?

Bill and I both were still working at Wayne Middle School teaching 8th graders. Bill taught Social Studies while I taught Language Arts. It is one of many days in our lives we will always remember where we were. Other days include the assassination of our President, John F. Kennedy; the MU plane crash; and the explosion of Challenger are only a few days that will always be a part of our memory.

Following is Bill’s memory of September 11, 2001.

9/11
“I was in front of a class of 8th graders at Wayne Middle School. The vice-principal came over the intercom and said teachers you may want to turn your TVs on. This is important. The first plane had struck. People still thought it was an accident. We watched awhile, and then I turned the sound down and continued with the lesson. Another class came in. The TV was still on. I started the lesson. Later in the period, with my back to the TV, one of the kids said, Mr. Hardin that building just fell. I turned the sound back up, just then learning the second tower had been hit. I don't know how shocked I looked to the kids, but it must have gotten their attention. I went back to my desk and collapsed in my chair. Except for the TV, there was absolute silence in the room. No one needed to get a drink or go to the restroom. Just " silence.”

My memory of September 11, 2001 is as follows.

9/11
It started out as most days in the middle school. Students were running, pushing, laughing, talking loud, and would rather be anywhere other than in school. Class had already started and instruction has already been given to the first class for the lesson that day. We were settling in to work on the assignment when the intercom came on. We were use to that “squawk Box” coming on numerous times throughout the day. Generally it was an announcement looking for a misplaced student. Most of us learned to “ignore” the interruptions! Today was different. Mr. Mills came on with a very somber voice that sounded stressed, worried, but not panicked!! Calmly he told the teachers that we may want to turn on the TV to witness history in the making! My students looked at me as if, “are you going to turn it on?” I did! What we saw was unbelievable, and at the time we thought it was an accident! I left the TV on, but had the students to go ahead and work on their assignment! Then the unexpected happened, another plane was shown hitting the other Tower. Gasps of breath could be heard with all students looking at me as if to ask, “Is this real?” We watched. We listened. We tried to stay calm! After letting it sink in, I tried to keep the students as calm as possible, but I knew this was bad!!!!

Do You Remember Where you Were September 11, 2001?

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by those horrendous deeds which has affected not only our country, but the world as well.