11-22-63 12:30 PM CST

I was in 1st grade, Mrs. Bennett's class, at Leal School in Urbana, Illinois. Our teacher rolled a tv into class and turned it on so we could watch the coverage of the assassination. She knew this was one of the biggest events in our nation's history and she wanted us to witness it. I'm glad she did it. My dad made me watch the whole funeral, even though I didn't understand what was going on or its significance. Today, I'm glad he made me watch, but back then all I wanted to do was go outside and play. Watching President Reagan's funeral brought back memories of watching Kennedy's.

Since those early years, I've read many books on the subject and have developed a general fascination with it. The last book I read was, Farewell America, by James Hepburn. (pen name) After all the reading I've yet to figure out who shot JFK, but I do know who didn't. And, do you ever wonder why the assassination records were sealed until something like 2038? Odd, I think, unless you're trying to hide something or you're waiting for a whole generation to die off, or both.

Many things that our nation experiences today, politically and culturally, can be traced back to that day in Dealey Plaza; the day our history took an abrupt turn.

Where were you on that day?