By now you're all aware that we are marking the 20th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger tragedy. I think that's one of those events where most of us who were alive and living in the U.S. remember where we were when we either saw the incident or heard about it on the news.
My 5th grade class was watching the launch from inside the school library. We were all trying to figure out what the diverging columns of smoke meant, and why we couldn't see the space ship any more. At that point, the junior high science teacher, engaged in a fund-raising mission and targeting 5th graders, barged in the door and said, "Who wants to buy some jerky?" Even then, I knew there was probably a term for a comment so asinine and out of place for the circumstances.
I thought I'd ask the rest of you, where were you when the Challenger was lost?
Comments
I was in my third grade class watching it on live tv. I remember seeing the smoke, and they turned the tv off. I don't know what was talked about after. But I remember it being such a huge event to watch, and then everyone being so upset. I can't believe it's been 20 years!
Posted by: mel at January 27, 2006 6:43 PM
I was in my 4th grade class. I don't remember much about it though, shamefully.
Posted by: Jessica at January 27, 2006 6:58 PM
I was home, watching TV. I was still in shock after losing my daughter and this hit me very hard.
Years later, Christa McCaulliffs husband was our lawyer. He is now a Judge here in NH.
Posted by: Maribeth at January 27, 2006 7:23 PM
I was in my 7th grade art class. The teacher had rolled the tv into our classroom so we could watch the launch. AFter this happened but before we really knew anything about what was going on, I remember my teacher looking sort of bewildered and lost and saying to no one in particular "I sure hope they find those astronauts alive" (that's when they were speculating that the cabin might be found on a beach somewhere. ) That is something I will never forget.
Posted by: carrster at January 27, 2006 8:48 PM
I was home sick from school when my stepfather came home and told me the space shuttle had exploded. My first reaction was that he was sh*tting me (not in those terms) but then I spent the rest of the day glued to the television.
Posted by: Deirdre at January 27, 2006 9:32 PM
I was in sixth grade and we were watching it in class. My teacher really freaked because she had been a finalist in the competition to get to be the first teacher in space. I was really upset for months afterwards, having nightmares that my dad and brother were going to go up in the space shuttle.
Posted by: donna at January 28, 2006 8:33 AM
OMG, y'all are making me feel old. I was in college, just coming back into the dorm from a class, and saw the first replay of the explosion when I turned on my tiny little TV. I think I skipped all the rest of my classes that day and stayed in the rec room with the other residents of my dorm, glued to the TV. It was horrifying.
Posted by: Badger at January 28, 2006 10:56 AM
FYI: My blog has been moved. Trouble with the law. HA! Whatever. Anyway, yeah, she's at a new home now. Enjoy! And, uh, I like totally love you and your site -- always a bright spot. Happy Saturday!
Posted by: Jena at January 28, 2006 5:16 PM
Seventh grade science class. I'll never forget it.
Posted by: Chris at January 28, 2006 5:18 PM
yeah that should be 4th grade. I have such a great memory!
Posted by: mel at January 28, 2006 7:07 PM
Flying heli*skiers out of Park City Utah.
Posted by: jreid at January 28, 2006 8:18 PM
I have no idea what I was doing, probably getting ready to go back to school after the xmas break. News events held no interest for my 9yr old self back then.
Posted by: e at January 28, 2006 9:09 PM
I was in Mrs. Gallo's 4th grade at Waverly Avenue Elementary. Mrs. Gallo came into the room crying, told us what had happened, and resumed class. Apparently none of us realized the enormity of what had happened, because we all thought she knew someone on the shuttle since she was crying. But then I got home from school and my mom was crying, too.
Posted by: kat at January 29, 2006 12:48 PM
I don't exactly remember but I have a distinct memory of standing near my 4th grade cubby and hoping they'd find the teacher walking along the beach somewhere.
Posted by: Malia at January 30, 2006 12:00 PM