Kathy Evins (Kyzer)

Susan (Emma) Ford

Does anyone remember Joe Rumour's rock and roll radio show?

Kathy Evins (Kyzer)

I do! I miss that music.

Richard Wood

And how about Ed Salem's Drive In ?

Jody Saiia

Joe had a brother named Duke Rumor lived on 19th avenue not far from Roland Self.  The both were on radio, Duke was more rock & roll. Didn't Duke end up doing some broadcast from the raised glass booth behind Salem's on 7th Ave. So.?

Annewhite Thomas (Fuller)

Other than the music, I most remember the "yellow label soppin-syrup".

Annewhite Thomas Fuller

Frances Rollins (King)

That glassed-in booth behind Salem's was called the Skycastle, I think.

Dee Lewis

Kathy Evins (Kyzer)

Here is a great picture of the Sky Castle.

Dee Lewis

Susan (Emma) Ford

Where were you when Kennedy was assasinated?  What happened later that day in your life?

Patsy Browning (Nesmith)

I was in the stair well, headed for the 3rd floor.

Alan Downs

I learned of the president's death from the person whose locker was next to mine (don't remember who it was). It was between the next to last and last class periods of the day, probably around 2 o'clock. In the last period class we forgot about the lesson and talked about the events. After school I had a newspaper route. The papers usually were given to us to deliver about 3 or 4 o'clock. That day it was 6 o'clock before the paper came out. They held off printing to try to get the latest information in the paper. The paper had a very large font headline and was the only paper I ever saw with EXTRA! on the front page. I remember one of my customers saying "Maybe Johnson will give us a fair shake." There was a lot of resentment towards Kennedy because of integration. President Johnson was from Texas, considered part of the South. I'll say this... Johnson gave me a fair shake. His "Great Society" programs, work-study job, loans, grants, etc. enabled me to go to college and changed my life.

Rick Bryant

I was in the lunchroom. Everett Hatcher was one of the marshals stationed outside of the office. They were the first to get the news from the ladies in the office, and he headed for the lunchroom, and came straight over to our table to tell us. We had the last lunch period of the day, I think. It was a lunch/study (remember having only half a period to get your food and eat it?) and we soon headed for the study half of the period. I'm pretty sure that it was in Miss Callen's room, but she was not there, as she had left her student teacher in charge. That student teacher (not sure what college she was from) was actually giddy with joy that Kennedy was dead. I don't remember if any Ramsay students in the room felt the same way. I think most of us were kind of in shock. I do remember going out to someone's car after school, and all of the radio stations had started playing very serious and somber music between news flashes. There was no rock and roll to be heard that afternoon.

Richard Wood

I was in Miss Allen's English class.  I remember her getting called out in the hall and after she was informed she turned to walk back into the classroom with tears coming down her face and said"'student's I am sorry to tell you your President has been shot and killed.  No one spoke for the remainder of the class.

Karen Weygand (Spadaccini)

These are all very thoughful memories. I remember being in total shock that this could happen in our country...Presidents just didn't get shout! But, I was headed to Auburn for my first college party week-end, excited about the trip, but there was a damper put on it because of the killing of the president. M also remember my family did not really support Kennedy, but we did not expect him to be killed. Hindsight also tells me that Johnson did a lot of good for the country and for integration.

Frances Rollins (King)

As I remember, I was in the lunchroom. Someone had a transistor radio to his ear and heard the news. The face of Sam Johnson comes to mind, but I'm not sure if that's who had the radio. At first, some of us thought he was kidding and he said, "no, it's true." I don't think we knew how to react. Nothing like this had ever happened in our lifetime.

Sally Crosby

As a head marshal, I, along with the others, was given a list of classrooms to which I had to go and announce the news.  Besides being in shock, as a very shy person, I was so nervous at having to go speak to all the classes.  While my parents were not Kennedy fans, I do remember us all being glued to the TV for several days.  Johnson did the country so much good during his short tenure, though at the time most Southerners probably did not agree.  

Susan (Emma) Ford

Since I started this discussions I guess I should tell my story as well.  My parents had transferred me to Shades Valley, against my will of course! I was in an English class with a young teacher.  I cannot remember her name. The message came over the intercom that Kennedy had been assasinated. Our teacher cheered, I cried.  School was dismissed for the day and we all went home to watch the unfolding events on TV. I still cry whenever I see that picture of John,John saluting his father as the casion rolled by. I loved Kennedy because he represented a new and youthful version of a more idealistic United States.

Lyn Williams (Bayne)

I remember my father not being upset about it.  But there was so much going on that year and the surrounding years with the church bombing, Bull Conner (was that his name?), the Freedom Riders, the march to Montgomery....all these things really upset me.

On a lighter note, someone mentioned a transistor radio, and I was listening to it one day.  The song was "Makin' Love".  "What would people think? What would people do?" My mom said, "Lyn, do you know what that means?" I said "yes", she looked away and never said anything else.  Of course, I really did not know what it meant, but it was a time of much more innocence.  I was probably 13 or 14 at the time.

Susan (Emma) Ford

I remember the first time I heard Elvis. I had gotten a new transistor radio for my birthday. I heard Jailhouse Rock in 1955. That would have made me 9. I was so impressed I went in to tell my mother that I had heard something entirely new on the radio.  I proceeded to snap my fingers and attempt to sing a verse. She laughed of course.

Kathy Evins (Kyzer)

Dee Lewis sent me a wonderful link and I am passing it along to you. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did!

I thought this was fitting with the upcoming reunion. It was a terrific time to grow up and there was no better place than B'ham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjj9VKKSV2g