History Montevallo is a city in Shelby County, Alabama. Montevallo High School is a of the key part of the community. Back in 1963, it published a school newspaper, the Spotlight, which is available on archive.org and allows us to see their poignant reporting on how the school reacted to the assassination of Kennedy.
The first story comes from the front page, above the title.
President's Death Stills, Silences MHS
During the lunch hour the halls of Montevallo High School are usually the scene of gay conversations, laughing couples, and noisy, running steps. But on Friday Nov. 22, conversations were sad; couples sober; and steps almost tip-toe quiet.
At approximately 12:35pm word spread throughout the school that President John F. Kennedy, as he rode in an open car in a parade through the streets of Dallas, Texas, had been the victim of an assassin's bullet.
The news brought transistor radios into action. The television was cut on. Everyone found "somewhere to listen" and to hope quietly that the president would survive.
But at 1:30pm, an already saddened MHS student body and faculty heard the official announcement, "The President is dead."
There's further colour piece on page three:
School Grieves with Nation
Quietly, reverently, Johnny Boyd, Terry Herron, and Rosemary Woolley lowered the school flag to half mast; and in that position "Old Glory," whipped gently in the breeze, seemed to symbolize the bowed heads of a sorrowful nation. On that day, Friday, Nov. 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
When the bell rang at 12:30pm last Friday, we were not aware of the tradedy which had befallen our nation. But as students who left the school grounds for the lunch hour returned and spread the sad news, they were met with shaken misbelief on all sides.
However, as radios and television continued to verify the reality of the assassination, a stunned silence pervaded the school. Most classes that afternoon disregarded their regular activities because of the general concern for the tragic event.
We live and breathe; we dream and plan; our future is ahead. But, unable to watch his children drow to maturity or to see his modern American ideas fulfilled, our President has passed into a "New Frontier."
Also on the front page is an editorial from the school principal:
Tragedy Stuns Nation; Sorrow Forges Unity
(An editorial)
by Guy Milford, Principal
Difficult as it is to do, we are compelled to accept the incredible reality of our president's death Nov. 22.
However we may have disagreed with him from time to time, we know he was a very warm human being of great and good humor, boundless energy and brilliant intellect.
His courage, devotion to God and country and family are unquestioned.
In coming from the first shock of disbelief, perhaps we can go forward and grow into a more mature understanding of our fellow man.
If in our sadness and grief at the tragic events of recent days, we can find the strength within ourselves to wash the hatred from our hearts, we can look with faith towards the future of our country.
Then, our late president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, shall not have died in vain.
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