September 11, 2001 is a day the world will never forget…the day terrorists attacked the United States…the day two planes struck the Twin Towers in New York. A third plane hit the Pentagon. A fourth went down in a field thanks to the effort of the passengers.
While the nation, and the entire world, watched in horror, instead of tearing us apart, it brought us together. People ran into harm's way to help. People offered assistance in whatever way they could, from both near and far.
The immediate effects of this attack were felt throughout the nation as gas lines began to back up for fear of a shortage, including those in Eagle Grove, Goldfield, and other surrounding areas. Other places did their best to counteract the fear. Churches across the county held prayer vigils in the days that followed. On Friday, Sept. 14, 2001, Robert Blue Middle School held a gathering of students in the auditorium in conjunction with President George W. Bush’s proclaimed National Day of Prayer and Remembrance on behalf of the victims. Principal Lori Phillips read part of President Bush’s address to the nation, saying “We mourn with those who have suffered this great loss…we will persevere through this national tragedy and personal loss.”
Twenty years later, many people still have vivid memories of where they were and what they were doing when they found out America was under attack. One of those people is Carrie Christopher, who is now a seventh and eighth grade reading teacher at Robert Blue Middle School. When 9/11 happened, it was only her second year of teaching.
“I was teaching sixth grade in Fort Dodge. When the first plane hit, I thought it was an accident. But when the second plane hit, I knew we were under attack,” said Christopher. “I have never been as scared living in America like I was that day.”
She went on to explain that she and her first period class watched the towers fall live. Their principal, Dr. Wormsley, requested they eat lunch in the library to gather as much information as possible. She recalls that she had also just gotten her first cell phone, which helped them get the updates more quickly.
“Our principal wanted us to tell the kids about what was going on before they went home, because he wanted them prepared to see what would be on TV,” Christopher explained. “He was afraid parents would still be at work and wouldn't be able to explain it to (the kids). He didn't want them to be scared.”
Christopher said she also remembers the lines for gas and being so afraid because her boyfriend (now husband) Steve lived in Northern Wisconsin and her family lived 3.5 hours away. The people she wanted to be close to in this time of uncertainty were the farthest away.
Since this is the 20th Anniversary of 9//11, Christopher said she plans to use Newseum Ed in her classroom and will talk about the events. That site has a bunch of the front covers of the newspapers from the day after the attack.
“I think it's neat to see how all of the countries in the world were on the same page,” she said.
Christopher also talked about what she saw when she and some seventh and eighth grade students saw when they took a trip to Washington, D.C. this summer (a story was featured in an earlier edition of the Eagle). She also showed some videos so her class could experience for themselves what it was like.
Jerry Becker, Eagle Grove High School Government teacher who has been educating students for 63 years now, also shared his memories of that fatal day in 2001. He remembers getting to school very early, like he always does, knowing nothing of the major world event that was occurring in New York and Pennsylvania.
“The football coach came into my room and told me to turn on the TV,” said Becker of seeing the devastation for himself.
Since his first period class was a Government class, he left the TV on. He and the students watched the second tower fall, live.
“The kids were watching and I think had a combination of not quite understanding and disbelief,” said Becker. “I think we do live in a kind of sheltered society and don’t realize what the rest of the world is like sometimes…terrorism was a new word back then…now, we’re used to it.”
That day, and the days that followed, Becker used the time to talk to the students about “why” something like this would happen and why people would resort to such acts.
With the 20th Anniversary of the attacks, Becker said he did not plan to give any special coverage to the event at this time, simply because he believes teaching history in chronological order is very important.
“The order of events that things happen in are important because of the cause and effect factor,” he said.
Therefore, 9/11 will be covered in his class when they reach that time period.
A few years ago, Becker was able to go to New York and experience the locations of 9/11 for himself.
“The site is a beautiful place now…and worth seeing if you can get to the east coast,” he said.
In addition to the Twin Towers location, he was also able to visit the field where the plane headed for the Pentagon went down.
“It was all kind of stunning,” he noted.
