To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do -- for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
-- John F. Kennedy
January 20, 1961 (I remember it well)
Quarry Hill Creative Center, Vermont's hip refuge for the unusual and artistic-- founded 1946 by Irving and Barbara Fiske, writer for the WPA/poet/playwright/freelance writer, and cartoonist/artist/painter/visionary. Read our Blog and write to us! Your comments always welcome...
I remember that Irving, Barbara, William, probably David and I were in Ocala on Jan. 20 '61. It was cold, as I recall, even there. We watched the inaugural through a store window (Sears?) on a tv in downtown Ocala-- of course we had no TV (or electricity at the cabin, most of the time). I was not yet 11. Very fascinated, especially when Robert Frost got up to read a poem, and he could not read the one he brought so recited from memory. I also recall that the podium began to smoke at some point! Very few history books recall this, but there was definitely smoke rising from the podium-- a herald of the future, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteI liked and admired JFK even if he was at times bellicose. He did create better civil rights even if somewhat reluctantly. I was horrified when he was killed (I was 13)-- and I remember that whole weekend clearly too. It's interesting what one remembers, and what one forgets.