Kathy Johnson’s 9/11 Experience
On
September 11, 2001 Mrs. Kathy Johnson was 49 years old and was being trained as
a Treasurer in a new accounting program for the MHS ECA that was beginning to
be used in the high school.
Johnson
was frightened and stunned of the events that occurred during this historic
day. "I saw all the news coverage that day of the planes flying into the
towers, the collapse of the towers, and the horror on the faces of those
people," Johnson said. "My initial thoughts were: "Is this a
joke?", "This can't be happening to America.""
But
it wasn't a joke. Johnson turned on the television when someone ran into the
bookstore and told her and Mrs. Peggy Gormon to turn it on. "Needless to
say," Johnson said. "Training ended when we switched that TV on. For
the remainder of the day, I wondered what was going to happen in our
world."
Cindy Stephens’ 9/11 Experience
On
September 11, 2001 Mrs. Cindy Stephens was 38 years old working as a custodian
at MHS.
"How
could this happen in America?" Was the question many of the students kept
asking Stephens. She had her own thoughts on mind. Her cousin worked in one of
the towers at a law office. She was in complete shock. Her day went on as
smoothly as possible given the situation.
It
was a silent day besides the sounds of people crying, including Stephens.
"We went to what is now room A108 and watched it on the TV," Stephens
said. "The teacher and students were all silent as we watched in
disbelief. Other support staff members were rushing into classrooms to watch. I
just started crying."
Stephens
later found out that her cousin wasn't there that day and that she was safe.
Becky Bischoff’s 9/11 Experience
On
September 11, 2001 Mrs. Becky Bischoff was working at the Attendance office at
MHS. She received a call from both Ms. Beth Henry, the Dean of Girls at the
time, to tell Mr. Muston about the attacks. "We were having career day at
MHS and several students were on field trips," Bischoff said. "We had
to call all field trips to return to the school and we were put on lockdown.
This lasted several days."
The
day was long for Bischoff. It was a quiet and busy day. Parents kept coming in
constantly to pick up their students. The staff was, "anxious and somewhat
apprehensive," Bischoff said. "We all just wanted to go home and be
with our families."
This
day changed all of America. "At first it was positive because people
returned to churches and began to worship God," Bischoff said.
"People helped one another more." But as time went on, "we have
gone back to our old ways," Bischoff said. "I will always remember
the tears and the fear of September 11, 2001."
