Throughout my elementary school life, I experienced shelter drills and air raid drills. I don't think I understood the ramifications, but I obediently followed the teachers’ instructions over the years. We had to practice duck and cover defenses as well as lining up in the halls away from glass that could shatter on us. These activities were just part of the school day. What terrified me were the air raid sirens. I lived about 300 feet from a fire station that operated a siren. It wasn't possible to hide from that noise. My older sister had standing orders from my mother to escort me home quickly if the sirens started up when we were outside.

I can still remember watching a short animated "story" on television that I believe was on the Ed Sullivan Show. In retrospect, this doesn't make sense, but it was a long time ago. Ed Sullivan, or the actual person involved, warned parents to send small children out of the room so they wouldn't be frightened by what was about to be shown. I was sent out, but I still watched from a secure position out of my parents’ sight. The movie illustrated what would happen when a nuclear bomb exploded. I can still envision the scene in which sleeping people were melted in their beds.