In Memory of those who perished And those who survived
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[The natural gas explosion on March 18, 1937 became
the worst tragedy involving schoolchildren in American history.
Approximately 298 students and teachers perished. It resulted
in national laws which required that human detectable smells be
mixed in with methane gas destined for commercial or household use.]
By Priscilla (Kern) Joffe,
Above is a photo of me in the 4th grade Mexican Hat Dance in the gymnasium behind the main building that exploded. The photo was taken 2 hours before the explosion, and the 4th grade girls left before the explosion. A few of the 5th grade girls may have been waiting in the hallway at the time of the explosion. Many parents were attending the PTA meeting, and the dance was part of the program for the meeting. The gymnasium was still standing after the disaster. I took the school bus towards home but got off early to play with a friend; my mother did not know where I was. Luckily I was delivered to my home soon. My father, Jack Kern, was President of the School Board at the time. His office was one half mile away, and he heard the explosion and ran to help. He did not know where my mother, my baby sister, my grandmother and I were located! He helped at the disaster site for several hours, and went home to find his family O.K. A photo of Jack Kern about 15 years later is shown below.
The Texas Rangers came to surround his house to protect him and his familly from the angry parents who had lost their children. A public meeting was held where Jack held out his hand with a short sleeve shirt to show that he carried no weapons, even though several parents had side arms. I was told later that the oil company transferred some families out of the area for their own safety. Later that day, as a 9-year-old 4th grader, I was sleeping on the couch when the radio was announcing the names of children that perished. Then I heard the name "Priscilla" of one of those children, so I asked my Grandmother, "Am I dead?". She quickly responded "No you are not". Over the next few days I could remember a friend's birthday party that was cancelled, because the 5th grader to be celebrated was injured, and a few of her friends did not survive. Our family was extremely lucky to have survived this terrible event! ........Priscilla (Kern) Joffe.
Jack Kern.
