Stupid useless ritual

I remember them well; they terrified me. I first learned more facts about nuclear war when I was about 10 and became even more terrified. Some days, I'm amazed that it hasn't happened yet; I always figured I wouldn't make it to old age because of nuclear war.
 
I was born in Canada and attended elementary school in the 50s. Never did any "duck and cover" and I'm glad I didn't. However, I do remember magazine photos of mean looking Russians with guns. I suppose that was to scare us about the Communist wanting to take over the world.
 
I remember doing duck and cover once. I didn't care about the atomic bomb at that age. Like everyone else I did what I was told, got under the desk and waited till someone said I could come out. I had other real problems like how long until it's time to go home and how many days until Saturday.
 
I remember those drills at my elementary school. Like Judycat, I did exactly what I was told, but I was a little bit concerned. The good ol' days, wish that was the only drill the kids nowadays had to do. Current drills for school children are much more scary and deadly. :(
 
When watching video of schools or malls emptying out and everybody knowing exactly how to leave with their hands up and in single file always shocks me. Many kids who are trained in this drill must live with a latent fear.
 
Never a truer word spoken...

Having taught middle school I’ve been on both sides of the silliness, though nowadays it is for earthquake that ducking is still done. For those who didn’t fit I’d always advise them to pick a favorite body part to protect - with the head being my recommendation.

My first year I wasn’t too clear on the difference between the bell pattern for earthquake and the one for fire. I guessed fire and had them duck and cover. After that the joke whenever there was any bell was “duck and burn” or “assume the toast position”.
 
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When watching video of schools or malls emptying out and everybody knowing exactly how to leave with their hands up and in single file always shocks me. Many kids who are trained in this drill must live with a latent fear.
I'm sure they are very fearful all the time, it's sad. In school we also had fire drills, we'd line up single file or two by two and walk out of the building onto the sidewalk, until we were told to walk back inside. Seeing these children walking with their hands up, afraid they may be shot by friendly fire if they make the wrong move, is very disturbing.
 
I remember duck and cover. I don't remember being terrified by it and I certainly wasn't scarred for life. :oops: I do recall not liking to go under the desk in a skirt.
I wasn't referring to the duck and cover drills. I was referring to the video. It would be really scary for the kids to watch.
 
Back in the bad old days, I was a member of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC). This started up in 1925 to spot enemy aircraft approaching the UK. Post WW2 the role changed to report atomic bomb bursts and radiation levels. This was done from a network of underground posts with a direct phone link to HQ. The equipment was pretty basic and above ground. A radiation detector, a pressure meter and a 4 pinhole cameras aligned N.E.S and W. Theoretically we would be safe 15 feet underground and surrounded by 6 feet of concrete. If a bomb was dropped, the pressure meter would register the shock wave and some poor soul would retrieve the photographic plates from the camera. This would show the direction and elevation of the blast. This info would be conveyed to HQ who would plot the spread of radiation and advise the civil defence organisations. The ROC was disbanded in 1995.
 
I also remember those school duck and cover drills well. Sometimes we’d cower under our desk, then at other times be taken to the school basement to cover facing the cinder block wall.

We can laugh about those times as our kids conduct “active shooter” drills in school now to learn about lockdowns and building barricades against domestic terrorists armed with assault rifles…
 
I remember those drills at my elementary school. Like Judycat, I did exactly what I was told, but I was a little bit concerned. The good ol' days, wish that was the only drill the kids nowadays had to do. Current drills for school children are much more scary and deadly. :(
You're right. The only thing I had to fear in school was the Nuns, now kids have to fear so much more.
 
You're right. The only thing I had to fear in school was the Nuns, now kids have to fear so much more.
I'm with you on the nuns, been there, done that LOL. Luckily I was a good kid and not on the receiving end of that Holy Justice. ;)
 


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