September Eleventh Marked By Peace, Reflection
By Megan Groth
News Writer

The bells of Smith Tower rang at 5:40 am Western time, at precisely the moment when the first plane hit one year ago. One week ago Tuesday marked the first anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center, the plane hijackings and crashes in Washington, DC and Pennsylvania, and the ending of three thousand and twenty five lives. To commemorate the first anniversary of a day so important to Americans both personally and collectively, Pomona college engaged in public and private remembrance.

At dawn, the American Flag was raised to half-mast, and at a lunch hour faculty panel, professors and students discussed the political issues related to the attacks that now face both the nation and the world.

At dusk in an open forum at Bridges Hall of Music, students shared their stories and emotions from the same day last year and the days since.

Some came to honor loved ones, others simply to support the belief that “life is not to be taken for granted,” as Riley Lipschitz ’03, an organizer of the event, put it. By the end of the evening, all 2,800 candles provided by the college were lit, filling the foyer and spilling down the top steps of Bridges.

The focus of the event was on remembrance. “I was extremely pleased that the day proved itself to be in memory of the people who died, and not in memory of the political actions before and after the event,” Riley said. In addition to using the day for reflection, many thought of how to proceed. Responding to a question earlier in the day as to what students could do in the face of the tragedy, Professor Kathleen Fitzpatrick advised “Find what’s important to you and make it count. Apathy is the greatest danger.”