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Victoria Trotter
Burnsville, MN, USA
In 1968 I was a seventh grader at Marshall-U High in southeast Minneapolis. Marshall-U High was a city high school that had merged that year with University High School. We were located on the edge of Dinky Town, two blocks from the University of Minnesota. For seventh and eighth grade we had our morning classes in the Marshall building and then for the afternoon classes we walked the two blocks through Dinky Town to Pike Hall, which held the old U-High classrooms. I remember vividly Minnesota National Guardsmen marching down University Avenue towards the Campus, with full riot gear; helmets, gas masks, bully clubs and what may have been bullit proof vests. I was twelve years old and waiting for the stop light to change so I could go to school. I could not comprehend what if all meant. The guardsmen were marching towards student protests that always seemed to occur near the ROTC building, two blocks further down from where I stood. Later that spring Dinky Town was celebrating their annual "Crazy Day Sale". Merchants had tables lined up on the street with their sale merchandise on display. Many people were out because of the beautiful spring weather, shopping and comuting between classes. Then suddenly a helicoper flew over and pepper fogged the whole area. I was just leaving the area and thought it was odd that a helicopper would be so close. Luckly I was just far enough away not to get into the pepper fog. I remember thinking that everyone was considered a criminal. Innocent shoppers and students coming and going to class. High school and College students alike! These are just some of my memories of the war. The ones that affected me the most. This has been a wonderful MPR series. I listen Saturday, on my walkman, while gardening and just cried and cried. Thank you MPR!!!You never disappoint.
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