I was a student at teachers college in 1969. It was almost the end of lunch time and my friends and I noticed that the televisions ( black and white of course) from the science block were being brought out of the classrooms. The TVs were set up around the open space of the quadrangle and we were encouraged to find a spot to stand and view history in the making.
The fact that this event from so far away, in space no less, and we could watch it happening, was amazing and despite the grainy nature of the film, we were all enthralled. I remember becoming a bit anxious as Armstrong got nearer to actually putting a foot on the moon’s surface. Despite the lunar module sitting in a stable manner on the surface, I had this irrational idea that when Armstrong stepped down, he would fall into a big hole...a bit like quicksand. I remember my relief when that didn’t happen!
But the best was yet to come for those hundreds of college students there that day...
When the TV coverage was finished, the college Principal Mr Growder, spoke to us all over the PA reminding us of the momentous event we’d seen...and then gave us all the afternoon off. Being let off attending lectures was unheard of usually and I can still remember how we grabbed our bags/briefcases and surged out the gates and down Victoria Park Rd; all in high spirits. 😀😆
That college is now part of the Queensland University of Technology ( QUT) but that quadrangle is still there although quite beautifully landscaped these days, as these photos from the website show...
3 sides of that quadrangle were surrounded by the beautiful A block...possibly heritage listed these days?
The front view...
The evening paper, the Telegraph had the following headlines that afternoon...
Now apparently I’m not the only one who imagined ( wrongly as it happens) that the moon’s surface was a bit unstable. I found a cartoon online which shows two astronauts sunk up to their chins in the surface of the moon. To use this cartoon on my blog would cost me €40 so here’s a link instead 😄.
It was years later that I heard all those conspiracy theories that what the world watched that July Day was all a hoax...staged by Hollywood...pllleeeaaase...really??? And of course the 50th Anniversary prompted dozens of memes about this purported hoax...
Or what about this one from last year? 😉
My favourite Moon Landing meme is this next one...
So do you remember the moon landing in 1969?
I remember that day well. I was living in Melbourne at the time. Such a momentous occasion. Considering the technology of the time it was indeed a major feat. Something we will never forget.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw your post title I knew you'd have some interesting things to share Maria :D)
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was a memorable time, I saw it on a tv through a shop window.
I certainly do - I was in high school still - (NSW...we stayed longer than QLD students) but we didn't get the afternoon off!
ReplyDeleteand yes the comparison between "computers" then and now is mind blowing.
I remember all the excitement about it but didn't see the actual landing until some years later. An amazing feat.
ReplyDeleteI have vague memories of this and think that it was about tea time when I watched it. I seem to remember sitting in an armchair in our lounge. I was 15 and don't remember thinking that this was something momentous - rather a natural consequence of progress! xx
ReplyDeleteI was going to do a post about my memories then family stuff intervened and I never got round to it. I was annoyed by all the news coverage in Australia saying it happened on 20th July. No it didn't, it was the 21st on our side of the world! Otherwise we wouldn't have all been at school, work etc, as the 20th was a Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI went home from school at lunchtime, hoping to see it on our TV as I ate lunch. But they took so long eventually I decided I would have to go back to school before the actual moon walking happened. When I got back to school I discovered that classes had been cancelled, and everyone (over 1,000 students) was in the school hall watching two small TVs up on the stage. I couldn't hear the commentary, and could barely see the TVs. I would have had a much better view if I had stayed at home!