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yard......continued from Page 1ter it occurred.“Two members of the student council got on the speaker and told the student body what had happened. Then we had a moment of silence,” Barr reported. “We have TVs in every room, and the TVs started coming on. Probably part of every class was spent watching the news.“I would say the atmosphere around here was calm and subdued,” he continued. “We went through the motions of a normal day, but the mood was certainly not that of a normal day.”The student council was also organizing a special program to be held Friday prior to the Gatesville-Teague football game at McKamie Stadium.School officials around the county reported similar reactions to the events of the day.At Evant, students were allowed to watch television coverage in the library or superintendent’s office, and the Lady Elks’ volleyball game with Lingleville that night was cancelled.Churches in the town organized a community prayer service Tuesday night that was held in the school gym.In Jonesboro, teachers took time to talk with students about the situation and attempted to answer their questions, and the Jonesboro Baptist Church hosted a prayer service later in the evening.With Oglesby so close to President George W. Bush’s Crawford ranch, Principal Tom Norrell said the district went on heightened security to make sure no unauthorized persons were on campus.Although Norrell felt the campus was the safest harbor for more students, those who were concerned were allowed to call their parents, and parents had the option to pick up their children from school.While others prayed, the military took steps to tighten security on Fort Hood. Every vehicle entering the post was searched and only authorized personnel were allowed on base.Traffic was not affected on TexasHighway 36 at North Fort Hood, but guards were posted at intersecting roads to search any vehicles turning onto the post.LTC Robert Luna, public affairs officer for the Texas National Guard, said the National Guard was also taking precautionary measures to protect personnel and equipment.The Mobilization and Equipment Training Site (MATES) at North Fort Hood remained open, but gates were closed and access was limited to employees only, Luna reported.“No one has been activated at this point,” Luna said Wednesday. “But we are willing and able to do so at a moment’s notice.”The Gatesville school district was also affected by the National Guard action. The district uses the guard armory in Gatesville for its alternative education program classes. Those classes had to be moved to the high school campus, but Barr said they may be able to return to the armory as early as next week.Rumors that gas prices would skyrocket by Wednesday morning prompted long lines Tuesday night at all local establishments selling gasoline.Diane Coble said she was in line because a friend had just returned from Oklahoma where gas prices had supposedly hit $5 per gallon.Randall Green, a 17-year-old GHS senior, said he was waiting in line “so I don’t have to pay six bucks for gas.”However, as of press time, gasoline prices in Gatesville had changed little since Tuesday. Gov. Rick Perry, as well as other high-ranking state officials, said the state would take action against those who engaged in price gouging.Lou McDonald had other things on her mind Tuesday besides potentially high gas prices. Her husband, Justice of the Peace Larry McDonald, was on a motorcycle trip with Dave Chastain of Gatesville and two other men from nearby towns.She knew they had reached NewYork City the day before and weremaking plans to tour the World Trade Center, Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty on Tuesday.“I had a lot of anxiety,” she admitted. “Everybody here was wondering what would happen next.”Later in the day, Chastain contacted his wife, Gladys, to let her know they were all right and were in Nova Scotia.“They could not get connections for the tour,” Mrs. McDonald said. “So they decided to go on instead of waiting. God just took care of them.”Tuesday night, family members gathered at the McDonald home to talk with their husband, father andgrandfather.“It sounded so good to hear his voice,” Mrs. McDonald said. “Each of the grandchildren got to talk to him, and I think that helped them.”When they were unable to obtain tickets for the tour, the four men had left New York and took a ferry from Maine to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The trip took from 9 p.m. Monday to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.However, they were unable to find rooms because many of the victims of the attack were being taken to Halifax for treatment, Mrs. McDonald reported. The men then traveled to Truco, Nova Scotia, and at press time, planned to stay in Canada until the borders reopened.As the country suffers from a collective sense of shock, disbelief and loss that these catastrophes have brought about, hundreds of American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health workers have fanned out across the country to help with the emotional trauma from the terrorists attack.The Mid-Tex Chapter has professionals available to talk with individuals, groups, churches or schools, executive director Matthew Wright said.Wright reported that adults and children in both affected and nonaffected areas are experiencing feelings of vulnerability and trauma that are to be expected with this type ofpsychological tragedy.
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