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Lake Placid joined communities large and small across the nation this week in mourning the death by an assassin’s hand of President John F. Kennedy.

The first reports from the scene at Dallas, Texas, came shortly after 1 p.m. last Friday. The news spread like a shock wave, and soon most of the community gathered around radio or television waiting for details.

Everywhere the reaction was the same — stunned disbelief. People stood in quiet clusters in stores and offices. Work slowed almost to a standstill. Women who had started out shopping stayed at home or went to a neighbor’s, needing company. The telephone lines began to hum.

Calls began coming into the newspaper office. One was from the public school, seeking confirmation of the terrible report that had been caught on a small transistor belonging to one of the students but scarcely believed.

Some people said later they dreaded the worst from the first moment of hearing. Others felt that it just couldn’t be serious, and the president would prove to be only wounded.

When the final dread word came that he was dead, the hush that had taken over the community deepened. It was about 2:40, a little more than an hour since the first word had been flashed across the country. The president had died at 2 o’clock our time.

Many of those along Main Street appeared dazed. Even the large grocery stores, usually crowded and bustling on a Friday afternoon, were quiet. Everyone spoke in low tones, discussing the tragedy, asking for more details. Some carried pocket radios with them if they had to shop. Traffic was down to a minimum, and there were few people doing more than essential errands and tasks.

Everywhere, the comment was the same: “How could it happen here?” And, behind it all, “Why?”

Flags began to go to half-mast. Many people hurried home. Children were released from school. Events planned for the evening were canceled. That night, the streets were almost deserted. Gray skies and rain that fell through the night and most of the next day added to the gloom.

Saturday and Sunday were even quieter than the dullest off-season weekend. Again, there was almost no traffic, except at church time or for special services. Most of the community watched or listened as the events unwound on TV, and on Sunday morning, the New York newspapers were sold out before noon.

Some of the men went on to camp or hunting, as usual. Even there, however, the atmosphere was subdued.

Special church services for the late president began Friday night. Rabbi Dr. Selig S. Auerbach devoted his comments at services at the Lake Placid Synagogue that night and Saturday morning to him. Sunday night at 5:30 the Rt. Rev. Msgr. James T. Lyng conducted a low requiem Mass for Mr. Kennedy at St. Agnes Church.

On Sunday, the Rev. Kenneth W. Beatty conducted the meditation for Mr. Kennedy at the 11 a.m. worship service at the Adirondack Community Church. On Monday, the day of the former president’s funeral in Washington, all schools and public buildings in Lake Placid were closed all day.