Bell Rings 26 Times at Braintree Town Hall in Honor of Newtown Victims

Braintree officials and employees gathered outside Town Hall Friday morning for a moment of silence, marking a week since 26 children and staff were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

They also rang a silver bell, set up below the flags waving at half-mast, and rang it 26 times for the victims at the school.

Today is not a day for big speeches, Mayor Joseph Sullivan said, standing with Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg, Police Chief Russell Jenkins, town councilors Henry Joyce and John Mullaney and others. Rather, it is a day to offer support and condolence for the children and educators who lost their lives.

Braintree schools will not participate in the moment of silence at 9:30 a.m. taking place throughout the country on Friday, Dr. Kurzberg said, as part of the district's effort to maintain normalcy for its students. Some elementary school students, especially, may not know the extent of the tragedy, the superintendent said.

School has gone smoothly this week, with teachers leaving most discussion of the shooting to family members, Dr. Kurzberg said. Students at the high school have been talking about it, he added, but mainly have focused on how they can raise money for the victims' families and provide other support.