MARIETTA – Drawing the eyes and ears of passersby, the bagpipe melody of the Star-Spangled Banner and other patriotic tunes rang out across Marietta College’s campus Thursday night drawing a small crowd to the opening of the Sept. 11 exhibit at the Herman Fine Arts Center.

“I don’t see how how anyone can forget that attack,” said the bagpiper Sara Chichester, 74, of Lowell between songs. “I was an airline reservationist for AAA and I was on the American Airlines system when the flash came up on the screen saying we were not to give any information about the flight until further notice. We didn’t even know what was going on until we went next door and saw on the TV.”

At the opening of the exhibit, Mike Tager, a political science professor, recognized that the majority of the college’s freshman class would have been too young to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

“Our first year students would have been 3 years old when this happened,” he said.

So, to the 50 community members, faculty and students present, Tager relayed a summary of the events that led up to the devastation both at the World Trade Center in New York City, and at the Pentagon.

“The World Trade Center was a symbol,” said Tager. “Because New York City is a media hub, (the 19 terrorists) knew their message would be broadcast across the world, they were trying to instill fear on a large scale.”

Marietta College alumnus Bret Allphin, 37, of Marietta, hoped those present took away the gravity of the event and appreciated the insight his old professor had provided on how Sept. 11 changed the United States.

“I think it’s hard to understand the fantastic impact this had in such a terrible way,” Allphin said after the talk.

Two freshmen who viewed the photo exhibit were among those gasping in shock at the imagery displayed.

“I think it’s a good lesson even for people who weren’t alive yet or, like us, too young to remember,” said Matt Pietzcker, 19, of Pataskala, Ohio. “I think the photos are very powerful in the way they really display the feeling and emotions. The message is very well conveyed.”

Kirsten Gardner, 19, of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, said the exhibit opened her eyes to a deeper understanding of the attack’s impact.

“I never thought about what it was like on the streets in the city after,” she said. “But you can see that here and feel it.”

Carol Garoza, the exhibit’s coordinator, said the display is shared in honor of how photos were displayed on the streets of New York City in the aftermath of the attack.

“Wires went up and photos by professionals and amateurs alike were clipped next to each other,” she said. “We have the exhibition displayed in the same way, with no frames or cards, just letting the photos speak for themselves.”

The exhibit is open to the public through Sept. 25 on the third floor of Herman Fine Arts Center on Butler Street in Marietta.