I am one of the Duck and Cover generation. We were told it would protect us from flying glass of the windows. We also had drills to go into the hallway and lean against wall, left arm for head to lean against wall, right arm to cover head to prevent head injury from flying objects. I don't think we would have been protected in either situation, but it certainly made us aware of potential danger. Just as the WWll blackouts that I remember as a preschooler.