Second school "in the back." Is this the JW version of the short bus?

by MinisterAmos 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  MinisterAmos

  Some congos stage a second school in the baby room while the main hall is used for the big boy school.

  I've noticed (and voiced to the school overseer last night) that only the "popular" JWs are used in the main school while the ones with problems always get stuck in the back. He confirmed that this was planned, and that it was to avoid embarrassing certain brothers and sisters who might be uncomfortable in front of a larger group.

  Seems pretty loving to me as long as you don't mind that the dozen Moms with 30 or so kids have to wait outside in the cold periodically because the room built and designed specifically for them is in use.

  Actually if they can't stand listening to some people and feel the need to stick them in the back rather than give them full participation rights, then maybe it's time to re-think the whole deal.

  Forgot: He referred to the main hall school as "The A Team". Cheers
• 

  lonelysheep

  I thought so.

  I had a baby and always had to sit in the back room. This made me feel out of place and second class.
  
  All the years spent going to church never consisted of a separate room for anyone, especially those with children. Sunday school, held prior to the church service, was the only time we were separated. There were different age groups in the sunday school rooms, and the adults had it in the 'church' part. But when the sermons and scriptures were read, or we were singing hymns, no one was separated! We were all meant to be there.
• 

  MinisterAmos

  Hi Sheep;

  I had originally meant to mention that in some congregations there are two Ministry Schools.

  Both are held at the same time, and in the same Kingdom Hall, but the class for the "short-bus" (meaning less favored either appearance-wise, diction-wise, or spritually weak brothers) is held in the baby room apart from the "normal" school.

  It's soooooo blatantly obvious that I'm surprised anyone submits to it.

  The "short-bus" school overseer has almost 50 years in as a Witness. He and his wife are both Special Pioneers, but they are from XXXXXXXX and speak HORRIBLY because they have no teeth. They also look like they have been in manual jobs with no health insurance for 50 years and are always a bit "ripe." Thus the most qualified on paper are relegated to the "special-ed" class based on appearance.

  Take a look in back if you are in a double school congregation and report back. I'd love to hear if this is a common thing.
• 

  Wasanelder Once

  The second school is for congregations who have so many students that it takes too long for them to have a talk assignment and have a continuous learning experience. If its too long between talk assignments, the counsel and training is lost. The theory is that students will have assignments more often. Yes, it is advantageous for some who are shy to have their talks in the second school. We rotated everyone evenly, one in the front, next in the back and so on. It wasn't second string or the short bus. It was a second school. Also, The second school is dismissed after the first three parts on the school. THere is no seperate instruction talk of Bible highlights, these are in the front only. The second school is for student talks only. That's how its done everywhere unless there are two congregations in one building, maybe then there are two schools. Logically that would follow if there are two congregations.

  There's no mystery here or segregation according to abilities. One side effect is that many who are shy about being in front of a large group insist on giving talks in the second school or they wont be in the school Often that accomadation is made. I conducted the silly thing for quite awhile.

  W.Once
• 

  jayhawk1

  My former congregation was the way Wasanelder Once described. Likewise you could ask to only have second school talks if you was afraid of large audiences. Nobody seemed to care and you was not looked upon as being weak if you only wanted to do second school talks. Obviously if you was a guy wanting to join the MS and Elder club, you could not ask to only have second school talks. For sisters, there is no advantage to doing front school talks if they didn't want to do them.
• 

  MinisterAmos

  Dum-de-de-de-dum.

  That's exactly what the cover story is in my current congo, but if you could visit for a few sessions you might see what I mean.

  Ugly? Spiritually Weak? Poor Diction?

  Back of the bus Baby!
• 

  jayhawk1

  So why did or do you go if you think that poorly of that particular congregation?
• 

  JWdaughter

  My cong. had 3 schools! I never thought or felt that there was any class distinction there as we all rotated pretty reg. My mom was super shy and I know would bow out if put in 1st. I was in all of them at one time or another. Sometimes the only fun in the meeting was during the schools, and it happened more in the first school, IMO, because people are more scared up there-therefore they are more self conscious and make funnier mistakes. But I have a weird sense of humor.

  Shelly
• 

  mama bear

  -- The second school is for congregations who have so many students that it takes too long for them to have a talk assignment and have a continuous learning experience. If its too long between talk assignments, the counsel and training is lost. The theory is that students will have assignments more often. Yes, it is advantageous for some who are shy to have their talks in the second school. We rotated everyone evenly, one in the front, next in the back and so on. It wasn't second string or the short bus. It was a second school. Also, The second school is dismissed after the first three parts on the school. THere is no seperate instruction talk of Bible highlights, these are in the front only. The second school is for student talks only. That's how its done everywhere unless there are two congregations in one building, maybe then there are two schools. Logically that would follow if there are two congregations.

  There's no mystery here or segregation according to abilities. One side effect is that many who are shy about being in front of a large group insist on giving talks in the second school or they wont be in the school Often that accomadation is made. I conducted the silly thing for quite awhile. --

  And this is how it was in all congregations we attended. However, the last one had such a low attendance with the consequent high absentee rate creating a cancellation of the second school most Thursday evenings and the talks in the front school were mostly impromptu, not even substitute because there was never notice the assigned student was not going to show. It was hilarious. I must have gone 2 years without ever having a counsel point because all my talks were impromptu and the school overseer felt to schedule me to give a talk would take me off his pool of talent for the impromptu. Hard to find anyone to ask when the Instruction Talk is being given if they would take the #3 talk up front because the student never showed up at the Hall. How many times our family were the only ones on the platform? Hubby giving Instruction talk...my daughter or granddaughter doing the number 3 and me doing a number 4. Even the School overseer was family! Our son in law!
• 

  Fe2O3Girl

  Mama Bear - you must be missed!

  I occasionally stepped in at the last minute to give a talk too. My marvellous JW ex-husband refused to ever volunteer. He said that he prepared and turned up to do his own assignments - why should he cover if someone else didn't?

  Anyway, there was no distinction between the main hall and the second school in the congregation I attended. I can't imagine the elders in that congregation making any concessions to people who felt nervous in the main hall.

  Also, the room itself was called the second school. It was never referred to as a baby room. It had wide sliding glass doors to the main hall so it could be opened up as an extra seating area. I wonder if they still need to use it?