I remember it, and it was BAAAAAAAAAD.
If I am not mistaken, we were at the old Ex grounds in Toronto. Hotter than hell on a bad day.
How many remember the 1969 8 day convention?
by seek2find 110 Replies latest jw experiences
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VM44
I tried to visit jwproclaimers.org to see if there are any audio files there from that 1969 convention, but the site's password has been changed!
--VM44
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formyboys
I went to the Dogder Stadium in '69 when I was 11. It was one of the best memories I have of an assembly, though now I don't know how we endured sitting in the sun partly covered by umbrellas. The snow cones, fresh squeezed orange juice, HUGE tents for meals, colors of snacks and soda stand out. My dad would go early to help and save seats for all our extended family, My grandma would bring 3 or 4 pair of binoculars and they would get passed around all the cousins. We had a large house with a pool and we had "roomers" and distant family staying with us, so the kids all slept on the floor in the living room. It was like a giant pool and slumber party every night. Little by little, as the years went by, the "Society" mainstreamed any joy or sense of commraderie and spontaneity out of all of the assemblies.
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Mulan
Mulan, do you remember the woman getting killed on the roller coaster tracks? Or is that a figment of our collective imagination?
I do not remember hearing about that at the time. Later I heard the story but it wasn't at Vancouver. I suspect it is an urban legend.
For one thing, you could not have crossed the tracks, as a shortcut to anywhere. If she fell out, that's another subject, but I can't see how she could have done that either. I'm sure they would have closed the ride if that happened, and they didn't.
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seek2find
Mulan said: Dave walked across the street to a store and I made sandwiches on my lap, to lots of dirty looks from the other conventioneers.
I think you were way ahead of your time on this one. Now everyone eats food they brought from the outside. Another example of the shifting standards of the organization. We probaly wood have gotten dirty looks if we had said that all the info about 1975 was nonsense also. seek2find
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NanaR
I was in Atlanta too!! I worked washing pots and pans under the kitchen tents for a big part of that assembly. Boy was that hot work!! I was doing that at the time F. Franz gave his talk and released "Then is Finished the Mystery of God".
I was 16 years old, getting ready to start my senior year of high school.
My Dad usually worked in First Aid at conventions (he was a Chiropractor). I seem to remember some bad things happening, such as people keeling over with sun stroke and a baby dying after falling off of its mother's lap from a high seat.
How in the world did we ever survive those things?
Ruth
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NanaR
I was at NYC in 1958 also. I was 5 1/2. I remember a few things. The Hotel room where we stayed was so dirty that my mother wouldn't let me out of bed without my shoes on.
I drank my first bottle of coca cola sitting under a bridge with my Mom and sister and grandma. We were waiting for my Dad to get back from the convention rooming office so we could be directed to the flea-bag hotel where we stayed.
Ruth
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NanaR
A blast from the past:
Here is the convention schedule and a related article from the 1969 Watchtower. Yes, the one in Atlanta was an 8 day assemby, but some were shorter. The program ran all day and all evening in any case.
The article is encouraging people who are studying to " Make it your first assembly". What were they thinking?
Imagine the cost of staying in a motel for 8 nights with a family!! I don't know how my poor parents did it -- but we NEVER missed a single assembly.
This is the info:
Watchtower, 1969, March 15 issue p. 189 "Why Not Make It Your First Assembly?"
WHATTOANTICIPATE
Perhaps you are wondering what actually takes place at one of these larger assemblies. Let’s take a look at the activities of one day as noted in a typical program. At nine o’clock in the morning the first brief session opens with song, followed by a fifteen-minute discussion of the Bible text for that day as set out in the YearbookofJehovah’sWitnesses. Then, after prayer for Jehovah’s blessing on the field ministry, many of those in attendance move out to share in the house-to-house visits, spreading the Kingdom message and distributing invitations to the assembly. Some who have never shared in this service go along as observers with experienced Witnesses. As time permits they may also see some of the historic sites and other places of interest in the vicinity of the convention city.
After the midday meal the conventioners again assemble. Some delightful, real-life experiences are recounted by Witnesses from various parts of the earth, and then follow the afternoon sessions. These may include short Bible lectures, interesting demonstrations having to do with the ministry of Jehovah’s witnesses, and perhaps a fascinating Bible drama enacted by Witnesses dressed in appropriate costume.
Next, there is an adjournment for some two hours, offering opportunity to go and enjoy a meal with other friendly delegates at the assembly’s well-organized cafeteria. Here there is time to chat and get acquainted with other Witnesses, young and old, from various parts of the country. Then the evening sessions continue until about 9 p.m. Throughout the entire day the program is marked by variety and a wealth of information that grips the attention of the audience. And every part of the program brings to view new slants on Bible information—things you may never have thought about before.HOWITCANBEDONE
Watchtower, 1969, January 15 issue p. 63:
InternationalConventionsPlannedFor1969
July6-13: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A.; Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. (tentative).July7-13: Yankee Stadium, New York, N.Y., U.S.A. (includes Spanish).July13-20: Empire Stadium, Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Fairgrounds Grandstand, Pomona, Calif., U.S.A. (Spanish).July14-20: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.A.July21-27: White Sox Park, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A. (includes Spanish); Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. (tentative).July29–Aug.3: Wembley Stadium, London, England.Aug.5-10: Colombes Stadium, Paris, France; Sports Park, Copenhagen, Denmark.Aug.10-17: Zeppelinwiese, Nuremberg, Germany; Palazzo dello Sport, Rome, Italy.Aug.13-17: Palazzo dei Congressi, Rome, Italy (Greek, Spanish).Oct.12-16: Changchoong Gymnasium, Seoul, Korea.Oct.14-19: Tokyo, Japan.Oct.18-21: Taipei, Taiwan; City Hall Theater, Hong Kong, China.Oct.22-26: Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippine Republic.Oct.24-26: Port Moresby, Papua.Oct.26-31: Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne, Australia.Nov.4-9: Auckland Trotting Club, Auckland, New Zealand.Nov.9-12: Town Hall, Suva, Fiji; Papeete, Tahiti.Nov.11-16: Honolulu International Center (Arena), Honolulu, Hawaii.Dec.24-28: Mexico Arena, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Ruth
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seek2find
Hey Ruth, That talk that Franz gave. Was that the one that just about the time it was over with a Thunderstorm was brewing and just before he released the book there was a big bolt of lightning and then it started pouring rain? Or am I thinking about another year. I went to Atlanta more than once. seek2find
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new boy
Your right of course it was 1966 for the first drama.......the older you get your mind starts to go.