Do they still do the Written Review?

Funchback

I left in 2006. I seem to vaguely recall that the written review was no more but I can't say for sure.

So, do they still do it? Was (Is) it a waste of time?

I used to hate it.

That is so yesterday! It became the oral review at some point then phhht, disappeared. I remember when the sheets were handed out, collected and marked by the "Ministry School Servant". They were handed back the next week like an exam paper. For "servant" read "boss"

Hell's bells! The stuff we used to do.

Funchback

Slidin Fast-

My very first meeting was in 1977. I was 7. I was dragged to the meeting by my sister. It was Written Review. The dummies gave me the sheet. I had never studied the bible and had never been to a church. My first introduction to religion was a paper test about stuff I had never even heard of. I think I got a zero...LOL! I felt like a failure. smh

Damn cult!

steve2

Written review? Ugh! What a fired up memory that provokes. It was tedious beyond words but I was "lucky" enough to have - and still do - an older JW sister who knew everything and was vocal with it. With her within earshot, I was never stuck for "correct" answers.

Fencing

I remember the slow devolution of the Written Review. I remember when they handed the questions out during the meeting, but I don't remember other people grading the test. I remember the review was pretty often back then. Every 2 months I think? I seem to remember that you weren't allowed to use any publication other than the Bible during the test. There were written answers and multiple choice questions where you had to circle the right scripture. Then I remember when the question sheet started coming with the KM as an insert and you could study ahead of time. The school overseer would read off the right answers after time was up and everyone graded their own test. God, even thinking about all these years later makes me remember the unique smell of the KM paper.

Then they reduced the number of times a year to I think every 6 months? And the test got smaller and smaller. Then it turned into just another lame question-answer session for the "Oral Review". Then... poof. Gone. Just like everything else unique and interesting they used to do.

Divergent

We had that when I was a kid haha! I lt was funny on the rare occasion when newcomers walked into the hall in the midst of the review — they'll be thinking: WTF is going on??? Dozens of people each doing their own stuff in total silence. How strange! I was happy when the written review was done away with — it was simply weird and awkward. But so are the rest of the meetings anyway... LOL!

Pete Zahut

Ah yes....the rotten review. But for the sound of rustling bibles and the occasional cough, a hush would fall over the congregation. The mental activity and deep though was almost palpable...one would half expect to hear the Jeopardy theme song playing in the background.

I remember at our Hall they had these thin boards they used to hand out for you to lean on while you filled out the questions. A lot of the boards had graffiti and doodles on them, done I assume by bored teenagers over the decades ( AC/DC rules....Disco Sucks etc.)

Like an idiot I used to diligently fill out the questions and strove to get the right answers, until somewhere in early 2000 it dawned on me that all this stuff we were studying was little by little being changed no one gave a rip about the answers...it was all such a joke.

Simon

Our hall had wooden hardboard pieces that were handed out to write on. I'm not sure if they were used in the magazine packing at some point and built up a collection.

The funniest thing though was that people had drawn and written on them. Some cartoons of the elders, some speech bubbles and various swear words. No one ever seemed to read them other than us "youths" (I wonder now if it was simply a desire to ignore it, pretend it wasn't there).

We used to mark our own, then write the answers in as they went through the questions at the end. Full marks!

When we went with future Mrs congregation on a trip to London (to see Les Miserables, no Bethel for us, LOL!) the elder on the trip handed out a bible quiz sheet ... so I did the same. After going through all the answers he asked who'd got 20 right ... then 30 ... anyone all 40? ME!!

I "won" a giant packet of TicTac. Ha ha, not only does crime pay, but dishonesty convinces elders that you are very, very spiritual and knowledgeable. Shmucks.

NewYork44M

I remember as a kid in the 1960s where they would grade the papers. I guess that was when we were receiving a college education at the meetings.

smiddy

GEEEEZZZZ that does bring back memorys ,didnt they have scriptures to look up with the questions ? I`m going back to 1960 .

That reminded me also of the publisher record board that took primary position at the front of the hall with the congregations activities compared to the national averages.

Do they still do the Written Review?

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