Who here went to Pioneer School? (page 3)

simplesally

Mulan, yes it was Arlen. He was very amazing. I still appreciate the way he taught us to think and reseach.

Attended one of the first classes in France (around 1978 / 79). That was the relatively "bright" period in the history of WT literature, and the instructors were pretty open-minded. I remember the advice given by one of them: "Always read and study the Bible first, all the rest you will be obliged to do in time; if you don't put the Bible first you'll never really study it." This confirmed me in the idea of a somewhat "creative" service: use the Aid book, the interlinear etc. and create your own public talks (for "brothers" of course); use different translations; take advantage of any study tool; read Josephus if you want to understand the "first fulfillment" of Matthew 24 etc... About everything which was to be frowned upon a couple of years later.

I don't know what any of those people became.

ValiantBoy

Well I didn't put my instructors' names. We had Douglas Mercier and Lynn Godfrey. I was very fond of Mercier. His wife was the more dominant out of the two of them, but I liked her as well. I always thought it was strange because she did most of the driving and he was very sickly. She is the type that is almost too outspoken and often rubbed people the wrong way. A lof of people in my cong were very put out with her. But she was very encouraging to me. I was the only pioneer in my small cong and I would alternate betwenn being very discouraged and very full of myself. She spoke to me about the need to find joy in my service and also the need to be understanding of others' circumstances. She reminded me caring for one's family by working and caring for one's elderly parents was also a form a sacred service. I may be fortunate enough to have the circumstances to pioneer then, but someday, she reminded me, I probably wouldn't be pioneering. I would be doing the more mundane duties of caring for my family, and my sacred service would be less field service and more secular work to take care of my responsibilities. yet I and my endeavors would be no less valuable. Her husband also kept telling the local cong that I was not ready to be a servant. My cong elders started recommending me at 17. He kept encouraging them to wait. I was not appointed until the first visit of the new co, when I was 19. By that time I had moved to a larger cong.

Lynn Godfrey and his wife were nice. But they were both so meek and plain. It was very much the case that they faded into the background. I've often wondered how they made it into the co work.

I gave my class pic to my mom. I car pooled with two sisters from a neighboring cong. Texarkana was about a 100 miles from our home, so we stayed through the week. I even stayed the weekend because I enjoyed my host family so much. In fact, I later lived with them for 4 years and they became a second family for me. Of course, I lost them when I left. It's sad because I still love them very much. And underneath it all, I think they still love me.They just walk the WT line though. I still call the mom every year on their anniversary and she talks to me, but she's always really nervous like she's afraid someone's gonna catch her.. ...

pr_capone

I think it was 1996 in Wichita, KS but I dont recall the name of the hall. I was part of the West congregation though at the time. 2 other "young ones" from my hall went with me that year.

Kansas District Overbeer

tata

Yes, in 1997.

I really enjoy the two weeks so much that I want to take it again. I read and write everything they said. I?m still having de book. And of course I have the new one. I want to know, what they changed if they change something.

Mulan

My instructors were Guy Pierce, (yes of the GB)

He is from Seattle and we had him as a substitute CO one time. Very nice man. We knew his stepson, Tim, too, a very sweet, smart, hospitable young man. He was Chinese with a really pretty, blonde wife.

My instructors were Peter Michas (Greek origin, who knew a little Greek................helpful in a JW) and Bill Spangenburg. Peter was from Seattle and was trained as an opera singer. He would play piano and sing for us at lunchtime. He retired from the circuit work two years after our school, to care for his mother, who died almost immediately. He took a job singing at an Italian restaurant here in Seattle.

In this photo, I am the woman on the far right, front row.

wannaexit

I went to one of the earliest one in 1978.

I wasen't all what it was pumped up to be. But at the time I felt it was the greatest thing to to be able to go.

JustTickledPink

I went in 1990 when I was 16 yoa in Orlando, FL.

I still have a couple pics of it, but don't have the book. I just remember studying so much and sitting there for those long days. I know everyone around me kept commenting how wonderful and special this was... etc... how great the "spiritual food" was...

Honestly, I faked enthusiasm because it didn't seem all that special to me. I was kinda dissapointed, I thought it was going to be a lot more marvelous and it turned out to be like a 2 week assembly.

There was 1 lady with MS in our class and 1 brother in an electric wheelchair that I believe had suffered a stroke, that were trying to hard to pioneer.

I do remember the sister that put us up in her house gave us Klondike bars at night... that is probably my most VIVID memory! hahahaaa

LittleToe

I went sometime in the 80's and loved every tiring minute of it.
I was one of the bad boys on the back row, who had a running pseudo-squabble with one of the headstrong sisters about headship - LOL - we were both doing it for fun, to the chagrin of our instructors.

Our CO later ran off with her, and a good number left the ranks of the Pioneers or left the WTS completely.

I still have my book, at home. I undertand they updated it in the early 90's.

keeshah

I didn't have time to read though all the posts this morning, but I wanted to say...

YES! PUT THEM ON EBAY! I just got $125 for mine!!!

Anyway... I went somewhere between 1986-1989 in Cape Guerado (sp?) Missouri.

Who here went to Pioneer School?