Seat wars and Nazi attendents

highdose

memories of assemblys gone by...

Does anyone remember Crystal place assemblies? The Jubliee stand was THE stand to be in, because it got the shade in the afternoon, wereas all the other stands would be frying. I rember there was a mad insane dash for those seats everyday. One family i know came back from lunch break to find all their bags had been thrown in the asile and someone else had taken their seats!

Of course the nice thing about Crystal place was that the park ( with the dinosuars) was just next door, and in theory you could hear the program from there... on the other hand of course you could just wander around in the cool shade;)

I remember that the eldery/infirm section and the mother and baby section was for many years right in the spot were it would be swealtering heat all day! but at least you could walk around the place. Now where the nazi attendents really came into their own was at Gillingham and Twickenham assemblies, were you would be constandly barked at to keep moving, " do you really need that seat sister?" and " your not allowed in this section!"

ahhhh happy days (!) i'm sure other brits will have better memories than mine...?

Simon Morley

I am always amazed that everyone rushes for the front/best seats at a SAD/CA/DC but never at a meeting at the hall. The opposite occurs - everyone rushes for the back seats. Go figure?

BluesBrother

remember Crystal place assemblies

Oh yes ! it was the most uncomfortable place to be. It had only limited covering, in fact limited everything. I saw some real arguments over the covered seats. (NB in London U K the weather can be either hot sweltering, or cold, or wet in the Summer)

I don't think that I ever served as an attendant there , so I am glad that I was not one of those Nazi's - on that occasion anyway..

I did serve in the first aid at Crystal Palace, that was an education in human nature and was not for those that would be easily "stumbled"..

BTW to explain that the dinosaurs in the park were large statues of dinos that looked out of the foliage at you....

highdose

do tell? what was it like in first aid? i bet you saw some heat stroke vitims?

OnTheWayOut

Next to Chicago, IL in Cicero was the Hawthorne Racetrack (horse track) The grandstands were indoors with a vast glass wall and the speaker platform was outside across the track. Speakers dealt with the wind and rain and heat (mostly heat) while the audience was indoors in the AC. One section of seats was for the high rollers- the Gold Cup Room. It was near the center and had the most plush seats with small tables at each seat.

People would have their preteen and teen kids pushing their way past the crowd when the doors opened and they would sprint to the Gold Cup Room. They were instructed to basically ignore anyone who told them not to run, "JUST KEEP GOING." The Gold Cup Room was a long way from the entrances and would fill up within 4 or 5 minutes of opening. Some attedants and volunteers who were already inside the place would typically already be near the Gold Cup Room when the front doors opened and they would snatch more than 75% of those seats before the kids could get up there. Families often encouraged one member to do volunteer assignments just so they could get those coveted seats.

mrsjones5

When I was a child our district assemblies were at Oakland Coliseum. What I loved about going there was we would have umbrellas with clamps to attach to the stadium seats. The sunny sections would be a sea of umbrellas. Other than keeping the sun off, the umbrella were great to catch a snooze under.

weirdbeard

I remember being at the Astrodome in Houston walking around with some friends when we came up to this upper level that was guarded by two "brothers." We were stopped by them but allowed to go in because my friends said they wanted to see some of their relatives who were inside. Inside the big guarded doors were the luxury boxes. A few small rooms with about 15-20 plush, non-gummy disgusting seats. The point of this was I saw my friend's realtives who drove a Hummer and various extremely high end cars and in another room, a family that had multiple Lexus (Is the plural Lexi?). I don't even think all the seats in the room were filled- just taken up by one family. Way too high class to sit with any of their brothers and sisters plebs. I told my mom and I know it bothered her, but wonderful person that she is, she just said "well I'm sure there must be some reason why they are there"

mrsjones5

Elder families got the box seats at the Oakland Coliseum. I know that cuz I got to sit there once with my uncle's family (he was an elder).

LongHairGal

I also remember volunteering for food service at a D.C. and coming back to find our belongings moved. That was the last time I ever volunteered!

I also remember many years ago at a D.C. a crazy attendant thought he was going to make me and my friend move. He really seemed mentally unhinged to me. I had no intention of going anywhere and said so out LOUD. I was in a very bad mood and was on my last nerve and was sufficiently unchristian and unladylike to make a real scene.

I think this guy thought he was going to unseat us and put his friends where we were.

VIII

I remember flying for those seats at Hawthorne Race Track. I never was quick enough. I had a cousin who could run like the wind. She would get ahead of the pack and could get in front of all the boys, would shove her way in and, voom, she was in. She would put song books, bibles, and mags on every seat she could for as many family members as possible.

More than once though we sat outside in the heat, rain and humidity. Those were the days. I thought they'd never end.

Seat wars and Nazi attendents

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