An examination of the ritual of "sharing time" in a first-grade classroom in the United States shows how it reaffirms the ideal model of a "Good Communicator," develops a concept of personhood as "Self-as-Autonomous-Person," and establishes respect for "Authority." Through the development of these three "sacred objects," sharing time functions as a "deeply cultured" event, affecting the way the children develop, interact, and learn to communicate appropriately as first-graders in their classroom. The children enact this ritual each day at school under the direction of their teacher. Although the teacher does not participate in the ritual, she functions as a guide by reaffirming and correcting the appropriate behavior for the students. This ritual reveals how a diverse, multi-ethnic classroom functions as a specific speech community. (Author/SR)