September

After many hours of deliberation, of us, take the Honor Class to the the Honor Class was born. Briefly, Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. this is how it operates: The jailer also takes any member The man who presides is a who wishes to attend his church on former revolving-door drunk whom Sunday mornings. 1 ordered to attend AA meetings It must be pointed out that not . Help for the Revolving Door Drunk eight years ago. He recently celebrated his seventh year of sobriety. all ‘graduate’ at the same time, as they serve sentences of different The meetings which are held in lengths. Nor are all required to by G. Randell Whitmeyer the City Courtroom each Wednes- attend the class. They are prividay from 8:30 to 9:30 closely fol- leged to attend if they so desire. 1 . low the AA form, beginning with Some in the present class have at- The author is City Judge of Shreveport, Louisiana; he writes of his the Serenity Prayer and calling on tended two or three other classes. concern with the apparently most obdurate alcoholic o f all, the one who individuals to relate their drinking One Honor Class graduate who spends more time in jail than out of it. Judge Whitmeyer’s initial concern experiences. The Twelve Steps of could neither read nor write has led him to take action; the results of his action remind us once again that Alcoholics Anonymous hang on the been attending adult education “there are no hopeless cases.” classes at night. His teacher bewall and it is surprising how soon the men and women learn them. came so interested that he came to Thirteen men, twelve. white and one of the sessions. S EVERAL months elapsed between the time I was elected City Judge and the time I was sworn reside, and work to produce food.) Other times they were ordered to attend AA meetings for specified one Negro, comprised the’ first Honor Class meeting. Word got around and soon alcoholics from the street, Prospective employers come to offer jobs. Ministers come on invitation (some admittedly come out into office, ten years ago. Being periods of time, while still others being assured that they were wel- of curiosity) and often come back cognizant of the fact that seventy- were paroled to AA members to come, began to attend. The third to offer their services. One minister five per cent of all cases that appear assist as they saw fit. class is now in session and some- visited on Wednesday and when he in City Court are directly or in- In 1955, the state sent me to the times as many as forty are in at- stepped into his pulpit on Sunday directly attributable to alcoholism, Yale University School on Alcohol- tendance. he told his congregation that he had I began to make definite plans. ism where I learned that alcoholism I sit in the audience, speaking prepared a sermon, but he was go- I invited twelve members of Al- is an illness and that alcoholics need only when called upon by the ‘chair’ ing to tell them about the Honor coholics Anonymous to sit beside continued help. Since then I have or when I ask permission to make Class instead. me on the bench on the two days redoubled my efforts to help the an announcement or a comment. Wholesale and retail clothing each week when drunks appeared problem drinker in every way I can. The meetings progress in an order- firms, individuals and dry-cleaning before me. These men alternated But the ‘revolving-door’ drunk, ly fashion and after the business establishments donate clothing so and gave generously of their time. the one who gets out of jail on Fri- has been disposed of, coffee and that the men and women leave jail They helped me screen problem day and is back in jail on Monday, doughnuts are served to everyone, in presentable clothes when their drinkers and suggested means of continued to worry me. Here was participants as well as audience. sentences are completed. handling them. Sometimes the men the man who needed help most of The jailer, the City Marshal and Sister Germaine of Schumpert were sentenced to the Parish Prison all and there was no program for Farm in order to give them time to the Clerk of the Criminal Court at- Sanitarium, who has had intensive him. I kept seeing the same faces training in the treatment of the aldry out. (The farm is part of our tend all sessions and cooperate in before me month after month. Sure- coholic and who helped to set up penal program where the prisoners every way they can. Each Thursday ly there was something I could do. the alcoholic ward at the hospital, night either the jailer or I, or both

attended a recent meeting. She will persuade its members to continue pursue her studies further at Rut- to work closely with Alcoholics gers School of Alcoholism. With Anonymous. With more and more her came Sister Benedict who is in people becoming interested (both charge of the mental ward at the AA members and others), I can’t same hospital. The backing of these help but feel optimistic. If we save two dedicated women gave the pro- just one person, we will have acgram a shot in the arm. complished something, but we hope The Honor Class is designed to to save many.