A.A.'s Country-wide News Circuit

From Wallkill, N.Y. State Prison The A.A. Grapevine's correspondent writes: "The average A.A. member may be interested to learn how A.A. can flourish and grow in prison. At Wallkill we have the whole-hearted cooperation of the clergy, the warden and his staff in our work, but it is the task of the inmate members to obtain inmate speakers. At first glance it may seem difficult to the outsider for us to contact men willing to tell their story before the group. The public, perhaps, thinks of men in prison as being cynical and intolerant and it is likely that at one time these men had those characteristics. However, for most, that is a thing of the past, due to the A.A. program. Each speaker, as he unfolds his life story, is listened to attentively by all and there is no scoffing as one might expect from an audience of inmates. As the listeners note the changes that have come over men who have made frank admission of their faults they are encouraged to speak also. These men see that the speakers are not looking for sympathy but are gaining courage through A.A. to face life again when they are released. They have come to the realization that there is nothing they can do about the past but there is much they can do in the future. The program committee, consisting of 10 members and a chairman, acts as a contact in arranging for inmate speakers and our programs have never been lacking for material."