A.A.'s Country-wide News Circuit

When the Plainfield, N. J., Group was in its infancy and the meetings small, new members attending their first gatherings were the center of attraction and got plenty of A.A. help. Growth was so rapid during the next year and the attendance so great at the Friday night meetings that new members were quite often taken for oldtimers from neighboring groups and unintentionally neglected during a period when A.A. was required in big doses. To overcome this condition a New Men's meeting was inaugurated and has been held each Monday night, the purpose being to indoctrinate quickly the new men in the program principles and to acquaint them better with their fellow alcoholics. Meetings are of an informal, educational nature and attendance has averaged over 30. Few who have attended regularly have had trouble regaining or maintaining sobriety. . . Finding that many women had difficulty in making the A.A. program, the Plainfield Group decided to give women early and proper A.A. help to carry them past the first enthusiasm, which was found to wane too often. To remedy this and to promote better understanding and friendship a New Woman's meeting was inaugurated about three months ago. Successful from the start, they are held semi-monthly at members' homes and are patterned very much along the same line as the New Men's meetings. Many women who previously had trouble with the program are reported to have benefited.