Alcoholism
THE BATTALION Page 3
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1975
AA treatment program has high success rate
■ ■: - •: ; ■ &
Will Betsy stop before it’s too late?
Ed. note. Betsy is not the actual
name of the person interviewed but
all the accounts are factual. This is in
accordance with the policy of Al
coholics Anonymous to protect its
members’ names.
By JIM CRAWLEY
Staff Writer
Betsy is a working woman with
grown children.
Betsy is just like other American
women with only one exception,
Betsy has been a recovering al
coholic for 15 years. This was after
10 years of battle with the disease.
What does she attribute her re
covery to? Alcoholics Anonymous
(AA).
AA has been in existence since
1935 and presently has approxi
mately 450,000 members through
out the world.
The AA treatment program has
the highest success rate of any of the
present forms of alcoholism treat
ment. Many professionals agree
that AAer’s high degree of success
can be placed on his belief in a
higher power.
AA is the purest and simplest
form of behavioral modification, but
we don’t call it that because it’s
more of a way of life,” said Betsy
“We feel that anything containing
alcohol is poison to the alcoholic.”
Betsy also described AA as a
spiritual, but not religious program.
She added that each person within
This is the eighth part in a series.
AA has his own way of thinking and
is not forced to do anything.
AA has 12 steps that form the
basis of the organization.
Some of the steps to AA’s cure of
alcoholism are:
•I “Admit we are powerless over al
cohol — that our lives have be
come unmanageable.
• “Come to believe that a Power
greater than ourselves could re
store us to sanity.
• “Make a searching and fearless
moral inventory of ourselves.
• '“Make alist of all persons we have
harmed, and become willing to
make amends to them all.
• “Make direct amends to such
people wherever possible, ex
cept when to do so would injure
them or others.
• “Continue to take personal inven
tory and when we are wrong
promptly admit it.”
Betsy said these steps are used
daily by the members of AA to re
mind them of their need to keep
from taking the FIRST drink.
How does AA work? Betsy exp
lains.
“The main idea behind AA is that
you, an alcoholic, give up alcohol for
one day at a time. It’s not all that
easy, but the idea seemed to be too
simple to me.”
Should a person call AA they will
try to arrange a meeting between
one of the members and the person
in need. Regular attendance at
meetings is encouraged. During the
first weeks and months the new
member will be contacted by phone
everyday. Many long-term mem
bers call each other during the week
to talk over their problems.
“You can’t fool yourself and think
you can take the first drink,” said
Betsy, “and not take the next and
the next.”
The average AA group meeting
begins with the reading of AA’s
preamble. This is followed by a
reading from “Alcoholics Anonym
ous” the Big Book’ on how AA
works. The members then describe
their problems, thoughts and emo
tions. This self-expression also in
cludes how they became alcoholics.
“Together we learn how to cope
without alcohol, because the al
coholic uses his drinking to cope
with his problems,” added Betsy.
New members are ‘sponsored’by
other AAers. These sponsors help
the new members if necessary.
Another unique aspect of the AA
program is the emphasis on a higher
power. Different members will de
scribe this higher power by differ
ent names, but all agree that this
higher power is needed for their re
covery from the alcoholic illness.
Currently the Bryan-College Sta
tion group holds three meetings
each week. Two of the meetings are
only open to AA members, while
the third is open to all interested
people. The meetings usually last
approximately an hour and a half.
The closed meetings are on Sun
day, 8 p.m. at the A&M Pre
sbyterian Church and Tuesday at
the Faith United Church of Christ
in Bryan at 8 p.m. The open meet
ing is held at Faith United on Friday
at 8 p.m. The telephone number for
AA is 822-0933.
As Betsy left she had one last
comment.
“You can keep from drinking by
placing a phone call, it only costs a
dime.”
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Soleri poses mega-cities
as solution to expansion
i
1
By DON MIDDLETON
Staff Writer
Miniature “mega-cities’ were the
order of the day Thursday as
philosopher-architect Paolo Soleri
presented his theories of architec
tural design.
The lecture was a part of Ecofair
Wheelmen
take first
Tlie A&M Wheelmen won the
top places in the racing event of the
second annual Bike-A-Thon April 5
in College Station.
David Champlin crossed the
finish line first after covering the
30-mile route in one hour and 45
minutes.
Placing second through fifth were
Gerry Guthrie, Todd Kratz, Doyle
Gougler and Kent Douglas.
The 390 cyclists represented
sponsors who pledged more than
$12,000 for The Boys Clubs of
Bryan.
’75, and dealt with the problems and
possible solutions of our rapidly ex
panding cities.
Soleri, a former student of ar
chitect Frank Lloyd Wright, pre
sented his ideas with a series of
slides depicting models and sculp
tures.
The native Italian bases his
theory of design on the premise that
as a city grows in population, it must
begin to shrink in size in order to
keep its inhabitants in a state of in
teraction with each other.
As a result of his studies of the
urban nature of man, Soleri has de
signed an experimental complex cal
led “Cosanti”. Cosanti consists of
free-form buildings and revolutio
nary earth structures which serve as
studios, offices and residences for
Soleri and his staff.
Cosanti is located in the Arizona
desert. Most of Soleri’s work is
oriented to existence in the arid en
vironment.
His models predict the use of
solar energy to grow crops, heat the
cities and provide energy for other
power needs.
Soleri has coined the word “Ar-
cology” to describe the blending of
architecture and ecology in design
ing his current project — Arcosanti.
Arcosanti is a village located on
ten acres of desert which will even
tually house 3,000 people.
The village contains residences,
greenhouses, amphitheaters and a
swimming pool, eliminating roads
and other unused open spaces
which increase a city’s size and de
crease its efficiency.
The structure is being built by
students who come from all over the
country to spend six weeks and over
$300 to work with Soleri.
Soleri’s other designs include
dams which are also cities, cities
which are also super-airports, and
megalopolises which support up to a
million people in and above in a five
square mile area.
TODAY
CHESS CLUB meets at 7 p.m. in the MSC. Check
the bulletin board for room.
PHI SIGMA meets at 3 p.m. in room 103 Zachry to
hear Dr. O. T. Howard of Baylor University
speak on "Urban Geology."
CLASS OF ’76 is having a "Blow Out" from 8 to 12
p.m. at Indian Lake. Admission is $2 for girls, $3
for guys. All the beer you can drink.
ANIMAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT sponsors a
graduate lecture by Dr. Jim Coffman of the Uni
versity of Missouri-Columbia. He will speak at 4
p.m. in room 601 of the Rudder Tower on acute
inflammation of horses* leg tissues.
AGGIE PLAYERS present a night of theatre at 8 p.m.
in the Forum. Admission is 50 cents.
TAMU FLYING CLUB meets at 8 p.m. in room 229
of the Chemistry Bldg.
MUSLIM STUDENTS ASSOCIATION meets in
room 502 of the Tower at 8 p.m. for a discussion of
current affairs.
THE COMMITTEE meets at 8 p.m. in the Student
Government office. All new members are in
vited.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY
WOMEN meets at 7:45 at the Faith United
Church, College Rd. at Williamson in Bryan.
DR. JAMES COFFMAN of the University of Mis
souri Middlebush Equine Center will speak at 2
and 4 p.m. The first lecture, to be held in the
Veterinary Medicine Science Building deals with
abdominal ailments, and the second in the Rud
der Tower focuses on acute inflammation of the
leg tissues.
SATURDAY
CHINESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION meets at 2
p.m. in the All Faiths Chapel.
AGGIE PLAYERS present a night of theatre at 8 p. m.
in the Forum. Admission is 50 cents.
STUDENT Y is sponsoring a Decathlon at Hensel
Park from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. Tbe $2 entry fee goes
to charity. Pick up forms in room 216 of the MSC.
EL PASO HOMETOWN CLUB meets for a picnic at
Lake Somerville. All those going should meet at
the MSC parking lot at 10 a.m.
MONDAY
OCEANOGRAPHY SEMINAR will feature Lamar
Roemer speaking at 3:30 in room 112 of the OficM
Building on the geology of the Beata Ridge.
TUESDAY
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY meets
at 7:30 p.m. in room 305 Fermier to elect next
year’s officers.
WEDNESDAY
BRYAN COUNCIL OF STUTTERERS meets at
8:15 p.m. at the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation
Center.
PRE-LAW SOCIETY meets at 7:30 p.m. in room 607
of the Rudder Tower to elect officers.
MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY sponsors a symposium
on cancer from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. in the MSC and
on the 3rd floor of the Rudder Tower.
THURSDAY
A&M/COLLEGE STATION AMERICAN LEGION
meets at 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Bank of A&M
for officer elections.
AGGIELAND FLOWER & GIFT
209 UNIVERSITY
SPECIAL CORSAGES
FOR THE JUNIOR
CLASS BALL
CUSTOM DESIGNED
ov:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:
APPLICATIONS FOR MEETING ROOMS
IN THE UNIVERSITY CENTER COMPLEX
FOR RECOGNIZED STUDENT ORGANI
ZATIONS, CLUBS, AND GOVERNING
BODIES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR THE
1975 FALL SEMESTER (AUG. 16 — DEC.
31) IN THE SCHEDULING OFFICE, 2nd
FLOOR, RUDDER TOWER BEGINNING
ATS A.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 15,1975. AP
PLICATION FORMS MAY BE OBTAINED
IN THE SCHEDULING OFFICE. RE
QUESTS WILL BE CONFIRMED BEFORE
THE END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER.
Blow-out and class ball
The Junior Class will hold a Blow-Out tonight from 8 to 12 p.m. at
Indian Lake and the Junior Class Ball from 8 to 12 p.m. Saturday in the MSC
ballroom. The price for the Blow-Out is $3 for guys and $2 for girls, with all
the beer you can drink.
Basement auditions
The Basement Committee has a meeting scheduled at 8:00 p.m. in the
Basement Coffeehouse. Anyone wishing to audition at this time should
contact a committee member.
India Association movie
The movie “Abhimaan,” complete with English subtitles, will be shown
by the India Association at a meeting at 7:30 p.m., April 12, in Room 102 of
the Zachry Engineering Center. Admission is free for Americans and $1.50
for others.
Chinese memorial
A special memorial service for Chiang KaiShek will be held in the All
Faiths Chapel at 2:00 p.m., April 12. The service is sponsored by the
Chinese Student Association.
CPA review course
A Certified Public Accountants Review Course will be conducted this
Saturday morning from 9 to 12 in Room 219 of the Old Engineering Build
ing. Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor fraternity, is sponsor.
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At noon were all hamburgers.
After 5, its seafood, chicken fried
steak and table service.
Everyone knows about 3C Corral burgers. After 5, the
Corral features seafood (shrimp, catfish and hush pup
pies) and a generous chicken fried steak (plus french
fries and salad).
Table service for family dining after 5. And drive-thru
service from 10-9 for take-home orders of seafood and
barbecue.
3-C Corral
29th Street to Barak Lane
Across from Bryan High School
693-2721
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f f ~Eddie Dominguez ’66
[TyrYTk 1 Joe Arciniega ’74 -
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If you want the real
Fthing, not frozen or
{canned ... We call It
"Mexican Food
I Supreme.”
Dallas location:
'3071 Northwest Hwy.
352-8570
THE
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Great selections in Jrs and
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—J Manor East Mall — Bryan