The Poplar Standard

Area-Wide Forum Held on Alcoholism And Its Problems

A special meeting on alcoholism and related problems was held Tuesday at the Fort Peck tribal building with nearly 50 persons in attendance from over the county. The meeting, directed by Charles Chappell, Poplar businessman, was called by a committee of four citizens for the purpose of discussing the facts of alcoholism and its effects on the community.

John Kark Lee, of the Board of National Missions of the United Presbyterian Church of America, was present at the meeting and helped to guide the round table discussion. A recovered alcoholic himself, Lee was able to depict the need in the field of alcoholism therapy and to correct some misconceptions about the subject.

The need to obtain more accurate information of the amount and extent of the alcoholism problem in the county prompted the group to ask that the original committee, composed of Chappell, Dr. B. J. McLaverty, Rev. Miles Watkins and Dana McGowan, all of Poplar, be continued informally on an experimental basis to determine the value of such a committee.

A wide cross-section of the area's interested citizens was in attendance at the meeting. Among those present were: John Wimmer, Elmo Johnson, Judge Nels Lund, Rev. A. L. Davis, Rev. J. C. Harrison, Rev. Kenny Johnson, H. Bryan, Jr., Robert Wilkins, Rev.

Committee, or one of the above.

"One revelation to all who were present," said Chappell, "was the lack of facilities and trained personnel for work in alcoholism. Mr. Lee, however, who was in charge of a clinic for alcoholics in Philadelphia for five years, explained that therapeutic work of this sort can best be done by the interested sincere person who has at least acquaintance with both the alcoholic and the alcoholic's problem."

"It was not the intent to either criticize or discuss the benefits or evils of bottled alcohol in the area," he continued, "rather it was the central interest to help those who find alcohol a problem and who want and need help in its control. This helps to define the problem to an area where all groups have a real interest."

No definite time has been set for the next meeting of this type but persons who can furnish information to the committee have been asked to do so by contacting someone in their community who is a member of the committee or one of the above.