Conventions

The Convention is an important feature of American life and this was the convention season. Wherever | now travelled whole hotels had been given over to this form of entertainment; conventions of air hostesses, of barbers, of Daughters of the American Revolution*, and others. Later in Denver, there was a convention of the Dale Carnegie* Courses for making friends and influencing people, becoming more successful and happier, getting better jobs with bigger incomes. Aiter luncheon | went to a convention of Alcoholics Anonymous at a neighbouring hotel. “Anonymous’’ was hardly the word, since we were all given tickets, with our names and addresses, to pin on our breasts, and it was with embarrassment that I observed some of the delegates peering at mine with unabashed curiosity. A panel of ten alcoholics, of both sexes, with a parson among them, each in turn recited a kind of confession: “My name is ... and I am an alcoholic. I have not had a drink since November 18th, 19... I have been sober twenty-four hours a day since April 9th, 19... .’’ Each then proceeded to recount the circurmstances of his conversion.