During the school year 1968/69 an outside survey showed about half the students at a junior high school in Berkeley, California had used drugs ranging from nicotine to alcohol to “speed.” There was quite a bit of abuse involved especially from overdoses of reds (seconal).

Midway through the year, the Dean of Boys compiled a list of suspected drug abusers and gave the counselors the names of their counselees who were on the list. About 15 out of the 25 on the list were my counselees. The boys heard about the list through the grapevine and started to discuss their habits with me quite freely. It developed that about ten of them met regularly once or twice a week to discuss—among other things—their personal use of drugs. They said they would like to have me meet with them, if possible. We then decided to hold regular weekly meetings.