Page 20 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2017- Online Magazine

While there, his duties covered He had uncles on both sides of his
all areas of church ministry, i.e., family who died in their early 40s
preaching, teaching, counseling, due to addiction. Carl, himself, had
working with the youth, etc. It was never had a drink until middle-
a great opportunity and a special age. But one ill-fated day, he
time in our lives. decided that if he was going “to
preach against it,” he probably
One special highlight occurred ought to know what drinking was
when Carl challenged the kids about. Unfortunately, he knew
of First Methodist to make a instantly that this could, indeed,
commitment to fill the entire north be a problem. It did become a
side of the church sanctuary with serious problem. For years, his
500 junior high, high school, and alcoholism exacted a serious toll
college students. They did it! That on his personal life as well as our
event, which happened over fifty family life.
years ago, is still talked about today!
On December 12, 1982, our children
Around this time, Texas and I put him on a plane to
Technological College hired Carl Minnesota for the Hazelden Alcohol
(part-time) to teach courtship and Addiction Treatment Program. He
marriage courses. That connection returned to Texas Tech in January
eventually proved to be a very with a fresh and new understanding
significant step in our lives. of this baffling family disease
of addiction. His teaching, his
The church at Albany was his third counseling, and other areas of his
ministerial assignment. Texas ministry began to move in a new
Tech administrators called every and very different direction.
semester to offer him a teaching
position at Tech. In December He began to work with his
1968, Carl accepted. He taught the department chair and the dean
following semester at Tech, driving of his college in laying the
back and forth between Lubbock groundwork for courses that would
and Albany in order to fulfill both provide insight and enlightenment
obligations. on the nature of alcohol and drug
addiction. His Courtship and
His courses in Courtship and Marriage classes had always been
Marriage were popular electives filled to overflowing numbers,
for Tech students. This resulted but these new courses in the field
in monster classes with waiting of addiction attracted even more
lists from students who wanted his students. His counseling practice
classes. At the same time, he earned became more and more consumed
another Masters degree in the field with addiction issues and family
of Education. The next leg of the despair.
journey took us to Florida State
University in 1971 for his PhD in Carl became aware of an incredible
Psychology. need for a standard for licensed
addiction counselors. He worked
Texas Tech called again with a with his dean and spent time in
timely offer. Carl was invited Austin lobbying for a standardized
to serve as chairman of the training program for addiction
Department of Marriage & Family counselors. He traveled to
Life at Texas Tech. In 1974, we treatment programs across the
returned to Lubbock for the third nation and studied their programs.
time.
He offered the courses he was
Carl had grown up with an teaching for a number of summers
awareness that alcohol and drug at the State University of New York
abuse were very serious problems. and the University of Vermont.

20 Lubbock Senior Link