Family problems spurred Peter to quit school at eleven. Married with two kids, he did all kinds of casual jobs in between welfare bouts. Barely able to read, he’d kept a copy of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, with a hope that someday he might read it. Westmorland Institute, a minimum security prison, offered him a chance to get schooling. Today, he is one of several inmates involved in the“Turning a New Page” literacy program and is reading The Cat in the Hat for a books-on-tape lending project for District 2 schools.

I was the oldest in my family and went to grade three or four. I didn’t like school that much. I knew some words, like cat or dog. When I met my wife, she asked my why I didn’t go to school. I said, “money problems... stuff like that.” My wife is alone (now) and is going to have a hard time, but is happy that I’m going to school.

My parole officer got me transferred here, (Westmorland Institute), last spring. When I got here, I started school at 38. Before I was at Springhill. They asked me what I wanted to do: work or go back to school. I come at 8, go back home at 11:30, and come back from 1 until 4 o’clock.

Difficult words, I don’t understand and I can’t pronounce. They teach me how to pronounce words with long a’s and short a’s. The e’s and the i’s come out the same and were harder. I got a little frustrated a few times, but I got used to it. I worked through four levels with my tutor. The program helped me with my math, reading, and spelling... mostly in writing it. I write it down on paper and keep saying it until I get it.

Mike is my tutor. He looks at my work and checks it. I read books from the library. I have so many pages to do for a week and so many books for the end of the month. The teacher marks down a percent. The Cat in the Hat is a funny book. It helps kids and helps myself in reading too. There are a few words I gotta learn how to read. When I make the tape, I will feel good.

It’s changed my life, going back to school, catching up on my reading and writing. When I am ready to leave, if I need a little more schooling I will get that out there. After, I will see if I can go to training school. I can’t go home until August. My wife will work ‘til I get out. In the future, I hope to have a better job to take care of my family. I dreamed about having a house, family, and a good job.

Told by inmate, Peter O’Blenis, at Westmorland Institute, Dorchester NB