Aa history Lovers 2004 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page

in the Oxford Group do not appear in any documents now known until almost

three years later. The later statements by various A.A. members purporting to

show that Rowland saw the light and joined the Oxford Group within a few days

or weeks after seeing Jung and never drank again (often accompanied by what

looks like an amazing amount of detail) seem to be on the whole totally

legendary. In fact, the later A.A. oral traditions about Rowland Hazard, for

some unknown reason, seem to show more in the way of free-floating creative

imagination and pure invention than almost any other part of early A.A.

history!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SELECTED REFERENCES FROM PROF. DUBIEL'S ENDNOTES

Winfield Scott Downs, *Men of New England*, vol. 4 (New York: American

Historical Co., 1947).

"Rowland Hazard Dead in 65th Year," *Providence Journal*, 21 December 1945.

Steve Dalpe and Rick Stattler, "A Guide to the Rowland Hazard III Papers,"

Rhode Island Historical Society, 1999.

Letter from Rick Stattler (Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts

Curator) to Richard M. Dubiel, 8 September 2003.

Courtenay Baylor, *Remaking a Man: One Successful Method of Mental Refitting*

(New York: Moffat, Yard, 1919).

Ernest Kurtz, *Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous* (Center City, MN:

Hazelden, 1979).

*Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age* (New York: A.A. Publishing, Inc., 1957).

R. Thomsen, Bill W. (New York: Harper & Row, 1975).

*"Pass It On" The Story of Bill Wilson and How the A.A. Message Reached the

World* (New York: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 1984).

Letter from Glenn F Chesnut, Professor of History, Indiana University (South

Bend), to Richard M. Dubiel, 17 October 2003.

Linda A. Mercadante, *Victims and Sinners: Spiritual Roots of Addiction and

Recovery* (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1996).

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++++Message 1823. . . . . . . . . . . . More on Fitz M

From: jlobdell54 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/19/2004 5:32:00 AM

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Just a reminder that Fitz was also a founder (present at the first

regular meeting) in Eastern PA, and in North Jersey, as well as MD

and DC. Also, I'm told, through Oscar V., the line in Kansas City

and CO (and probably other places too) also goes back to Fitz. You

might be interested to know that there is evidence his family called

him Hugh -- but we'll cover some of that at our panel in Eastern PA

(Elizabethtown) June 5. -- Jared

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++++Message 1824. . . . . . . . . . . . Capt. Jim Baxter dead at 79

From: NMOlson@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/22/2004 10:25:00 AM

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The following obituary appeared today:

James A. Baxter, New Bern, North Carolina

Saturday, May. 22, 2004

©The Virginian-Pilot

James Arthur "Jim" Baxter, 79, died May 21, 2004, at his home. Born Sept. 30,

1924, in Van Buren, Ark., he was the son of the late William Arthur Baxter and

Waisie Johnson Baxter. Jim was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of

1947, serving his country for 28 years as a naval officer, attaining the rank

of captain. During his military career, he commanded the USS Waldron and the

USS Dahlgren, as well as serving as Naval Attache in Warsaw, Poland. Jim

founded, organized and served as director for the Navy's Alcoholism Prevention

Program, for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit. After retiring from

active duty, he continued his fight against alcoholism by serving in the

allied field of Employee Assistance Programs, as executive director of ALMACA,

the national professional organization for those in the employee assistance

field. Jim is survived by his soul mate and wife, Karen; as well as three

daughters, Christine B. Philput, Ph.D., Winchenden, Mass. and her husband

Donald, Mary R. "Molly" Baxter and Elizabeth L. Baxter, both of Virginia

Beach; two stepsons, Clifton T. Hopper of Moorestown, N.J. and his wife

Barbara and Whitney Hopper of Overland Park, Kan. and his wife Pamela; and

five grandchildren including his namesake, James Philput and his wife Miranda,

Katherine Baxter, Ashley Hopper, Alexis Hopper and Brennan Hopper. A memorial

service will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at Cotten Funeral Home with full

military honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in

memory of Jim to Craven County Health Department Home-Health Hospice.

The following is an excerpt from my book "With a Lot of Help From Our Friends:

the Politics of Alcoholism" in which I discuss Jim's role:

"In late 1970 we held our first hearings specifically on drug abuse and

alcoholism in the military. We decided to have a panel of recovered alcoholics

who had suffered from alcoholism while in the military. So on December 3 this

panel testified in such a way that we could preserve their anonymity. Julien

Granger had met a young Army non-commissioned officer, Jim S., who had worked

â€" drunk â€" on nuclear warheads. I also invited Jim B., from the Navy, and

Hal M. a retired Air Force Colonel. Both Jim and Hal had held highly sensitive

intelligence positions during their military service and while they were still

drinking.

"When I telephoned Jim and Hal and asked them to testify, they agreed without

hesitation. Hal told me later that he had told his boss at the State

Department that he was going to testify. It was the first time he had told her

that he was as recovered alcoholic. She was very understanding.

"Jim had more of a problem with his superiors. Not long after I invited them

to testify, I received a call from the Pentagon. 'I understand that you have

invited [Jim B.] to testify before the subcommittee. Of course, this was done

informally â€" you didn't go through Navy channels â€" so I have no official

role here. But I wanted you to know that we believe he would be much more

comfortable about testifying if he could testify in civilian clothes instead

of in uniform.'

"'Of course,' I replied in as sweet a manner as I could muster, 'we want the

Captain to be as comfortable as possible so he may wear whatever he chooses.'

"Later that day I got a call from Jim. 'Nancy,' he said, 'I got a call from

the Pentagon. They are not too happy about my testifying and told me that they

want me to wear civilian clothes. Do you want me in uniform?'

"'Well, Jim,' I replied, 'we certainly want you to feel comfortable.' I then

told him of the call I'd had from the Pentagon. 'But if you'd feel just as

comfortable in uniform we sure would like to have you in uniform.'

"'Gotcha, kid,' he replied. He showed up for the hearing in uniform.

"When this panel was called to testify Hughes made the usual announcement that

they were testifying anonymously and there would be no pictures allowed which

showed their faces. 'It's O.K. to shoot the back of their heads' he added,

'but not their faces.' As they were testifying, one of the TV network

reporters approached me and whispered, 'We'd like to bring the cameras up to

the side to get a picture of their hands. We will not shoot their faces.' I

told him it would be O.K.

"I was puzzled about why they would want a shot of the witnesses' hands, but

my curiosity was satisfied when I watched the TV news that evening. True to

their word they showed no pictures of the faces. But there was a wonderful

shot of Jim's sleeve showing the gold braid of his Captain's rank. I suspect

there was apoplexy at the Pentagon.

"...

alcoholics as skid row bums. 'Do you feel like bums?' he asked. Jim B.

responded by raising his arm to show the gold braid.

"A few months later, Jim telephoned me. 'I heard a rumor that the Navy has

found a recovered Captain whom they are going to name to head the Navy's

alcoholism program. Do you know who it is? I'd like to contact him and ask him

for a job.'

'Jim, you're the only recovered Captain I am aware of; it's probably you.'

"'Oh, no,' he said, 'I'd certainly know if it were me. It's someone else.'

Well, my hunch was right. On August 22, 1971, he was installed as the first

Director of the Navy Alcohol Abuse Control Program. It grew rapidly in size

and effectiveness under Jim's able leadership and in January 1972, the Alcohol

Rehabilitation Center in Norfolk, Virginia, was commissioned. Other centers

were soon opened in Great Lakes, Illinois; San Diego, California; and

Jacksonville, Florida, all patterned after Zuska's Long Beach facility.

Smaller units were opened in a total of fourteen Naval Hospitals, and

Alcoholic Rehabilitation "Drydocks" were planned as outpatient resources at

strategic locations all over the world.

"...

"It seems that all the recovered naval officers still on active duty got

there was really nowhere else they could go in the Navy. As Jim told the

Subcommittee: 'Due to the lack of understanding by many people in the service,

once an alcoholic has been openly identified he can be sober indefinitely but

that man's career is pretty much down the drain. Right now in some particular

areas, I am unassignable as far as the service is concerned, because they will

not put somebody with a history of alcoholism into a number of different jobs.

This, I feel, is unfortunate because I certainly feel that I am more competent

now than I was two or three years ago when I was commanding officer of a ship

â€" certainly more reliable, if not more competent.'".

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++++Message 1825. . . . . . . . . . . . Oscar V

From: jlobdell54 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/23/2004 12:22:00 PM

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I'm looking for any information on Oscar Vieths, listed by Richard K

among the first forty members of AA, with an indication he did not

stay sober. Thomsen's BILL W gives him as from an old St Louis

family, and a recent conversation with a Regional Trustee (Gary K)

suggests that Oscar did in fact stay sober and was fundamental in

establishing AA in Kansas City and from that in the founding of AA

in Colorado. The only Oscar Vieths I have found in St Louis was

born in 1874, son of Claus Vieths (1843-1896). If anyone can give

me any information on our Oscar V I would very much appreciate it. --

Jared lobdell

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++++Message 1826. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Oscar V

From: goldentextpro@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/23/2004 11:32:00 PM

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In response to Jared's request for information on Oscar Veiths:

Bill Wilson typed up a short "history" of sorts of the years 1934-1939. This

was found at Stepping Stones. In this list he refers to Oscar as one of the

failures during that early period. Bill's notes do not elaborate on events

post-Big Book release. As my own roster of early AA members indicates, the

information I had provided portrays the picture at that time (1934-39).

Whether he did eventually make it, it is very possible. And it would be of

value for my own purposes to know that information for accuracy.

As to his purported involvement in Kansas City and in Colorado:

My sources for the history of AA's growth around the country include Bob P.'s

never-released Non-Approved History of Alcoholics Anonymous 1957-1985. The

title is a bit of a misnomer, as it covers quite a lot of facts from 1939 to

1985. Bob P. broke down AA's expansion into regions. In the sections "Kansas

City and Western Missouri" and "Colorado," there is no mention of an "Oscar"

anywhere. I should also make note of Bob's own comments that his work was by

no means a complete picture for every region. However it was exhaustively

researched and compiled very well.

My other sources are AA's Conference-approved literature and other "non-AA"

works (i.e., Kurtz's Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous), as well as

rosters that were compiled by Jim Burwell and Bill Wilson on the early AAs.

Oscar is not on any lists.

I would suggest that the best way to go about verifying this claim would be to

check with the Kansas City Intergroup for archival research. And the same with

Denver. Quite often these offices will have correspondence letters and early

rosters somewhere on file or in storage. Hopefully something may exist there

that will corroborate Gary K's information.

Best of luck,

Richard K.

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++++Message 1827. . . . . . . . . . . . 12 th tradition -Anonymity is the

spiritual foundation of all our traditions,

From: snuffysdead . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/24/2004 8:25:00 PM

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Hi friends

I am new here - used to do history buffs a while back.

I am doing a short presentation on Tradition 12 on Friday. would you

have a few comments on the 12th Tradition that I may share these

with our Primary Purpose Group? I will do so anonymously if you so

request.

I am particularly interested in history, the spirtual foundation of

the 12th tradition, and any application of this tradition such as

you may have in your personal life.

I think alot of local AA members get confused about what is to be

kept anonymous and what is not, too. An example of this is what

someone said at a previous meeting - should it be repeated inside

the group? Outside the group among AA friends -etc., and any

general guidelines of that kind you may have.

Of course the general presentation is just on the 12th tradition.

Any help would be appreciated -post to thread here or e-mail to

snuffysdead@yahoo.com

Thanks

Beth T

++++Message 1828. . . . . . . . . . . . AA archivists

From: steve . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/24/2004 9:31:00 PM

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Does anyone have a list of archivists by location? Recently an

archivist from Pinella County tracked me down through this group to

introduce me to a man 56 years sober---who's originally from

michigan, and it brought to my attention that if we had a contact

list by area, or county, or city...that it would be much easier to

send the right info to the right archivist, and easier to connect.

Thanks for all you do,

Steven (now in mt pleasant, michigan) Covieo

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++++Message 1829. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: 12 th tradition -Anonymity is the

spiritual foundation of all our traditions,

From: Arthur Sheehan . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 8:27:00 AM

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Hi Beth

context:

anonymity. We think A.A. ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and

pictures as A.A. members ought not be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed.

Our public relations should be guided by the principle of attraction rather

than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to

let our friends recommend us.

12) And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of

Anonymity has an immense spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are to

place principles before personalities; that we are actually to practice a

genuine humility. This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us;

that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over

us all.

"Understanding Anonymity." It is both concise and informative.

The historical origins of the Traditions (i.e. Bill W's Traditions essays) can

be found in the Grapevine book "Language of the Heart." Other good sources of

historical information are the book "AA Comes of Age" and the pamphlet "AA

Tradition - How It Developed."

Arthur

----- Original Message -----

To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 8:25 PM

Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] 12 th tradition -Anonymity is the spiritual

foundation of all our traditions,

Hi friends

I am new here - used to do history buffs a while back.

I am doing a short presentation on Tradition 12 on Friday. would you

have a few comments on the 12th Tradition that I may share these

with our Primary Purpose Group? I will do so anonymously if you so

request.

I am particularly interested in history, the spirtual foundation of

the 12th tradition, and any application of this tradition such as

you may have in your personal life.

I think alot of local AA members get confused about what is to be

kept anonymous and what is not, too. An example of this is what

someone said at a previous meeting - should it be repeated inside

the group? Outside the group among AA friends -etc., and any

general guidelines of that kind you may have.

Of course the general presentation is just on the 12th tradition.

Any help would be appreciated -post to thread here or e-mail to

snuffysdead@yahoo.com

Thanks

Beth T

++++Message 1830. . . . . . . . . . . . The DAy Dr Bob died...

From: andyrawks . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 8:53:00 AM

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Can anyone fill me in on a tape I have called 'The Day Dr Bob Died'

which purports to be Bill speaking at the first anniversary of the

Kips Bay, NY group - but which I seem to remember reading may

actually be an acted radio performance? Does anyone know more about

this?

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From: Alex H. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 12:39:00 PM

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> I am particularly interested in history, the spirtual foundation of

> the 12th tradition, and any application of this tradition such as

> you may have in your personal life.

Well... there is a Jewish tradition that one should be careful

not to shame the person who needs help. In that vein, Maimonides

(Rambam) listed several levels of "charity" that are all good

ways to give but some are better than others. One way to give

"charity" is to "give in secret". In other words, the giver

doesn't know who is receiving and the receiver doesn't know who

is giving. This takes the ego out of the giving and no one

loses or gains social status.

I should better define the word "charity" because Christians

have changed the emphasis of this word. The word "Charity" comes

from the Greek and means "to give out of love." "Charity" in

Hebrew is "tzedaka" and it means "to give justice" roughly

speaking. In "Freedom from Bondage" one of my favorite quotes

reads "The greatest freedom a person can know is doing what he

is supposed to do because he wants to do it." In a Jewish sense,

"Charity is what you are SUPPOSSED to do" whether you can muster

the feeling or not. Christians emphasize "and you should WANT to

do it out of love". In AA we know that having both is best, but

if you can't have both, just do it and the feeling will follow

later. That is a Jewish attitude.

> I think alot of local AA members get confused about what is

> to be kept anonymous and what is not, too. An example of

> this is what someone said at a previous meeting - should it

> be repeated inside the group? Outside the group among AA

> friends -etc., and any general guidelines of that kind

> you may have.

I generally keep to my own story. If I hear something in a

meeting that helped me then I relate that to what I learned and

don't try to duplicate what the other person said exactly.

Frankly, trying to relate what others said usually fails and

ends up sounding more like preaching or like reading from a

textbook. I hate that and usually stop listening. But when I

relate what I heard to myself, then my voice has conviction and

that is what makes AA powerful.

Alex H.

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From: kilroy6131.rm . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 2:34:00 PM

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There is a tape that was recorded the night Dr. Bob died. On that

night Bill Wilson was to speak at the the first anniversary of the

Kips Bay, NY group. That afternoon he had got the news about the

death of his old friend by means of a telephone call. Bill decided to

go to the anniversity anyway but in stead of telling his personal

story he told the AA story. Bill talked of meeting Dr. Bob and the

beginning of AA. Bills voice was badly broken up he didn't sound much

like himself.

Kilroy W.

4021 Club

Philadelphia PA

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++++Message 1833. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: The day that Dr. Bob died

From: goldentextpro@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 12:37:00 PM

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That tape is not of Bill. It was a re-enactment of sorts. I have copies of

this tape, as well as over 100 other talks by Bill over the years. It is

definitely not Bill.

Richard K.

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++++Message 1834. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: The DAy Dr Bob died...

From: davidt030992 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/25/2004 4:57:00 PM

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Yes, this is a play written and performed by Bill McN around 1989.

Unfortunately, it has gotten passed around the fellowship as an

actual tape of Bill speaking on the night of Bob's death, which was

never the intent of the author of the play.

Here's a description of the play from the Winter/Spring 2004 Erie

County "Aware News" about a recent local performance:

Close to 100 celebrants journeyed back in time to New York City in

November, 1950 to mark National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery

Month. The occasion for the time-travel was Moments...An Evening With

Bill W., an evening of theater that recaptured the

birth and early struggles of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous

and of the American phenomenon known as the recovery

movement.\Moments, a one-man show written and performed by Bill

McN*** of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, took place at Daemen College in

September. The performance, preceded by a dessert reception, was

presented by The Recovery Alliance and ECCPASA.

The show is set at a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous held by the Kips

Bay group in Brooklyn, New York, where the evening's speaker is to be

Bill Wilson, co-founder of the fellowship with Dr. Bob Smith of

Akron, Ohio. On that night, Wilson has just learned that Smith has

just died, and uses the occasion to reminisce about how the two

friends came together to offer a solution to the disease of

alcoholism. \Though the Kips Bay meeting where Wilson spoke never

occurred - it's entirely fictional - all the incidents related by

Wilson are rooted in fact. McN*** interviewed numerous members of the

recovering community who had connections with Wilson, Smith and other

early members of Alcoholics Anonymous, which dates its beginnings to

1935. Many of their anecdotes and recollections are incorporated into

the play.

Wilson had been a speculator on Wall Street during the boom years of

the 1920s. But by the 1930s, the Depression and his out-of-control

drinking had laid him low. Many attempts to achieve sobriety in the

primitive "drying out" hospitals of the era proved fruitless.

Then, by chance, Wilson met up with an old drinking buddy who had

become sober through membership in the Oxford Group. Some of the

bedrock principles of that organization helped Wilson to attain at

least a shaky sobriety. Later, these prinicples were to grow into the

steps of AA.

But finding himself in Akron, Ohio, in 1935 to clinch a business

deal, Wilson found himself wanting a drink. Remembering that helping

another active alcoholic to refrain from drinking is the best way to

stay sober, Wilson sought out Smith, a surgeon whose practice was in

tatters owing to his alcoholism. The beginning of Alcoholics

Anonymous dates from their historic meeting.\With the arrival of

their third member, Alcoholics Anonymous began slowly to grow, with

most of its members based in New York, where Wilson lived, and Akron,

Smith's home town. One of the fellowship's earliest struggles

centered around funding, when an expected grant from the Rockefeller

Foundation did not come through. It turned out to be a blessing in

disguise, for from that time on AA became self-supporting through the

contributions of its members only, and would never find itself

beholden to outside interests.\Using but a few props - a bar stool, a

kitchen table, a lectern - McN*** recreated the ambience of the

Depression era and the post-war years. And he brought to life

something that was then new under the sun - the hope for millions of

sufferers of lifelong recovery from the scourge of addictive disease.

It was an age of humble, defeated men and women who would become

legendary pioneers, an age captured in Moments...An Evening With Bill

W.

--- In AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com, "andyrawks"

> Can anyone fill me in on a tape I have called 'The Day Dr Bob Died'

> which purports to be Bill speaking at the first anniversary of the

> Kips Bay, NY group - but which I seem to remember reading may

> actually be an acted radio performance? Does anyone know more about

> this?

++++Message 1835. . . . . . . . . . . . MAY, 1971

From: dla32965 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/27/2004 4:51:00 AM

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I am looking for any article that may have been published reporting

the burial of Bill W. in East Dorset, VT in May, 1971.

Thanks.

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From: Bob McK . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/27/2004 10:26:00 AM

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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">See message #743

(http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AAHistoryLovers/message/743)

where Bill McNiff, the actor in this performance, talks about it.

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">Our area archives (NE

Ohio, area 54) has an original copy of the videotape. It's a

very nice historical fiction production.

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">

-----

[mailto:chartvoter@hotmail.com]

*Sent:* Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:53 AM

*To:* AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com

*Subject:* [AAHistoryLovers] The DAy

Dr Bob died...

12.0pt;">

Can anyone fill me in on a

tape I have called 'The Day Dr Bob Died'

which purports to be Bill speaking at the first anniversary

of the

Kips Bay, NY group - but which I seem to remember

actually be an acted radio performance? Does

anyone know more about

this?

++++Message 1837. . . . . . . . . . . . Fourth Edition of Big Book

From: NMOlson@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/31/2004 2:31:00 AM

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Alcoholics Anonymous World Services has now made the entire Fourth Edition of

the Big Book, including the Personal Stories, available online. Thanks to Doug

H. for bringing this to my attention.

Nancy

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++++Message 1838. . . . . . . . . . . . Grapevine Digital Archives

From: kentedavis@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/31/2004 6:09:00 AM

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For the month of June The AA Grapevine has made it possible to access the

archives at no charge.

.AA Grapevine - Our Meeting in Print Online [81]

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++++Message 1839. . . . . . . . . . . . SUPPORT YOUR SERVICES

From: dla32965 . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/31/2004 12:01:00 PM

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In some AA communities in South Florida I am aware of "Support Your

Services" Committees that have been established and are functioning

in some districts. Not in my own, however, and I am trying to find

out what these committees are all about. I can find nothing

about "Support Your Services" on any of the non-AA websites I

frequently visit. It does not appear that such committees are part

of the general service structure as it is nowhere mentioned in the

service manual. I would like to know if anyone has this information

what objectives these disctrict "Support Your Services" committees

are designed to meet, what criteria are generally in place to

necessitate the establishment of such a committee, and what are it's

traditional guidelines.

Thank you.

Darcie Alcott

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++++Message 1840. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: SUPPORT YOUR SERVICES

From: J. Carey Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/1/2004 11:10:00 AM

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Darcie,

District 9, Broward County, holds service "events" in Ft. Lauderdale which

Office/Intergroup -- active in the District. Perhaps this is what you have

heard about. I'm not sure there is a specific committee, per se, behind the

efforts.

In Love and Service,

_\|/_

(o o)

Archives Committtee, Area 15, District 8.

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++++Message 1841. . . . . . . . . . . . Lincoln''s Washingtonian Address

From: Carter Elliott . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2/2004 8:19:00 AM

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Each February we post Abraham Lincoln's address to the Springfield, IL,

Washingtonian Temperance Society (Feb. 22, 1842) on our local billw listserv.

One of our members who's a grad student at Radford U. wants to quote portions

in a paper, but needs bibliographical references. I've had the speech on file

for so many years I have no idea where we got it. Does anyone in our AA

History Lovers group have a reference the student can use?

Carter Elliott

http://home.usit.net/~carter32/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you Yahoo!?

Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger [82]

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++++Message 1842. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Lincoln''s Washingtonian Address

From: Roger Weed . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2/2004 10:50:00 AM

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I found his address to the Washingtonians at <

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ancient/TempAddr.htm

>.

Roger

wrote:

> Each February we post Abraham Lincoln's address to

> the Springfield, IL, Washingtonian Temperance

> Society (Feb. 22, 1842) on our local billw listserv.

> One of our members who's a grad student at Radford

> U. wants to quote portions in a paper, but needs

> bibliographical references. I've had the speech on

> file for so many years I have no idea where we got

> it. Does anyone in our AA History Lovers group have

> a reference the student can use?

> Carter Elliott

> http://home.usit.net/~carter32/

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++++Message 1843. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Lincoln''s Washingtonian Address

From: Hugh D. Hyatt . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2/2004 9:06:00 AM

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Carter Elliott is alleged to have written, on or about 6/2/2004 09:19:

> Does anyone in our AA History Lovers group have a reference the student can

use?

Try Vol. 1 of *The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln*, (8 vols.) Roy P.

Basler, Ed., Rutgers University Press, 1953, on or about p. 278 (from

http://www.bartleby.com/73/36.html).

--

Hugh D. Hyatt voice: 215.947.1799

P.O. Box 143 fax: 603.316.0347

611 Dale Road e-mail: hughhyatt@bluehen.udel.edu

Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 web: http://hugh.freeshell.org

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++++Message 1844. . . . . . . . . . . . Significant June Dates in AA History

From: NMOlson@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2/2004 1:12:00 PM

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June 1:

1949 - Anne Smith, Dr. Bob's wife, died.

June 4:

2002- Caroline Knapp, author of "Drinking: A Love Story" died sober of lung

cancer.

June 5:

1940 - Ebby Thatcher took a job at the NY Worlds Fair.

June 6:

1940 - The first AA Group in Richmond, VA, was formed.

1979 - AA gave the two-millionth copy of the Big Book to Joseph Califano, then

Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. It was presented by Lois Wilson,

Bill's wife, in New York.

June 7:

1939 - Bill and Lois Wilson had an argument, the first of two times Bill

almost slipped.

1941 - The first AA Group in St. Paul, Minnesota, was formed.

June 8:

1941 - Three AA's started a group in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

June 10:

1935 - The date that is celebrated as Dr. Bob's last drink and the official

founding date of AA. There is some evidence that the founders, in trying to

reconstruct the history, got the date wrong and it was actually June 17.

June 11:

1945 - Twenty-five hundred attend AA's 10th Anniversary in Cleveland, Ohio.

1969 - Dr. Bob's granddaughter, Bonna, daughter of Sue Smith and Ernie

Galbraith (The Seven Month Slip in the First Edition) killed herself after

first killing her six-year-old child.

1971 - Ernie Galbraith died.

June 13:

1945 - Morgan R. gave a radio appearance for AA with large audience. He was

kept under surveillance to make sure he didn't drink.

June 15:

1940 - First AA Group in Baltimore, MD, was formed.

June 16:

1938 - Jim Burwell, "The Vicious Cycle" in Big Book, had his last drink.

June 17:

1942 - New York AA groups sponsored the first annual NY area meeting. Four

hundred and twenty-four heard Dr. Silkworth and AA speakers.

June 18:

1940 - One hundred attended the first meeting in the first AA clubhouse at

334-1/2 West 24th St., New York City.

June 19:

1942 - Columnist Earl Wilson reported that NYC Police Chief Valentine sent six

policemen to AA and they sobered up. "There are fewer suicides in my files,"

he commented.

June 21:

1944 - The first Issue of the AA Grapevine was published.

June 24:

1938 - Two Rockefeller associates told the press about the Big Book "Not to

bear any author's name but to be by 'Alcoholics Anonymous.'"

June 25:

1939 - The New York Times reviewer wrote that the Big Book is "more soundly

based psychologically than any other treatment I have ever come upon."

June 26:

1935 - Bill Dotson. (AA #3) entered Akron's City Hospital for his last detox

and his first day of sobriety.

June 28:

1935 - Dr. Bob and Bill Wilson visited Bill Dotson at Akron's City Hospital.

June 30:

1941 - Ruth Hock showed Bill Wilson the Serenity Prayer and it was adopted

readily by AA.

2000 - More than 47,000 from 87 countries attended the opening meeting of the

65th AA Anniversary in Minneapolis, MN.

Other significant events in June for which we have no specific date:

1948 - A subscription to the AA Grapevine was donated to the Beloit,

Wisconsin, Public Library by a local AA member.

1981 - AA in Switzerland held its 25th Anniversary Convention with Lois Wilson

and Nell Wing in attendance.

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++++Message 1845. . . . . . . . . . . . type of cancer Dr. Bob died from?

From: Dan Roe . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/2/2004 5:17:00 PM

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Does anyone know where to find documentation of the type of cancer that killed Dr. Bob?

Dan R

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++++Message 1846. . . . . . . . . . . . Gratitude Month/Week

From: Colston Vear . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/3/2004 10:50:00 AM

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Aside from Box 459 Vol 48, No.5 oct-Nov 2002 does anyone have any

information about the origins of Gratitude Week/Month. I understand

it is November in the US. I am UK based and here it is June. I

also understand it is October in Canada. Does anyone know why the

discrepancy? It is recommended here that we give the equivalent of

a day's drinking in "gratitude". Are there any customs elsewhere?

Thanks.

Colston, Bristol, UK.

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++++Message 1847. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Gratitude Month/Week

From: J. Carey Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/3/2004 3:51:00 PM

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Colston,

Below, a smattering of AA History in Plam Beach County, Florida. The last item

-- it is believed -- was the first celebration of a Gratitude Dinner in the

US. This has continued each year, with all proceeds contributed to GSO in New

York. Others in the group can -- and probably will -- fill you in on your

other questions.

(I have 'pasted' the items into this note, as the group doesn't want

"attachments.")
carey

Area 15, District 8 Archives Committee

IMPORTANT DATES IN PALM BEACH COUNTY

AA HISTORY

1. September 13, 1945:

A Lake Worth resident, Steve Hulme, who found AA in Chicago, spoke at a Rotary

Club meeting in Lake Worth about AA.

2. December 13, 1945:

Steve and Bob R. (from Connecticut) held first AA meeting in Lake Worth.

3. February 3, 1946;

First AA meeting in West Palm Beach held at Norton Art Gallery. Our own Paul

M. attended and marks his sobriety from that date. Chris O. (for whom Chris

House is named) also attended that meeting, but his sobriety dated from 1955

or 1956.

4. December 6, 1951:

Sixth Anniversary of AA in Palm Beach County held in Lake Worth.

Chairman - Steve H.

AA Speakers: Hazel O., P.O. G.

Guest Speaker: Charles Francis Coe

5. November 30, 1949:

First Club Room opened at 512 South Olive, West Palm Beach.

6. March 5, 1961:

Dedication of our new Headquarters at 423 4th Street, West Palm Beach.

7. First Saturday in November, 1962:

First of our GRATITUDE DINNERS held at 423 4th Street, West Palm Beach.

____________________________________________________________________________

provenance:

12TH ANNUAL GRATITUDE DINNER

SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 3, 1973

reproduced by Carey Thomas

from a card distributed at that Dinner.

District 8 Archives:January 10, 2002

carey

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++++Message 1848. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: AA archivists

From: rrecovery1984 . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/6/2004 8:07:00 AM

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There will be the National Archivists Workshop in Murfreesboro,

Tennessee from Septemeber 23-26. Might be good place to go.

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++++Message 1849. . . . . . . . . . . . History of Alcoholics Anonymous --

Suffolk County NY

From: rrecovery1984 . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/6/2004 11:34:00 AM

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Took over as archivist over a year ago and am trying to put together

the history of all meetings. Anyone know anything please feel free to

contact me

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++++Message 1850. . . . . . . . . . . . origin of the 3rd tradtion

From: buickmackane0830 . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/5/2004 3:34:00 AM

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Besides the examples listed in the 12&12,AA comes to age,etc,are

there any other backround storeis for the inception of the 3rd

tradition ?

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++++Message 1851. . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. George Gehrmann, Dr. Jack Norris

From: Mel Barger . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/9/2004 9:00:00 AM

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Hi Friends,

This is Mel Barger, the occasional free-lance writer in Toledo. I am

interested in finding out more about the industrial alcoholism program started

at DuPont in the early 1940s by Dr. George Gehrmann, the medical director. He

reportedly brought an AA member onto his staff to counsel DuPont employees

with alcohol problems. This may have been the first such program in industry.

Does anybody know who the AA member was?

Dr. Jack Norris also started an early program at Eastman Kodak. Anything known

about his program and AA members involved would be helpful.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I do need this

information in the next few days.

Mel Barger

~~~~~~~~

Mel Barger

melb@accesstoledo.com

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++++Message 1852. . . . . . . . . . . . Father Ed Dowling and CANA

From: rrecovery1984 . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/6/2004 8:01:00 AM

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Wonderful to find this site. In addition to the history of AA. I am

interested in those other groups that formed using the 12 steps of

AA. The more obscure or little known the better.

For starters I am trying to track down more information on CANA that

Father Ed Dowling started around 1942. I am right in assuming this

was the second 12 step program? What are there 12 steps? Does anyone

know of a good site for information on this and of course, I am

always interested in finding information out on other 12 step groups

especially ones that no longer exist.

Bob

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++++Message 1853. . . . . . . . . . . . Fw: the passing of an AA friend and

servant

From: ricktompkins@sbcglobal.net> . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/9/2004 11:01:00 AM

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Relocating from Canada and serving a brief five years as a Staff Member at

AA's General Service Office, Bill Archer most recently served AA as the 2004

General Service Conference Coordinator and Secretary. Please keep his family

in your thoughts and hearts, and remember his example of service and courage.

Our love goes with him.

Rick, Illinois

----- Original Message ----- From: General Service Office Staff

Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 1:27 PM

Subject: Bill Archer's Passing

Friends,

It is with enormous sadness that we inform you of the death of our beloved

friend and colleague, Bill Archer, on Sunday evening, June 6, 2004 at the

Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.

I know you join all of us here at G.S.O. in sending our love and support to

Bill's wife, Audrey, and his brother, David, as they mourn the passing of this

dear person.

Bill fought a courageous battle, always putting others ahead of himself,

giving every ounce of energy he could to the work and well-being of Alcoholics

Anonymous and practicing the principles of A.A. in all his affairs - right to

the end. Our lives are sadder without him but richer for having known and

worked with him.

Here are the planned arrangements for Bill's funeral and memorial service:

Funeral Home - Wake:

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home

1076 Madison Ave at 81st Street

New York, N.Y. 10028

212-288-3500

Memorial Service -

Thursday, June 10, 2004

Service: - 2:00 pm - 3:00pm

Reception: - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Interchurch Chapel (ground floor)

Interchurch Building

475 Riverside Drive

New York, N.Y. 10115

Audrey asks, in keeping with Bill's wishes, that in lieu of flowers a

contribution be sent to one or both of the organizations listed below:

Gilda's Club

195 West Houston Street

New York, N.Y., 10014

Please make checks out to:

Montefiore Medical Center Department of Oncology

Send to:

Dr. Andreas Kaubisch, M.D.

Montefiore Medical Center

Department of Oncology

111 East 210th Street

Bronx, N.Y. 10467-2490

Condolences to Bill's wife may be sent to:

Audrey Van Slyck

200 Clinton St # 4J

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

Condolences to Bill's brother may be sent to:

David Archer

c/o Audrey Van Slyck

200 Clinton St # 4J

Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

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++++Message 1854. . . . . . . . . . . . AA Birthplace opens to public

From: JKNIGHTBIRD@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/9/2004 9:42:00 AM

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AA Birthplace Opens to Public June 12-13

6/8/2004

For the first time, the public will be able to view the Tudor-style cottage

where the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) founders came up with the idea for the

recovery program nearly 70 years ago, the Associated Press reported June 8.

The Gate Lodge in Akron, Ohio, will be open June 12-13. "It's such a

significant, blessed site," said Rev. Sam Ciccolini, who works with

individuals

with

alcohol and other drug addiction in Summit County.

The open house is part of this year's Founders Day weekend. Founders Day is

held annually to honor Robert Smith and William Wilson, who started the

organization that focuses on sobriety through faith and fellowship.

Today, the Gate Lodge is part of the Stan Hywet Estate, which is the family

home of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. founder F.A. Seiberling. His

daughter-in-law, Henrietta, introduced Smith, a friend of hers, to Wilson

through a group

called the Oxford Movement, a group of intellectuals who believed in using

Christian principals to solve problems.

Gate Lodge has remained a private residence over the years. However, a

fundraising campaign has begun to restore the home and create a public

exhibit.

"It's not unusual to see people jump the fence just to touch the building

with tears in their eyes," said curator Mark Heppner.

-------------------------------------------

Submitted by: Jocie in Chicago

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++++Message 1855. . . . . . . . . . . . Recordings of Bill W

From: rrecovery1984 . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10/2004 9:41:00 PM

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For the 69th anniversary of AA tonight, we played a CD of Dr. Bob

from 1948 and wonder if anyone has any tapes of Bill that would be

interested in swapping for a copy of this CD. Bob talked for about 45

minutes on this one. Kindly email me. Thanks

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++++Message 1856. . . . . . . . . . . . Printer''s Copy of Big Book

From: Pittman, Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/11/2004 9:43:00 AM

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AA history for sale. In AACA p. 169 it states "in Henry's (Hank P) clear

handwritting all corrections were transferred to it."

Last year, May 2003, I was contacted by Bauman Rare Books in New York. They

had the printer's copy for sale. I flew out to take a look and verify the

handwriting. Lois gave the multilith to Barry Leach Jan 1, 1978. A relative

of Barry's is selling it. The owner thinking it is very valuable has now

taken it to Sotheby's and will be auctioned June 18. Put Bill W in search at

www.sotherbys.com and you will see item# N08006 in Lot 330.

The item description is wrong in my opinion. Bill W's handwriting is not in

the manuscript. It would be great to have it purchased and donated to GSO

archives or Stepping Stones.

Bill Pittman

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++++Message 1857. . . . . . . . . . . . Printer''s Copy of Big Book Part 2

From: Pittman, Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/14/2004 8:34:00 AM

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here's link to NY Times article today, Bill Pittman

www.nytimes.com/2004/06/14/books/14BILL.html

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++++Message 1858. . . . . . . . . . . . NY Time story re Big Book Manuscript

From: NMOlson@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/14/2004 9:41:00 AM

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From the New York Times today:

---

NY

My Name Is the Big Book. My Future Is Open.

June 14, 2004

By FELICIA R. LEE

On June 10, 1935, Robert Smith, a physician from Akron,

Ohio, took his last drink. He and William Wilson, better

known as Dr. Bob and Bill W., had no idea that the date

would later mark the beginning of what some consider one of the most important

movements in the 20th century:

Alcoholics Anonymous. Wilson later wrote an account of

their philosophy - that only an alcoholic could help

another alcoholic quit drinking - and the lives of other

alcoholics that is referred to as the Big Book, the

movement's bible.

Now Sotheby's is planning to auction what it says is

Wilson's master copy of the working draft of "Alcoholics

Anonymous," the Big Book's disarmingly straightforward

official title. Its value has been estimated by the auction

house as $300,000 to $500,000. The sale, scheduled for

Friday, has created excited speculation among collectors

and scholars about who will buy it, and a debate about its

value and rightful place.

Given the enormous impact of a book that in its fourth

printing alone has reached more than 19 million people,

some believe that Sotheby's is offering a priceless

historical document. That status, some argue, means that it

should be placed in an archive accessible to scholars and

ordinary people rather than on the auction block.

"I think these things really belong to the fellowship of

A.A.," said Eileen Giuliani, executive director of the

Stepping Stones Foundation, which maintains the home and

the documents of Wilson and his wife, Lois Wilson, as a

museum in Bedford Hills, N.Y. "Documents like this belong

in archives."

Bill Pittman, a historian who has written extensively about

the history of A.A., said he, too, was concerned that the

manuscript's sale would make it inaccessible to scholars.

He said the Sotheby catalog incorrectly stated that

Wilson's annotations were among the multitude of

annotations on the typewritten manuscript. Mr. Pittman said

he viewed the manuscript last year when the owner took it

to a rare-book dealer.

But Selby Kiffer, a senior vice president at Sotheby's,

said the manuscript did indeed contain Wilson's

annotations. He said experts had spent weeks going through the 161-page

manuscript, which contains thousands of annotations by many people.

In either case, the absence of Wilson's annotations does

not reduce the document's value, said Mr. Pittman, the

director of historical information at the Hazelden

Foundation in Center City, Minn. Although Wilson was the

primary author, there were many drafts and many comments from a wide variety

of people involved in the project, he said. The book authorship is stated as

"the story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from

alcoholism."

"It's the most important piece of A.A. history to be sold,

ever," said Mr. Pittman, who worked for several years at

the A.A. archive in New York City. He said the margin notes

and last-minute changes before the master copy went off to

the printer provided valuable insights into how the Big

Book evolved. Still, he said, he thought the document was

overpriced. "I think someone should buy it and give it back

to A.A. and let researchers like myself look at it," Mr.

Pittman said. "I don't want someone to buy it and sell each

individual page."

Ms. Giuliani said, she too, thought the manuscript's price

put it out of the reach of serious researchers and was out

of line with what A.A. material usually cost.

In many ways the argument about Bill W.'s manuscript is

familiar, occurring whenever price tags are attached to

valuable historical items. The first edition of "Alcoholics

Anonymous" was published in April 1939, and only the

personal stories attached to the basic text have changed

over the years.

The 1938 document being auctioned was consigned to

Sotheby's by an A.A. member, Joseph B. (He asked that only the initial of his

last name be used.) His aunt was also an A.A. member, who knew Wilson

personally, he said, and she gave Mr. B. the manuscript back in 2001. The 1978

inscription on the manuscript is from Wilson's wife, who

died in 1988, to a "Barry" (who some historians say is the

writer Barry Leach, who wrote a biography of Lois Wilson).

Along with the manuscript, Sotheby's is offering a second-edition Big Book

that Wilson inscribed in 1958 to "Grace," Mr. B.'s aunt, and four LP albums of

A.A. lectures.

Mr. B. said his efforts to find interest in the document

within Alcoholics Anonymous "ran into a lot of brick walls,

a lot of dead ends." So, he said, he turned to Sotheby's to

establish its provenance and find a buyer. "Not being a

rich man, there was some money to be made, but that was not my main reason,"

Mr. B. said. "It's beyond words for me."

As an alcoholic in recovery since 1976, he said that Wilson

"saved my life." He found it thrilling, he added, to

imagine Wilson cobbling together the Big Book. "I hope it

ends up in a proper setting, an academic setting," he

continued. "I think Sotheby's can provide that venue."

Early drafts of the Big Book went out to dozens of people,

from alcoholics to psychologists, who sprinkled the margins

with their ideas, feelings and experiences. As the manuscript being auctioned

by Sotheby's shows, the book was a vigorous exercise in group-think, with a

jumble of

different handwriting crossing out words, circling phrases,

excising passages.

The first chapter tells Bill W.'s story. Wilson was born in

East Dorset, Vt., in 1895 and died of emphysema in 1971. He met Dr. Bob, the

co-founder of A.A., during a 1935 business trip to Akron. Desperate for a

drink, he contacted a local minister who put him in touch with Dr. Bob, a

general

practitioner and an alcoholic with a failing practice. The

two talked for hours, and the idea of a fellowship of

alcoholics helping alcoholics was born.

The Big Book was published four years later, but the first

sales were slow. It took took off only after a March 1,

1941, article in The Saturday Evening Post about Alcoholics

Anonymous and its "freed slaves of drink," as the writer

Jack Alexander put it.

"What really matters for us is the final version of the Big

Book,' which helped millions of people to recover," said

Judit Santon, the archivist at the General Service Office

of A.A. in New York City, home to the largest A.A. archive

in the world with half a million pieces of personal

correspondence and primary documentation.

Much of the interest in the manuscript has come from

"traditional book and manuscript dealers," Mr. Kiffer of

Sotheby's said. As far as anyone knows, he added, the

highest price tag for a single A.A.-related item has been

for first-edition copies of the Big Book, signed by Wilson,

which have gone for as much as $25,000.

A thriving market exists for Alcoholics Anonymous items, in

the same way that people collect Elvis Presley or Civil War

memorabilia, said David C. Lewis, a physician and founder

of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown

University. Social historians or any collector of Americana, as well as

members of 12-step programs would also find the manuscript intriguing, Dr.

Lewis said.

"It's basically priceless," he said of the document being

sold by Sotheby's. Susan Cheever, the author of "My Name Is Bill" (Simon &

Schuster, 2004), a biography of Wilson,

agreed. "This is one of the 10 or 20 most important books

written in the 20th century, probably the most important

nonfiction book," she said. "This guy, with `Dr. Bob,'

figured out how to save alcoholics. They changed the way we think about human

nature."

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++++Message 1859. . . . . . . . . . . . Selling Memberships

From: ny-aa@att.net . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/14/2004 2:30:00 PM

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The early members knew even before the Big Book was written that there should

be

no dues or fees. But I heard a presenter say that the man who took A.A. to one

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