Aa history Lovers 2006 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page

both practice the Traditions and be a guardian of the Traditions as

well. The 1976 Conference Advisory Action which expanded the

provisions of Article 3 of the Permanent Conference Charter, makes any

proposed change to the Steps, Traditions and Warranties a virtual

impossibility even so much as adding or removing a comma.
Cheers

Arthur
-----Original Message-----

From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com

[mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of man_dred

Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 4:23 PM

To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] What are the Warranties?
What are the six warranties?
FROM THE MODERATOR:
I believe that you are referring to one of the

Twelve Concepts for World Service which are printed

as part of the AA Service Manual. I'm counting

seven of them instead of six. Someone please

let me know if I've got this wrong!
In the 2004-2005 edition, Concept Twelve says:
General Warranties of the Conference:
[1] in all its proceedings, the General Service

Conference shall observe the spirit of the A.A.

Tradition, taking great care that the Conference

never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power;

reserve, be its prudent financial principle;

be placed in a position of unqualified authority

over any of the others;
[4] that all important decisions be reached by

discussion vote, and, whenever possible, by

substantial unanimity;
[5] that no Conference action ever be personally

punitive or an incitement to public controversy;

service of Alcoholics Anonymous, it shall never

perform any acts of government;
[7] and that, like the Society of Alcoholics

Anonymous which it serves, the Conference itself

will always remain democratic in thought and

action.
Glenn C. (South Bend, Indiana)

From: timderan . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/29/2006 12:49:00 AM

in the back of the Fourth Edition of the Big Book,

on pages 574-575.
The Twelfth Concept is made up of the Six Warranties.
tmd
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++++Message 3817. . . . . . . . . . . . Significant November Dates in A.A.

History

Nov 1936 - Fitz M leaves Towns Hospital to become 'AA #3 in NY',

with Bill W and Hank P.

Nov 1937 - Bill and Dr. Bob compare notes in Akron. Count forty

cases

staying sober. Meeting of the Akron Group to consider Bill's ideas

missionaries. Passed by a majority of 2.

Nov/Dec 1939 - Akron group withdrawals from association with Oxford

Group. Meetings moved from T Henry and Clarence Williams to Dr Bob and

other members homes.

Nov 1941 - "First Mass AA Meeting" in Oklahoma City, 8 present, 1

was drunk.

Nov 1945 - Bill's article called 'Those Goof Balls' published in

Grapevine.

Nov 1986 - Big Book published in paperback.

Nov 1, 1947 - 1st AA Group in Anchorage, Alaska.

Nov 1, 1963 - Reverend Sam Shoemaker dies.

Nov 3, 2001 - J P Miller who wrote screenplay for "The Days of Wine

and Roses" died.

Nov 9, 1966 - President Johnson appoints Marty M to the 1st National

Advisory Committee on Alcoholism.

Nov 10, 1940 - 1st AA group formed in Minneapolis.

Nov 10, 2001 - 1st of 400,000 4th Edition Big Books arrives in the

mail.

Nov 11, 1934 - Armistice Day; Bill started drinking after dry spell,

Nov 12, 1940 - 1st AA meeting is held in Boston.

Nov 13, 1939 - Bill wants to go to work at Towns Hsp, NY drunks want

him to stay on as head of the movement.

Nov 14, 1940 - Alcoholic Foundation publishes 1st AA Bulletin.

Nov 15, 1949 - Bill W suggests that groups devote Thanksgiving week

to dicussions of the 12 Traditions.

Nov 16, 1950 - Dr. Bob died.

Nov 18, 1946 - 1st Dublin Ireland group met.

Nov 21, 1939 - AA's in San Francisco hold 1st California AA meeting

in the Clift Hotel.

Nov 21, 1952 - Willard Richardson, past Treasurer/Chairman of

Alcoholic Foundation, dies.

Nov 26, 1895 - Bill W born in East Dorsett, VT.

Nov 26, 1939 - Dilworth Lupton gave sermon "Mr. X and Alcoholics

Anonymous". Became one of first pamphlets on AA.

Nov 28, 1939 - Hank P writes Bill advocating autonomy for all AA

groups.

(sometimes dated Dec 2, 1943)

From: James Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/29/2006 12:37:00 AM

To the best of my knowledge, there is at present

no list of this sort for the entire U.S. and Canada

which would take us down to 1945 and afterwards.

which date back to 1945 or 1946. I have a complete

1947 which indicates 1650 groups. Massive job to

generate a list.

From: ny-aa@att.net . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/29/2006 10:13:00 AM

Glenn has developed can be quite interesting. Sometimes

it was a deliberate effort by a few individuals and other

times it "just growed like Topsy."

A.A. as a factor in its growth. We say that "Alcoholics

Anonymous is available everywhere" but, until it started

in Seattle or Dallas or Orlando, it was not available in

Seattle or Dallas or Orlando. Only a few alcoholics are

going to "get" the program with a mail-ordered copy of

the Big Book.
It is clear that the Jack Alexander article was the

"Big Bang" event that distributed little colonies of

A.A. around the United States in a very short interval.
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++++Message 3820. . . . . . . . . . . . AA Online

From: Dennis . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/29/2006 1:59:00 PM

to AA online and searched through my own collection and

found these references:
August-September 1987 (Vol. 33, No. 4) - "A.A. Comes

of [Computer] Age"

This article has a general focus on computers but

talks about how AA's are meeting on bulletin boards

and references an Oct. 1986 Grapevine article about

how a member carried the message via a non-AA bulletin

board to a still-suffering alcoholic. Ends on a hopeful

note recognizing how computer applications will evolve

and be increasingly useful and helpful in our AA work.
April-May 1988 (Vol. 34, No. 2) - "List of 'On-Line'

Computer Meetings Available from G.S.O."

This article raises the question about whether these

bulletin board meetings can fulfill the definition

of an AA group as then described by the Conference

group conscience. It then goes on to describe how

these on-line meetings, particularly the Q-Link BBS,

operate and offers that GSO has compiled a separate

listing of "on-line groups" just as it has for ham

radio and CB operators.

Log On Electronic Meetings In Growing Numbers"

Provides an update on bulletin-board meetings and

how they are helping members stay sober and how the

message is being carried on-line. Again offers

that GSO has an Electronic Meeting Directory.

question about the earliest AA group online but it

does provide some useful background. I recall talking

with Frank M., GSO Archivist in the mid-'90's about

early online history and shared the early online

Lamplighter group history with him. He was very

interested in trying to keep a historical record

of AA online but recognized the difficulty of the

limitations of the geographical conference structure

that GSO's operate within.

searchable access to past Box -4-5-9 publications.

History

'AA #3 in NY,' with Bill W and Hank P."

1935.
Nancy Olson indicates that Fitz got sober in October (not

November) of the previous year, that is, October 1935:

http://www.a-1associates.com/aa/Authors.htm#Our%20Southern%20Friend

after Bill returned from Akron to get the third New York

member.
Chris

Raleigh, NC

______________________________
Nancy Olson's short biography of Fitz says:
"Fitz' date of sobriety was October 1935. He was

Bill's second or third success at 12th stepping after

he returned from Akron in 1935. The first was Hank

Parkhurst ("The Unbeliever" in the 1st edition), and

the second probably William Ruddell, "A Business

Man's Recovery" in the 1st edition.)

From: Doug B. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/1/2006 3:57:00 AM

on AOL on July 4th, 1996 at 12:06AM when the first

chatroom for the group began.
I later made web pages that are still up but the

group became stagnant in 2001.

got sober first in this group and later joined face

to face groups in their own cities. We even kept a

map of the USA of where all of our members were from.

Riverside, CA

> Show Me group in Denton, Texas. It was just one page

> with the schedule and 'how to find us' info. I had

> links to it from an AA history site I had up at the

> time. I didn't have links back to my site on that

> individual page, but the viewers could easily use the

> BACK button on their browser unless they went there

> directly from a saved bookmark.

>

> Several other groups already had sites up, with

> the time was that most of them were put up by

> individual members rather than by groups themselves.

> I brought my own up at a group conscience meeting

> [after it was already up], and the basic reaction

> was 'go ahead' with no real discussion. At that time,

> few at my local group had been exposed to computers

> and the internet.

>

> As some of those sites began to introduce more

> along with personal experiences/opinions ... well

> then some were discussed at the group conscience and

> 'talked to'.

>

> Some members and groups had problems with their

> that pasted random ads on the pages.

>

> The person who began posting my homegroups schedule

> it branch off of, and link back to, his daughters

> Brittney Spears pages. Later he was again 'talked to'

> about anonymity, when he started posting announcements

> and snippets from our business and group conscience

> meetings along with the group's phone list.

>

> __________________________________

> Ernest Kurtz wrote:

>

> "As I continue to sort through the early history of

> claim that 'the West Baltimore group [was] the first

> home group with a page on the internet. We went up

> on June 26, 1994.' Any challengers out there? And

> if Al's claim is accurate, who was second? And when?

> And, perhaps, why?"

>

>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

From: john . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/31/2006 10:01:00 PM

nov85@graceba.net

(nov85 at graceba.net)
________________________________
NOTE FROM MODERATOR:
I am assuming that John means "AA TODAY (A special

publication by the AA Grapevine commemorating the

25th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous)"
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++++Message 3824. . . . . . . . . . . . The Akron Reading List and "The

Unchanging Friend"

From: Bent Christensen . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/1/2006 2:34:00 PM
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Hi All
A friend and I would like to read the books recommended

in The Akron Reading List, but we have some trouble

finding "The Unchanging Friend."
Does anyone know if it is possible to get a copy

or if it is on the Internet?

to find a copy of it; but I haven't been able to

find a message mention any success :-)
Warm regards

Bent

of the Akron Reading List (down around the middle

of the webpage). The list gives, as one of its

recommended readings for AA newcomers,

Publishing Co., Milwaukee)."

but were unsuccessful. Mel B. says that the

publisher is now out of business (so we cannot

check there). Mel said it seemed to be a Roman

Catholic press.
Since it is referred to as "a series," this

suggests that it could perhaps have been a

periodical (like the Upper Room) or a series of

little booklets or pamphlets.

anything beyond this. We would like to join with

Bent in asking for help from anyone who has

specific information about where copies of "The

Unchanging Friend" can be located.
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++++Message 3825. . . . . . . . . . . . The reading of "How it Works" at the

beginning of meetings

From: gtwaldron . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/31/2006 1:04:00 PM
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1st question: Can someone point me in the right

direction as to the origin of the custom (at least

for some groups) of reading "How It Works" at the

beginning of meetings.

brother sending a Big Book to a non-alcoholic sister

who helped organize a meeting in LA. Does anyone

know anything about this story?

Greg
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From: earlynomad . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/30/2006 3:37:00 AM

sanctioned group, and if so, is there only one

version that can be read at the group?
My group is looking at changing the wording of the

preamble and I am against it. I would like to know

if there is something according to AAWS that the

wording of the preamble must be of a particular

nature.
Damon

01/16/2006

drugs?

addiction. Are there any records to indicate what

kinds of drugs the people of that day were addicted

to?
Specifically, a breakdown of the different kinds

of drug addictions he was treating?
Is there any information confirming that he was

treating people who experienced a combined problem

of drug addiction and alcoholism?
Des
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++++Message 3828. . . . . . . . . . . . re: city to city growth

From: Jeff Your . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/30/2006 11:36:00 AM

you a good idea how the tree branches grew, first

from Akron, then Cleveland and NYC, etc.--
http://www.aaprimarypurpose.org/literature/People.htm
For example, we can construct a timeline for Tampa

FL AA by reading about Roy Y. - Army sergeant, 1st

Texan to get sober and stay sober, contacted by Larry

J., later stationed in Tampa, started 1st groups on

Florida's west coast. (A 24) (D 259) (P 156)
then, looking at Larry J:
Larry J. - newspaper man, sobered up in Cleveland,

went to Houston Texas; help start Texas A.A., wrote

series of 6 article Houston Press which became AA's

first pamphlet "AA". (A 24) (B 295) (D 259) (L 141)

referencing pages in:

(A) ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS COMES OF AGE (AA)

(B) BILL W. by Robert Thomsen

(C) CHILDREN OF THE HEALER by Bob Smith and Sue

Smith Windows as told to P. Christine Brewer

(D) DR. BOB AND THE GOOD OLD TIMERS (AA)

(E) A.A. EVERYWHERE ANYWHERE (AA)

(G) GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN THERE by Nell Wing

(H) THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART (AA)

(L) LOIS REMEMBERS by Lois Wilson

(N) NOT-GOD by Ernest Kurtz

(P) PASS IT ON (AA)

(S) SISTER IGNATIA by Mary C. Darrah

(MS) Service Manual (AA) (? year/edition)

(W) A.A., THE WAY IT BEGAN by Bill Pittman

(BB)* BIG BOOK of ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, (AA)
Hope this is a start.

--

In grateful service,

216.691.0917 home

Delegate Elect

216.397.4244 work

Area 54, Panel 57

216.397.1803 fax

Northeast Ohio General Service

216.496.7594 cell

From: jlobdell54 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/2/2006 10:58:00 AM

District History and Archives Gathering in the Harrisburg (PA) area on

June 16, 2007. It was suggested as a major topic in the proposition

for a new History of AA presented to the GSB in 1997 (and turned

down) and was discussed at the 2006 H and A Gathering. Besides the

moderator's work in Indiana, and the recent connections mentioned

for Houston and Tampa, there has been work done in Eastern PA, where

I live, NJ, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio (of course), and certainly in

other areas. But huge amounts of work need to be done. Why has Joe

F., a NJ insurance man, been given credit as a major founder in

Vermont? We know that Bayard B, a Philadelphia founder, was founder

on Martha's Vineyard. Salesmen out of Phila named George L. founded

in Reading PA, Lebanon PA, and Scranton PA around the same time --

but they were three different George L's. Irv from Cleveland and

Fitz M were major travelling founders, Irv as travelling salesman,

Fitz as evangelist. Yev G was a founder in Bethlehem PA and Granden

City NY. Rollie H was the "baseball founder" -- as a travelling

journeyman catcher. I'd like to be in touch with anyone doing work

in the area. Thanks much.
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++++Message 3830. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: AA Today

From: Bruce C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/2/2006 11:36:00 AM

printing was in 1979.

printed in 1979. The following is from the copyright

page.
AA TODAY - copyright 1960
"Even before the 1960 AA International Convention,

in Long Beach, Calif., where AA Today went on sale,

advance orders to the Grapevine dictated a second

printing.

By the end of 1964 the last copy of the third printing

had been sold, and AA Today became unavailable. Since

then, many members have suggested that the Grapevine