Aa history Lovers 2006 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page
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lot of good history with it. They do three segments during the hour, and this one is titled "Alcoholics Anonymous Letter." I hope our History Lovers will watch it and send me their comments. Mel Barger melb@accesstoledo.com ~~~~~~~~ Mel Barger melb@accesst ~~~~~~~~ Mel Barger melb@accesstoledo.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mitchell K." To: Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:18 AM Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] Herbert Wallace >I recently heard that there was a PBS television show called History > Detectives airing a show about a letter from Bill Wilson to a Herbert > Wallace of Maryland thanking him for his staunch support of AA. It was > written in 1942 and is on Alcoholic Foundation letterhead. I haven't > seen the show but they are repeated now and again. > > Anyone have any information on Mr Wallace? > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________ > Message transport security by GatewayDefender.com > 12:09:27 AM ET - 7/27/2006 >
the 11th Step? From: Tom White . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/29/2006 8:32:00 PM
10,000 definitions floating around. About all I have learned in my 40- odd years in the program is "to turn my thoughts to God, as I understand him" and not to worry. There is a vast literature on this in old Roman Catholicism and even some modern writings. A tremendous amount in Eastern Orthodox writings (The Philokalia -- sp?). I guess not so much on the Prot. side of the ledger. The Hindus "wrote the book"
on it, and modern Hindus (Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna, etc., are often very helpful to a Westerner. Something I'd like to recommend to anyone is Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God. But the early AAs, under O.G. influence, did (usually) a brief Bible reading and then went into "Quiet Time," time variable, but 10 or 20 minutes
is what seems to have been common, and had notebook and pen or pencil in hand to write down thoughts or "guidance." Over time a sort of learning occurs on the very question you ask, how to do meditation. To each his own. Just do it. Don't worry. If you are attempting it at any level you are blocks ahead of not doing it at all. Very best, Tom W.
From: ArtSheehan . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/30/2006 12:10:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Hi John and John - this is a very long reply to both your messages To John L My personal indoctrination and introduction to the term "cross-talk" (in both California and Texas) had to do with the rude and inconsiderate practice of members at a meeting either talking in the background at the same time another member was called on to speak, or members getting into a debate back and forth at a meeting and not letting other members participate in the discussions.
and
how "cross-talk has a rich history in the Fellowship" and how "therapy
based practitioners" enter the picture to have any relevance at all with the Traditions escapes me. I don't know where you are finding information or mention, or even implication, of the notion of something called "cross-talk" in the 12and12 or any other AA (or non-AA) publication on having any linkage at all with the Traditions. If I'm mistaken in my assessment of this, I'd very much appreciate your citing some written source(s) so that I can better educate myself as to where this rich history is documented. Otherwise, I would appeal for restraint in presenting something as historical fact when it is premised on editorial imagination and lacks substantiation.
the 12and12 Tradition 2 essay (pages 136-138)is explained in a fuller context in "AA Comes of Age" (pages 100-102). Bill sums up his obeying
the group conscience to not take the job Charles Towns offered him as "Three blows, well and truly struck, had fallen on the anvil of group experience. They rang in my consciousness. The Common welfare must come first. AA cannot have a class of professional therapists and God, speaking in the group conscience, is to be our final authority. Clearly implied in these three embryo principles of tradition was a fourth: Our leaders are but trusted servants they do not govern." Bill W declining that lucrative job offer, based on group conscience, was no trivial matter - it was during the worst of the great economic depression and jobs of any sort were hard to come by and both Bill W and Dr Bob were hard pressed financially. After having lived a hand-to-mouth existence for many years, Bill wanted the job very much. I don't believe it could be factually determined as to who the member was who "timidly" spoke to Bill. The impetus for Traditions 8 and 9 came from other experiences. The Traditions have a very rich history and required a great deal of preparation, explanation and conditioning of the membership from 1946-1950. The AA Grapevine was the primary vehicle for accomplishing those ends. The information that follows is a (rather long) timeline of events, experiences and actions that influenced the evolution of the Traditions to become AA's Legacy of Unity. There have been a number of posting on the Traditions in AAHistoryLovers in the past. Much of what follows can be found by doing a search on the AAHL web site. I'd also encourage reading the books referenced, they are a gold mine of AA history.
grounded upon a foundation of spiritual principles. Each Step, Tradition and Concept is, of itself, a "principle" (i.e. a rule of personal conduct). Bill W published essays (in the Grapevine, 12and12, "AA Comes of Age"
and "Twelve Concepts for World Service") defining the context, origin
and basis of each of the 36 principles. Bill's original Grapevine essays on the Traditions can be found in the book "The Language of the Heart." These Grapevine Essays later became the basis for publication of the traditions portion of the 12and12 and the "Unity" portion of the book "AA Comes of Age." This history below provides a timeline of the origin and development of the Twelve Traditions. Source References: 12and12 - Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions AACOA - AA Comes of Age BW-RT - Bill W by Robert Thomsen DBGO - Dr Bob and the Good Oldtimers EBBY - EBBY the Man Who Sponsored Bill W GSO - GSO Archives documents LOH - The Language of the Heart LR - Lois Remembers MMM - Mrs Marty Mann NG - Not God NW - New Wine PIO - Pass It On SD - Slaying the Dragon SM - AA Service Manual and Twelve Concepts for World Service Notations show source references and page numbers of interest. In "AA Comes of Age" the earliest personal experience that involved
Bill W, and influenced the Traditions, occurred when Bill was 2 years sober.
In December 1936, Charles B Towns offered Bill W a lucrative job at his hospital as a lay alcoholism therapist. After years of a hand to mouth existence Bill wanted the job very much. The question was presented to the NY group meeting in Bill's home. They rejected it and Bill complied with their decision. This was the emergence of the Tradition 2 spiritual principle of "God speaking in the group conscience is to be our final authority." (AACOA 100-102, LR 197, BW-RT 232-234, NG 63-64, PIO 175-177) 1937 The next early experience that influenced the Traditions is recorded in the 12and12 essay on Tradition 3. It also is the source of one of the most enduring myths in AA. I don't know what else to call the myths other than the Akron drug addict who didn't exist and the NY drug addict who disappeared
on the
AA calendar it was "year two" of the Fellowship - that would be 1937.
A prospective member asked to be admitted who frankly described himself to the "oldest" member as "the victim of another addiction even worse stigmatized than alcoholism." In an April 1968 open meeting at the General Service Conference, Bill W revealed that the prospective member's so-called "addiction" was "sex deviate" and that guidance came from Dr Bob (the oldest member in Akron, OH) asking, "What would the Master do?" Many people think Bill W said that but he didn't. The member with the so-called "addiction" (which had absolutely nothing to do with drugs) was admitted and plunged into 12th Step work. This incident is also discussed in "Dr Bob and the Good Old-timers" (pgs 240-241) and the pamphlet "The Co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous" (pg 30).
and
plunging into "12th Step work") are often erroneously intermingled with another incident that occurred 8 years later in 1945 at the 41st St clubhouse in NYC. This incident is described in the book "Pass It On" (pgs 317-318). Bill W was called from the clubhouse in NYC by Barry L (he was the member who later wrote the book "Living Sober").
Bill persuaded the group to take in a black man who was an ex-convict with bleach-blond hair, wearing women's clothing and makeup. The man also admitted to being a "dope fiend." When asked what to do about it,
Bill posed the question, "did you say he was a drunk?" When answered
"yes" Bill replied "well I think that's all we can ask." Anecdotal accounts often erroneously, and sometimes very, very solemnly, say that this individual went on to "become one of the best 12th Steppers in NY." The problem is that it's just not true - it's a myth. In actual fact, the book Pass It On (pg 318) states that "although he soon disappeared" (repeat "soon disappeared") "his presence created a precedent for the 3rd Tradition."
ordered alcoholics staying there not to attend meetings at Clinton St. Bill W and Lois were criticized by OG members for having "drunks only"
meetings at their home. The Wilson's were described as "not maximum"
(an OG term for those believed to be lagging in their devotion to OG principles). (EBBY 75, LR 103, BW-RT 231, NG 45, NW 89-91) This was the beginning of AA separating itself from outside affiliation and set the groundwork for Tradition 6. The Akron group would remain affiliated with the OG for 2 more years.
cases were sober (more than 20 for over a year). All once diagnosed as hopeless. In a meeting at T Henry Williams' home, Bill's ideas, for a book, hospitals and how to expand the movement with paid missionaries, narrowly passed by 2 votes among 18 members. The NY group was more enthusiastic. (AACOA vii, 76-77, 144-146, BW-RT 239-243, DBGO 123-124, NG 56-57, PIO 180, LOH 142) The ideas for a chain of hospitals and paid missionaries would later fade away as the experiences that influenced the Traditions emerged.
for the book without success. (LR 197, PIO 181) 1938 In February, Willard Richardson asked Frank Amos to visit Akron, OH and make a report on the fledgling Fellowship. Amos made a very favorable report to Richardson who presented it to John D Rockefeller Jr. urging a donation of $5,000 ($65,000 today) for two years. (GSO, BW-FH 105-106 says $10,000, $5,000 a year for 2 years, in LOH 61 Bill W says $30,000). (SM S3, BW-RT 246, LR 197, DBGO 128-135, BW-FH 105-106, PIO 185-187, LOH 143, AGAA 217, 258) Rockefeller refused to make the donation but provided $5,000 ($65,000 today) to be held in a fund in the Riverside Church treasury. Much of the fund was used to pay off Dr Bob's mortgage and provide Bill and Bob with $30 a week ($390 today) as long as the fund lasted. (BW-RT 247, AACOA 149-151, DBGO 135, PIO 187-188) On August 5, the Alcoholic Foundation was established as a charitable trust with a board of 5 Trustees (in LOH 61 Bill W said it started with 7 Trustees). Its first meeting took place on August 11 (GSO). Non-alcoholic board members were Willard (Dick) Richardson (who proposed the Foundation) Frank Amos and John E F Wood. (LOH 61) Alcoholic board members were Dr Bob and NY member William (Bill) R (whose Big Book Story is A Business Man's Recovery). Bill R was the first Board Chairman but returned to drinking and resigned in February 1939. The board composition began a long (and later troublesome) tradition of making non-alcoholics a majority. An advisory committee to the board was also established. It consisted of A LeRoy Chipman, Bill W, Albert L Scott and Hank P. (GSO, BW-RT 248, AACOA 151-152, LR 197, NG 66, 307, 330, PIO 188)
Book provided the seeds for many of the Traditions that Bill W later published in the April 1946 Grapevine. These same principles were also incorporated into the "AA Preamble" which was first published in the June 1947 Grapevine. Relevant (truncated) extracts from the Foreword to the First Edition that relate to the Traditions are: "It is important that we remain anonymous because we are too few, at present to handle the overwhelming number of personal appeals which may result from this publication. Being mostly business or professional folk, we could not well carry on our occupations in such an event. We would like it understood that our alcoholic work is an avocation." "When writing or speaking publicly about alcoholism, we urge each of our Fellowship to omit his personal name, designating himself instead as "a member of Alcoholics Anonymous."
otherwise we shall be greatly handicapped." "We are not an organization in the conventional sense of the word. There are no fees or dues whatsoever. The only requirement for membership is an honest desire to stop drinking. We are not allied with any particular faith, sect or denomination, nor do we oppose anyone. We simply wish to be helpful to those who are afflicted. We shall be interested to hear from those who are getting results from this book, particularly from those who have commenced work with other alcoholics. We should like to be helpful to such cases. Inquiry by scientific, medical, and religious societies will be welcomed."
chastened and humbled "promoter member." (AACOA 103-104, 12and12 147-149, NG 107) The story is a key part of 12and12 essay for Tradition 4.
League Club. 75 out of 400 invited guests attended. Nelson Rockefeller hosted the dinner in the absence of his ill father. The dinner produced much favorable publicity for AA. It also raised $2,200 ($29,000 today) from the attendees ($1,000 from Rockefeller). Rockefeller and the dinner guests continued to provide about $3,000 a year ($34,000 today) up to 1945 when they were asked to stop contributing. The Alcoholic Foundation received the donations and income from sales of the Big Book. (LR 197, BW-RT 264-267, AACOA viii, 182-187, NG 92-94, BW-FH 109-112, PIO 232-235). For its first 10 years outside contributions were essential to AA. April 16, Cleveland Indians baseball star "Rollicking" Rollie H had
his anonymity broken in the Cleveland Plains Dealer and nationally. Bill W did likewise in later personal appearances in 1942 and 1943. (AACOA 135, BW-RT 268-270, DBGO 249-253, NG 85-87, 96-96, AACOA 24-25, BW-FH 134-135, PIO 236-238, GTBT 156) May 22, Works Publishing Co. was incorporated. Bill W and Hank P gave up their stock with the stipulation that Dr Bob and Anne would receive 10% royalties on the Big Book for life. Hank was persuaded to relinquish his shares in exchange for a $200 payment ($2,600 today) for office furniture he claimed belonged to him. (AACOA 189-190, LR 199, BW-FH 119, SM 11, PIO 235-236, GTBT 92) 1941 March 1, Jack Alexander's Saturday Evening Post article was published. The publicity caused 1941 membership to jump from around 2,000 to 8,000. Bill and two other members' pictures appeared full-face in the article. (AACOA viii, 35-36, 190-191, BW-RT 281, LOH 149-150, BW-FH 146, PIO 245-247) The article, led to over 6,000 appeals for help to be mailed to Box 658 for the NY Office to handle. (SM S7, PIO 249) The NY office asked groups to donate $1 ($12 today) per member, per year, for support of the office. This began the practice of financing the NY office operations from group donations. (AACOA 112, 192, LOH 149, SM S7)
Washington DC) loaned Works Publishing Inc. $1,000 ($12,500 today) to pay Cornwall Press to release Big Books being held for payment. (BW-FH 92, AACOA 18)
guidelines to help with group problems that occurred over and over. Basic ideas for the formulation of the Twelve Traditions emerged from this correspondence and the principles defined in the Foreword to the first Edition of the Big Book. (AACOA 187, 192-193, 198, 204, PIO 305-306, LOH 154). Board Trustee A LeRoy Chipman asked John D Rockefeller Jr. and his 1940 dinner guests for $8,500 ($95,000 today) to buy back the remaining outstanding shares of Works Publishing Inc. stock. Rockefeller lent $4,000, his son Nelson $500 and the other dinner guests $4,000. Rockefeller's custom was to forgive $1 of debt for each $1 repaid. The Rockefeller and dinner guest loans were repaid by 1945 out of Big Book income. (AACOA 189, BW-FH 110-111, SM S7, LOH 148, AACOA says $8,000) October, Clarence S, founder of AA in Cleveland (whose Big Book story is "The Home Brewmeister") stirred up a controversy in Cleveland after discovering that Dr Bob and Bill W were receiving royalties from Big Book sales. (DBGO 267-269, AACOA 193-194) Bill and Dr Bob re-examined the problem of their financial status and concluded that royalties from the Big Book seemed to be the only answer to the problem. Bill sought counsel from Father Ed Dowling (Bill's spiritual sponsor) who suggested that Bill and Dr Bob could not accept money for 12th Step work, but should accept royalties as compensation for special services. (AACOA 194-195, PIO 322-324). This later formed the basis for Tradition 8. 1944 April 1, Marty Mann moved to New Haven, CT to found the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA). Its office initially resided at Yale U. Marty stayed with E M Jellinek's family and attended the 1944 Yale Summer School. The office later moved to NYC in October. Information on the NCEA was later published in the Grapevine along with an explanation on why Marty was breaking her anonymity. (MMM 164-165). The NCEA later became known as the National Committee on Alcoholism (NCA) and then later renamed the National Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). (SD 186)
Sold Himself Short") suggested to Bill W that he codify the Traditions and write essays on them in the Grapevine. (AACOA 22, 203, SM S8, PIO 306, LOH 20-24). Earl T played a prominent role in the development of both the long and short form of the Traditions.
(titled "Modesty One Plank for Good Public Relations") setting the groundwork for his 5-year campaign for the Traditions. The July Grapevine edition had an article by member CHK of Lansing, MI about the Washingtonians. Bill used this article to begin his essay commentaries. The Alcoholic Foundation wrote to John D Rockefeller, Jr and the 1940 dinner guests that AA no longer needed their financial help. Big Book royalties could look after Dr Bob and Bill W and Group contributions could pay the general office expenses. This ended all "outside contributions" to AA. (AACOA 203-204). It formed the basis of Tradition 7. All loans received from Rockefeller and the dinner guests from 1941 to 1945 were repaid in 1945 out of Big Book income.
for AA Tradition." They would later be called the long form of the Twelve Traditions. (AACOA viii, 96, 203, LOH 20, 154)
Council for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA) by Marty Mann. Dr Bob and Bill W's names appeared on the letterhead. An Alcoholic Foundation Board statement on fund raising was printed in the October Grapevine to disavow AA affiliation. (GTBT 29, NG 119, MMM 185)
Made AA Self-Supporting" Bill W wrote "Two years ago the trustees set aside, out of AA book funds, a sum which enabled my wife and me to pay Download 13.83 Mb. Share with your friends:
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