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++++Message 2007. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: 1940 AA/mexicanMemberCleveland
From: Bob McK . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/31/2004 6:24:00 AM
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">The March 1946 Cleveland _Central
Bulletin _had this article on pg. 4:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">THE BOOK IS TRANSLATED
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;"> Ricardo P. of the Mexican
Consullate[sic] in Cleveland,
and
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">tremendously impressed with the work of
AA, has trans-
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">lated the entire AA book in the Spanish
language, and it
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">will soon be printed in Mexico for the
benefit of its people.
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">Ric is to be commended for this fine
demonstration of
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">The 12th step.
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;">
-----
*From:* Mel Barger
[mailto:melb@accesstoledo.com]
*Sent:* Monday, August 30, 2004 2:16 PM
*To:*
AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
*Subject:* Re: [AAHistoryLovers]
1940 AA/mexicanMemberCleveland
12.0pt;">
Hi Gilbert,
I called the Cleveland Central Office re your
request. The gentleman was Dick Perez and he and his wife both translated
materials into Spanish. Dick passed away in 1988, about seven years after
retiring from the Central Office. His wife is also deceased. My
source for this information is Elvira A., who has worked at the central office
in Cleveland
for 28 years. She is getting together information about Dick. You
may call her at (216) 241-7387.
I do recall talking by phone with Dick in 1980, a
short time before he retired. I was trying to interview Cleveland oldtimers
for "Pass It
On," and he gave me some leads.
Mel Barger
~~~~~~~~
Mel Barger
13.5pt;">melb@accesstoledo.com
----- Original Message -----
*From:* Gilbert Gamboa
*To:* AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
*Sent:* Sunday, August 29, 2004 10:04 PM
*Subject:* [AAHistoryLovers]
1940 AA/mexicanMemberCleveland
12.0pt;">
12.0pt;">This question is for anyone who can direct me in the direction of
info
on Dick P the
12.0pt;">mexican AA member who joined in 1940 in Cleveland I believe..Mel B
you might
12.0pt;">recall all this,but I believe him to be the key figure in the
translation of the Big Book into spanish words???..all info on this would be
greatly appreciated,and although the hard work has been done in translating
this book to spanish,there is yet a harder piece Ive encountered and that
is to pronounce the words correctly and put an exact definition to the
meaning
in spanish....
12.0pt;">
seek,Trust,and serve
12.0pt;"> Gilbert
G.-Dallas,TX.
12.0pt;">
_Mel Barger
_ wrote:
Since the 20 questions were used for years and
atrributed to Johns Hopkins, it's rather embarrassing to learnh that they
didn't really have backing from the Johns
Hopkins Hospital.
But we no longer need them. AA has 12
questions in the pamphlet "Is AA for You?" which should suffice very
well. Just walk a newcomer through those 12 questions and it should be
immediately clear whether there's a serious drinking problem there.
Mel Barger
~~~~~~~~
Mel Barger
13.5pt;">melb@accesstoledo.com
----- Original Message -----
*From:* Jim Blair
*To:* AA History Lovers
*Sent:* Friday, August 27, 2004 10:02 AM
*Subject:* [AAHistoryLovers]
20 Questions
12.0pt;">
Here is an email posted some time ago by an archivist in Northern CA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
12.0pt;">
Juliet from our local Intergroup has
come up with some interesting facts about the 20 questions.
Below is a snippet from an e-mail I received from a contact from Johns
Hopkins'
media relations department:
This is from a faculty member in our Psychiatry dept.
"The Johns Hopkins
Twenty Questions: Are You An Alcoholic? was developed in the 1930s by
Dr.
Robert Seliger, who at that time was a faculty member in the Department
of
Psychiatry at the Johns
Hopkins Hospital.
It was intended for use as a self-assessment questionnaire to determine
the
extent of one's alcohol use. It was not intended to be used by
professionals as
a screening tool to help them formulate a diagnosis of alcoholism in
their
patients. We do not use this questionnaire at any of the Johns
Hopkins substance abuse treatment programs. To the best of my knowledge,
there have never been any reliable or validated studies conducted using
the
Hopkins Twenty Questions. I advise you to consider using other
instruments such as the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test or the CAGE
--
both of which have proven reliability and validity as reported in the
scientific
literature."
So, the questions should be attributed to Dr.Robert Seliger of Johns
Hopkins
(in the 1930s), not to Johns Hopkins itself as they no longer advocate
their
use. I note as well that the e-mail I sent to you all earlier from the
Literature Desk at GSO stated that the hospital had requested that GSO
not
attribute those questions to their institution in the pamphlet "Memo to
an
Inmate Who May Be an Alcoholic."
If you know anyone who would like permission to reprint this piece, I
have a
contact at Johns Hopkins to whom I can refer them. I have been in
contact
with the faculty member who knew the history of this document and who
recommended that we not use it. She was very adamant about it--in a
second e-mail to me, she said that she'd grant permission to any AA
group who
wanted to use it, but that she really recommended that we don't.
12.0pt;">
------------------------
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12.0pt;">
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++++Message 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . How It Works.
From: WCompWdsUnl@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/2/2004 2:30:00 AM
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Would anyone who has any information on the sequence of events that led to the
changing of the manuscript for How It Works, provide this information. I am
interested in knowing what sources of AA History, besides AA Comes of Age
provide information as to the actual events that led to the "flying back and
forth between New York and Akron consultation during the book writing process"
and decisions to revise the original submission by Bill Wilson. Why was the
edited version approved by the first 100, instead of the original submission?
I am mainly concerned with what the reasons were for the consultation and
editing? Why was the original submission edited during consultation?
Sincerely
Larry W.
Atlanta, Georgia
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++++Message 2009. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: How It Works.
From: Arthur . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/2/2004 10:41:00 AM
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Hi
Larry
The
progressive development of the Big Book is mapped out in a number of
historical
writings. The book 'Not God'' is a valuable companion reading to AA Comes of
Age.
However, when it comes to outlining many of the underlying reasons 'why'' the
Big Book developed as it did, AA Comes of Age is hard to beat in answering
those questions. Below is a timeline sequence extracted from the reference
sources noted. I'll also send you a separate e-mail that contains a transcript
of a 1954 talk in Fort Worth,
TX by Bill W on how the Big Book
was developed.
Cheers
Arthur
*Reference Sources:*
AACOA _AA Comes of Age_, AAWS
AGAA _The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics
Anonymous_, by Dick B (soft cover)
BW-RT _Bill W_ by Robert
Thompson (soft cover)
BW-FH _Bill W_ by Francis
Hartigan (hard cover)
DBGO _Dr Bob and the Good Old-timers_,
AAWS
GB _Getting Better Inside Alcoholics
Anonymous_ by Nan Robertson (soft cover)
GTBT _Grateful to Have Been There_by Nell Wing (soft cover)
LOH _The Language of the Heart_,
AA Grapevine Inc
LR _Lois Remembers_, by
Lois Wilson
NG _Not God_, by Ernest
Kurtz (expanded edition, soft cover)
PIO _Pass It On_, AAWS
SM _AA Service Manual and Twelve
Concepts for World Service__,_
AAWS
SW _Silkworth - the Little Doctor Who
Loved Drunks_, by Dale Mitchell (hard cover)
WPR _Women Pioneers in 12 Step Recovery_,
by Charlotte Hunter, Billye Jones and Joan Ziegler (soft cover)
www *Internet
Sources* (e.g. Google, Microsoft Encarta, US National Archives &
Records Administration NARA)
*1937*
Nov,
Bill W and Dr Bob met in Akron and compared notes. 40 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)
*1938*
May
20, (PIO 193 and AACOA 153 say Mar/Apr) beginning of the writing of the Big
Book at Hank P's office (Honors Dealers, 17 William St in Newark, NJ).
Bill W wrote, edited and rewrote manuscripts at home on legal pads then
dictated chapters to Ruth Hock (nicknamed 'Dutch'' - short for 'Duchess'').
Most
of the early hand-written Big Book manuscript documents were lost during a
later
move from Newark
to NYC. (AACOA vii, 159, BW-RT 248-250, LR 197, BW-FH 115, PIO 193, 235, GB
55,
LOH 106-107, WPR 79)
Jun,
Bill W wrote to Dr Bob 'By the way, you might all be thinking up a good title.
Nearly everyone agrees that we should sign the volume _Alcoholics Anonymous_.
Titles such as _Haven, One Hundred Men, Comes the Dawn_,
etc. have been suggested.'' (NG 74-75, 333)
Jun
15, Lois' recollection of the first use of the term _
italic;">Alcoholics Anonymous_. (LR 197)
Jul
18, Dr Esther L Richards (of Johns Hopkins) stated in a letter that Bill W, at
that time, was using the name _Alcoholics
Anonymous_ both as the working title of the book and as the name of
the Fellowship. (PIO 202)
Jul
27, Dr William Duncan Silkworth wrote a letter of support for AA for use in
fundraising for the book. The letter was incorporated into the chapter _The
Doctor's Opinion_. (SW center-fold
photo exhibits, AACOA 168) Dr Esther L Richards of Baltimore had suggested to
Bill W to get a
'Number one physician'' in the alcoholism field to write an introduction. (NG
332)
Sep,
Board Trustee Frank Amos arranged a meeting between Bill W and Eugene Exman
(Religious Editor of Harper Brothers publishers). Exman offered Bill a $1,500
advance ($19,400 today) on the rights to the book. The Alcoholic Foundation
Board urged acceptance of the offer. Instead, Hank P and Bill formed Works
Publishing Co. and sold stock at $25 par value ($325 today). 600 shares were
issued: Hank and Bill received 200 shares each, 200 shares were sold to
others.
Later, 30 shares of preferred stock, at $100 par value ($1,300 today) were
sold
as well. To mollify the board, it was decided that the author's royalty (which
would ordinarily be Bill's) could go to the Alcoholic Foundation. (LR 197,
BW-FH 116-119, SM S6, PIO 193-195, AACOA 157, 188) Encouraged by Dr Silkworth,
Charles Towns loaned Hank and Bill $2,500 for
the book. It was later increased to $4,000. ($52,000 today). (PIO 196, SM S7,
LOH 176, AACOA 13-14, 153-159)
Oct,
Bill W's recollection of the first use of the term _
italic;">Alcoholics Anonymous_. (AACOA 165, PIO 202)
Dec,
the Twelve Steps were written at 182 Clinton St (in about 30 minutes).
Much argument (sometimes heated) ensued over their wording. (LOH 200, AACOA
vii, 160-163, BW-RT 253, PIO 197-199, GB 55-57, AGAA 260)
*1939*
Jan,
The draft book text and personal stories were completed. (AACOA 164, BW-RT
255)
Jan,
400 multilith copies of the book were distributed for evaluation. Each copy
was
stamped 'Loan Copy'' to protect the coming copyright. (AACOA 165, LR 197, NG
74,
319, PIO 200) NY member Jim B (_Vicious Cycle_)
suggested the phrases '_God as we understand
Him''_ and '_Power greater than
ourselves_'' be added to the Steps and basic text. Bill W later wrote
'Those expressions, as we so well know today, have proved lifesavers for many
an alcoholic.'' (LOH 201) Note: Jim B later moved to Philadelphia, PA
in Feb 1940 and started AA there. He also helped start AA in Baltimore, MD.
(AACOA 17, BW-FH 140, GTBT 137, WPR 81)
Feb/Mar
(?), The distributed multilith copies were returned, but reader's comments
produced few alterations in the final text. A major change did occur at the
suggestion of a Montclair, NJ psychiatrist, Dr Howard, who recommended
toning down the use of 'musts'' and changing them to 'we ought'' or 'we
should.''
Dr Silkworth and Dr Tiebout offered similar advice. (AACOA 167-168 NG 67-77)
Mar
(?), The much changed book manuscript was turned over to Tom Uzzell. He was a
friend of Hank P, an editor at _Collier's_
and a member of the NYU faculty. The manuscript was variously estimated as 600
to
1,200 pages (including personal stories). Uzzell reduced it to approximately
400 pages. Most cuts came from the personal stories, which had also been
edited
by Jim S (_The News Hawk_)a journalist from Akron, OH.
(AACOA 164, BW-FH 126, PIO 203)
Mar,
(?), Bill W, Hank P, Ruth Hock and Dorothy S (wife of Cleveland pioneer
Clarence S) drove to Cornwall, NY and presented a much altered manuscript to
the printing plant of Cornwall Press. When the plant manager saw the condition
of the manuscript, he almost sent them back to type a clean copy. Hank P
persuaded the manager to accept the manuscript on condition that the group
would examine and correct galley proofs as they came off the press. The group
checked in to a local hotel and spent the next several days proofreading
galleys. (AACOA 170-171, WPR 81-82)
Apr,
4,730 copies of the first Ed. of _Alcoholics Anonymous_ were published at a
selling price of $3.50 ($46 today). The printer, Edward Blackwell of Cornwall
Press, was told to use the thickest paper in his shop. The large, bulky volume
became known as the 'Big Book.'' The idea was to convince the alcoholic he was
getting his money's worth. (AACOA viii, 170, NG 76, PIO 204-205, GB 59) Ray
(_An Artist's Concept_) designed the 'circus
color'' dust jacket. The book had 8 roman and 400 Arabic numbered pages. _The
Doctor's Opinion_ started as page 1 and
the basic text ended at page 174. The manuscript story of an Akron member, _
italic;">Ace Full - Seven - Eleven,_ was dropped (reputedly, because
he was not too pleased with changes made to the first drafts of the Steps and
text). 29 stories were included (10 from the east coast, 18 from the mid-west
and 1 from the west coast - which was ghost written by Ruth Hock and later
removed from the book) (www)
-----
*From:*
WCompWdsUnl@aol.com [mailto:WCompWdsUnl@aol.com]
*Sent:* Thursday, September 02, 2004
6:31 AM
*To:* AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
*Subject:* [AAHistoryLovers] How It
Works.
12.0pt;">
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;">Would anyone who has any information on
the *sequence of
events* that led to the changing of the
manuscript for How It Works, provide this information. I am interested in
knowing what sources of AA History, besides *AA Comes of Age** *provide
information as to the actual events that led to the "flying back and
forth between New York and Akron consultation during the book writing process"
and decisions to revise the original submission by Bill Wilson. Why
was the edited version approved by the first 100, instead of the
original submission? I am mainly concerned with what the reasons
were for the consultation and editing? Why was the original submission
edited during consultation?
Sincerely
Larry W.
Atlanta, Georgia
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;">
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++++Message 2010. . . . . . . . . . . . Steps done quickly?
From: Robert Stonebraker . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/7/2004 3:08:00 PM
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Arial;">Dear History Lovers,
Arial;">
Arial;">There is an example of the "Six Step Process" being completed in
"three
or four hours" in Earl Treat's Story "He
sold Himself Short."
Arial;">(p.292 - 3rd edition of the Big Book). I believe this event took place
in the
summer of 1937. My question is this: Is there documentation of the Step
process
being done that quickly in later years after we had 12 Steps? I am referring
mostly to the years of the early
1940s.
Arial;">
Arial;">Thank you for documented response.
Arial;">
Arial;">Bob S., from Indiana
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++++Message 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Steps done quickly?
From: recoveredbygrace . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/9/2004 4:12:00 PM
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Bob,One example I know of is Clarence S.`s story,Home Brewmiester.
If you can get a tape of his talk,he describes the process Dr. Bob
took him thru and how he did it untill he passed away.
Another example is to research the " Little Red Book`s " history and
you will see it came from beginners meetings from the 1940`s.The
beginners were put thru 4 one hour classes where they took the 12
steps ,if at all possible.Some people took a little longer.After
completing the classes and steps,they were invited to a official AA
meeting.
Hope this helps,Tom
--- In AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Stonebraker"
wrote:
> Dear History Lovers,
>
> There is an example of the "Six Step Process" being completed in
"three or
> four hours" in Earl Treat's Story "He sold Himself Short."
> (p.292 - 3rd edition of the Big Book). I believe this event took
place in
> the summer of 1937. My question is this: Is there documentation
of the
> Step process being done that quickly in later years after we had 12
Steps?
> I am referring mostly to the years of the early 1940s.
>
> Thank you for documented response.
>
> Bob S., from Indiana
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++++Message 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Re: Steps done quickly? and
history of the little red book
From: big book lover . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10/2004 6:21:00 PM
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The Little Red Book comes out of Nicolette group and was published two years
prior to the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
It was edited by Dr. Bob.
Further documentation of the Little Red Book is in a discontinued published
book by the same author called Our Devilish Alcoholic Personalities. I have
a Xeroxed copy of that book.
There are letters from Bill Wilson regarding the Little Red Book and his
opinion on it.
There are pictures of the primary author in Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers.
The Little Red Book was originally published by ? Merriam Cobb in
Minneapolis in 1948.
Hope this is of assistance.
Stephanie Burgess
Caledonia, Michigan
-----Original Message-----
From: recoveredbygrace [mailto:recoveredbygrace@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 5:12 PM
To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] Re: Steps done quickly?
Bob,One example I know of is Clarence S.`s story,Home Brewmiester.
If you can get a tape of his talk,he describes the process Dr. Bob
took him thru and how he did it untill he passed away.
Another example is to research the " Little Red Book`s " history and
you will see it came from beginners meetings from the 1940`s.The
beginners were put thru 4 one hour classes where they took the 12
steps ,if at all possible.Some people took a little longer.After
completing the classes and steps,they were invited to a official AA
meeting.
Hope this helps,Tom
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.759 / Virus Database: 508 - Release Date: 9/9/2004
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++++Message 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . Sister Ignatia and St. Thomas
Hospital, Akron
From: caseyosh . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/17/2004 8:39:00 AM
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