April 23 in A.A. History

In 1940, Dr. Bob S. wrote to the trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation to decline royalties from sales of Alcoholics Anonymous. However, Bill W. insisted that both Bob and Anne receive royalties in recognition of their leadership. Hank P., the only other significant author of the non-story portions besides Bill, had been “squeezed out” after he began drinking, which no doubt contributed to his growing resentment toward Bill.

In 1947,The New York Times published a letter [right] from Leonard V. Harrison, as Director of New York City’s Bureau of Public Affairs; at the time, he was also serving as Chairman of the Alcoholic Foundation Board of Trustees.

In 1963, Bill W. wrote to Sam Shoemaker [left]:

You must remember, Sam, that you were the personification here in New York of all the best that went on in Calvary and in the O.G. [Oxford Group] of A.A.’s early days. Your impact on me, and upon some of our other people, was simply immense.… It is also entirely true that the substance of A.A.’s Twelve Steps was derived from the O.G.’s [Oxford Group’s] emphasis on the essentials and your unforgettable presentation of this material time after time.…
    The Twelve Steps of A.A. simply represented an attempt to state in more detail, breadth, and depth, what we had been taught—primarily by you. Without this, there could have been nothing—nothing at all.
    Certainly there were other indispensable contributions without which we should have probably gotten no place. But none of these were so large or so critical as your own. Though I wish the ‘cofounder [sic]’ tag had never been hitched to any of us. I have no hesitancy in adding your name to the list!

In 2018, The A.A. Grapevine, Inc. launched a YouTube channel [right] with three videos: “Doors,” “At the Printer,” and “Printer Cutter.”

April 23–26

In 1953, at the 3rd Annual General Service Conference, held at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City, the Board of Trustees reported that “the name of Works Publishing, Inc. has been changed to ‘Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc.’”
    The following were some of the advisory actions:

• That Alcoholics Anonymous… not [seek to] incorporate [by Act of Congress].
• [Develop] a new pamphlet for young alcoholics, including a few personal… stories.
• No policy should be declared or action taken on matters liable to gravely affect A.A. as a whole unless by consent of at least three-quarters of the members present.
• That the Board of Trustees… choose the area from which a Trustee [comes] and… the qualifications the prospective Trustee should possess. This Conference… expresses its complete confidence in, and appreciation of, the ability of the Board to act in this matter.
• That the Board of Trustees be authorized to provide part-time compensation for the President of… Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing, Inc. or in any other situations, as needed.
• Changing the name of The Alcoholic Foundation to a new designation using “Alcoholics Anonymous” coupled with a suitable word, that word not to be “international.”

April 23–27

In 1952, at the 2nd General Service Conference, held at the Hotel Commodore in New York City, the following were among the advisory actions, all unanimous:

• That Conference Committee Secretaries… serve in an advisory capacity only, and… not… vote.
• Reaffirm the stand taken by the 1951 Conference as follows: “This conference has no desire to review, edit, or censor non-Foundation material. Our object is to provide, in the future, a means of distinguishing Foundation literature from that issued locally or by non-A.A. interests.”
• The pamphlet “Sedatives” be given first priority in issuance of revisions of existing pamphlets.

In 1958, the 8th General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous was held at the Prince George Hotel in New York City. Area Delegates included one from Alaska and one from Puerto Rico.
     Two advisory actions of interest were:

• That Area 9 (Mid-Southern California) be recognized.
• That A.A.…

    recognize the original use of the word ‘honest’ before ‘desire to stop drinking’ and its deletion from the Traditions as part of the evolution of the A.A. movement. Any change to be left to the discretion of A.A. Publishing, Inc.

    This was with regard to a proposal to…

    change the wording of the so-called “Grapevine description” of the movement [i.e., the Preamble] so that this conforms with the third Tradition in omitting the word “honest.”

    That summer, the Board voted to remove “honest” from the Preamble.

In 1990, at the 40th General Service Conference, held at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York City, the following were among the advisory actions:

• The A.A. History book project continue… the time frame covered be expanded to include 1955 [on].
• The manuscript of the daily reflections book be approved with the following specific changes… pamphlet for young alcoholics, including a few personal… stories.
• The proposal for a pamphlet on the spiritual aspects of A.A. not be approved.
• [That] a standing committee for central and intergroup offices not be formed…
• [Revise] the Twelve Concepts section in The A.A. Service Manual,… the short form of Concepts as the “Table of Contents,” followed by the long form and introduction.
• [That] items discussed, but no action taken or recommendation made,… committee recommendations which are not adopted, be included in a separate section in the Conference Final Report.
• [Denied] a request from ICYPAA that a member of their advisory council be allowed to attend the General Service Conference as an observer.
• [Denied a Delegate request] that the resumes of nominees for… trustee[s] be sent to all delegates.

April 23–29

In 1989, at the 39th Annual General Service Conference, held at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York City, the following were among the advisory actions:

• [To not] send complete audited financial statements to each delegate as soon as they are available has not been demonstrated, but that they will be made available upon request (available about April 1st, each year).
• That] the Grapevine develop an ongoing A.A. history section,… including area and regional histories.
• [That] work continue on a … book on A.A. History from 1955, [that] focuses on major events and developments [since then] rather than focusing on the beginning of A.A. and the history of the 91 areas…
• … “The A.A. Group” be thoroughly revised to address the many issues and concerns related to A.A. groups which come before the committee year after year such as: the difference between a group and a meeting; meeting formats; how to obtain a group conscience; the duties of trusted servants and their alternates; and others as described in an outline of contents submitted by the trustees’ Literature Committee.
• A pamphlet for gay and lesbian alcoholics be approved… the title be “A.A. and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic.”
• [That] General Service Conference committee items discussed, but no action taken or recommendation made, not be included in the Final Report.
• Rectify contradictions and inconsistencies between The AA. Service Manual and legal charters and by-laws.