September in A.A. History—day unknown

	In 1940, in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Group of A.A. made its first prison commitment at the House of Correction     [left, c. 1940]. This commitment continued until the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns began in 2020. (Note that this occurred before the first A.A. meetings at San Quentin Prison, initiated by Warden Duffy [right, c. 1943?] in California, which would start two years later.)

In 1941, Ernie G. married Sue [right], the adopted daughter of Anne and Dr. Bob Smith. He was nearly twice her age. Sue later said,

    I think my dad got the bright idea that if he could get Ernie to take me out, and he’d pay the way, he might be able to get me away from Ray [Windows, her then-boyfriend]. We’d go down and get hamburgers, and Dad would buy them. I knew all that, but I didn’t realize it was in connection with Ray at the time. Now I think it was. I think Dad was using Ernie, and it backfired on him.

    Both her parents strongly objected to the idea of Sue's marriage, and she never informed them of it, assuming they would learn about it from the local papers. Ernie was drunk at the wedding and would not be able to stay sober. The marriage turned out to be a disaster, and Sue eventually divorced Ernie to marry Ray.

In 1947, the A.A. Grapevine published “Records Carefully Kept” by B.H.G., presumably Bud G., the founder of the Central Group in Little Rock, Arkansas [left: looking north down Main Street, 1940]:

    More than five hundred men and women have been initiated into A.A. through the Little Rock Approach Plan…
    It is interesting to note that of these men, the founders of the movement here, all are alive and only one ever had a relapse. They are living, walking proof of the statement that “it works.”
    The Little Rock Plan was, we believe, the first of its kind in the country.… and because this group has kept accurate records and statistics, we can report that our success is better than the national average of 75%…
    When a person has expressed a desire to achieve sobriety and has had a sponsor appointed for him, he must leave his work or position for at least two weeks. Usually the prospect is required to spend that entire time within the confines of the club rooms, studying, preparing a case history, meeting and filling assignments laid out by the sponsor.
    If, after two weeks, he has discharged his assignments to the satisfaction of his sponsor, he is brought before the executive committee and there his request for membership is presented by his sponsor in his presence. In some instances, because of the peculiarity of the case, he may not be admitted for varying periods as high as six months in some cases. However, if he is deemed eligible by the committee, he is brought before the next meeting, receives a warm welcome, is handed a copy of the “Approach Program” and the 12 Steps.…
    We give him a small diary and ask that each day thereafter for 28 days, he record his impressions of the day, any event, whether a happy one or a sad one, and enter therein, “I have not taken a drink this day,” and sign his name.
    At the end of this period he returns the diary to the club, is again welcomed and is admitted to full membership, the privilege of the ballot and an unrestricted part in the activities of the fellowship. He is then assigned to a squad, given some definite task, and encouraged to work, guided by some older member, with new prospects.