August 12 in A.A. History

In 1918, Bill W. arrived in Nexon, France, with his unit, Company C of the 66th Coastal Artillery Corps, U.S. Army. They were scheduled to remain there for training until September 27 [right: Company C soldiers at Chalus, France, 1918].

In 1958, Bill W. replied to a letter from Howard:

Dear Howard,
    Thanks deeply for your highly interesting letter of July 29th. I was thrilled by your account of the Old Timers meeting with the vast sobriety record that it portended. And also your observations on our 50%-25%-25% claim.^*
    I think you have something when you say that perhaps we give false hope to the newcomer by those figures. Actually, those figures have never been intended to apply to all drunks who come within range of A.A. and attend a meeting or so. They apply to those who really come in and take the treatment over a considerable period of time. On that narrow classification, I think the figures will stand up. In Philadelphia, for example, they kept records for a very long time, accurate ones. Not too long ago they case up figures on old timers which seemed to prove our claimed percentages. When the new edition of the A.A. book came out, the same thing happened. The story-tellers had better than the claimed percentage. So I think it ought to be emphasized with each newcomer that his chances are just as the figures say, provided he will jump into A.A. and is willing and capable of working at it.
    There is another angle, too. As you say, an awful lot of these people get hospitalized, attend a few meetings and then disappear. What becomes of them?
    Probably you've heard me tell the story about a group of 75 of these people that Lois and I once picked out of old address books from the very early days. Over the years, we located more than 60 of them. The 60 had returned to A.A. and most of them had made the grade. Some had been drunk 3, 5, 7, and 10 years. Finally, they were driven back on the do-or-die basis and really got the pitch. So our over-all claims are not excessive in my judgment.
    At the office, they continue to get wonderful reports of the change in feeling in your area about the Third Legacy, General Headquarters, and even about me! It is one of the most comforting and gratifying happenings that I can remember in my long A.A. live [sic]. Again, Howard, many thanks to you and to all those who have made this possible.
    Devotedly,
    Bill

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^*See “Foreword to Second Edition,” Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th edition, p. xx.

August 11 in A.A. History

In 1937, Paul [right] and Hildreth S. from Akron, Ohio, arrived in Brooklyn for a visit with Bill and Lois W. They would leave on 15 August.

In 1938, the Trustees of the Alcoholic Foundation—Frank Amos [far left], Willard Richardson [center left], and Bill R. [near left]—held their first meeting. John Wood was unable to attend; Dr. Bob S.^* had sent a handwritten proxy letter authorizing Richardson to vote on his behalf, adding, “I instruct him, however, to vote for Mr. Frank B. Amos for Treasurer of said Foundation.”
    The six-day delay in officially establishing the Foundation was due to the time it took to mail the “Trust Indenture” document to Dr. Bob for his signature and notarization, which occurred on the 10th. The signed package from Dr. Bob arrived in New York City on the meeting date.
    

The Trustees met at the Honors Dealers office on the 6th floor of 17 Williams St. in Newark, New Jersey, where Ruth Hock [right], a secretary at Honor Dealers at the time, provided administrative assistance. At this first meeting, Frank Amos asked Hank P. to provide an update on their progress. Hank reported the following statistics on the “Eastern Section”:

    41    alcoholics recovered (“Definite on the ball” per Hank)
      6    alcoholics in the questionable class
    12    hopeless alcoholics (“so difficult practically denied” per Hank)
    10    alcoholics recovered but out of touch
    25    prospects 

     The Foundation and its office would eventually be known as the General Service Board and General Service Office, respectively. Ruth Hock would later become A.A.’s first National Secretary.

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^*Dr. Bob did not attend any of the official Board of Trustees meetings during the critical period of 1938.

August 10 in A.A. History

In 1940, with the outbreak of World War II, Cmdr. Junious C. [left] was recalled to the Navy to serve as the First Executive Officer in charge of the Aviation Trades Schools at the soon-to-be-commissioned Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida [right, 1943].

    An Annapolis graduate from the Class of 1918 and a native of McComb, Mississippi, he had retired to Pasadena, California. One reason for his early retirement had been his excessive drinking. In Pasadena, his wife, Marie, had learned about a new organization called Alcoholics Anonymous and reached out to the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City for assistance. Ruth Hock provided her with the address of the Los Angeles Group, where Marie bought a copy of the Big Book. Junious found sobriety in the Los Angeles group and maintained it for several months, eventually becoming a key figure in the establishment of A.A. in Florida.

In 2015, to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the birth of E. M. “Bunky” Jellinek [left], Judit Hajnal Ward posted an editorial in the Jellinek Special Anniversary issue of the Center of Alcohol Studies (CAS) Information Services Newsletter. Co-authored by Judit H. Ward and William Bejarano, the piece was posted to the “Secrets from the Past” blog within the Rutgers University Alcohol Studies Archive. It included the following reflection:

    In remembrance of Jellinek, the first questions should be, as suggested by Thelma Pierce Anderson, Jellinek’s ex-wife, 

    Which Jellinek are we talking about? Bunky, the man? Bunky, the scientist? Bunky, the humanitarian? Bunky, the screwball? Bunky, the kind? the ruthless? the genius? (Anderson to Keller, August 22, 1984)

    This special issue of the Center of Alcohol Studies Information Services Newsletter aims to present Jellinek’s colorful personality through his own words, deeds, and scholarship, coupled with thoughts and opinions from some leaders of the field. Our goal is to show that Jellinek was everything but the average researcher. Letters, memories, and articles (by him and about him) outline a controversial scholar. He might have been scorned by many and idolized by others, but no one could just ignore him and what he did, whether as a charming gambler in Hungary or an alcohol scientist in the United States.
E. M. Jellinek more than others, saw “the big picture” regarding what was necessary to establish a beachhead for mainstream science’s cultural “ownership” of the nation’s alcohol-related concerns in the post-Repeal period. (Roizen, 2014, p. 78)

[Below: two illustrations from the article—left: timeline of Jellinek's life; right: highlights Jellinek’s work from the 2014th [sic] SALIS conference]

August 9 in A.A. History

In 1943 [This event is frequently cited as having taken place in 1890!], The Los Angeles Times reported [left] that 400 members of Alcoholics Anonymous attended an annual picnic at Sycamore Grove Park [right, 1937] the day before. These attendees represented 11 groups, totaling around 1,000 members. During the picnic, it was announced that Bill W. would be visiting for two months, beginning in early October.

August 8 in A.A. History

In 1897, Robert Holbrook S. (Dr. Bob) [right, very young] was born in the front bedroom of a large 19th-century clapboard house at 297 Summer St. in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. His parents were Susan A. Holbrook and Judge Walter Perrin S. [left]. He had a much older foster sister, Amanda, who later became a history professor at Hunter College in New York City.

In 1942, Clarence S.’s application to enroll in the U.S. Army’s Volunteer Officers Candidate Program was approved. Earlier that summer, Clarence [right, in uniform] had decided it was time to join the Army and had contacted the Selective Service Board to apply.

In 1944, Ed B.^*, who had previously been in Alcoholics Anonymous but returned to drinking, woke up in the basement of a small community hospital. Once he sobered up, Dr. Bob S. came to see him and asked, “What happened, Ed?” Ed later remembered responding that he had found himself in a bar and didn’t know how he had gotten there. At that moment, Dr. Bob stood up from his chair, pointed a finger at him, and lectured him about the importance of honesty, saying in part:

    You’re taking up my time, and I have better ways to spend it than to talk to you. If I were you, I’d go out and get drunk and stay drunk until I made up my mind what I wanted to do. As far as I’m concerned, you stink!

    Ed was furious, but later that night, he called Dr. Bob’s wife, Anne. After that call, he never drank again. Eventually he became the editor of the Akron Intergroup News.

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^*A.A. #59, original sobriety date: January 1938, in Akron, Ohio?

In 1974, Al S. [left] wrote to Nell Wing [right] about an article on Anne S., Dr. Bob’s wife, that he had inadvertently taken home 24 years ago [below: letter].

August 7 in A.A. History

In 1938, Bill W. replied to Dr. Bob S.’s request for clarification of what Bill wanted in the personal stories from Akron members:

    About the stories, I should say that everyone should write at whatever length they want to; the more, the better. Then the thousand word manuscripts can be edited down to the right size. The idea is that a chance word or phrase or experience may be the most telling point of the story, which would be missed entirely if people were trying to restrict themselves to a given number of words.

August 6 in A.A. History

1945, the Central Group [below left, date unknown] in Little Rock, Arkansas, adopted bylaws [below right] that established nine fundamental principles:

That the problems of men and women alcoholics are so entirely different that, while we will gladly and freely give such help as we can when requested by women, this shall always be kept a group of male alcoholics.

That the problems of men and women alcoholics are so entirely different that, while we will gladly and freely give such help as we can when requested by women, this shall always be kept a group of male alcoholics.

The officers of this group shall be composed of a chairman and four committeemen, all elected by secret ballot, the Chairman for a term of 4 months, the committeemen for 1, 2, 3, & 4 months, and one committeeman elected each month thereafter for a 4 month term to succeed the retiring member.

That one slip is understandable, two slips, while not desirable, are acceptable, but three slips indicate a lack of sincerity and regardless of our personal feelings in the matter, that man cannot attend any meetings or be in any way affiliated with this group for a period of 1 year.

That the original approach program be adopted and used in its entirety.

That no housing facilities for prospects be provided by this group.

That no financial aid be extended any prospect by this group.

That regular weekly dues be paid, whether in attendance or not, and any deficits be met by assessments according to each members [sic] ability to pay.

That two sponsors be assigned each prospect.

That all controversial questions be settled by secret ballot, majority ruling, and any member has the right to [a] secure written ballot simply by request.

August 5 in A.A. History

In 1917, Congress called up the National Guard into federal service, enabling the U.S. Army to gather manpower to fight alongside the Allies against the Central Powers^* in Europe during the Great War (World War I). The National Guard contributed significantly to the forces that secured victory in the war.

    At Norwich University, where Bill W. was studying, students were required to be members of the Vermont National Guard. Thus, he was among those called up. 
^*The Central Powers included the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, collectively known as the Quadruple Alliance.

In 1938, the Alcoholic Foundation was legally established as a charitable, tax-exempt organization to provide a formally incorporated, New York-based center for what would become Alcoholics Anonymous. Frank Amos [far left] recruited John E.F. Wood [near left], a non-alcoholic attorney from Dewey, Ballentine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood, to handle the legal work.

    The Foundation was officially formed with the signing and delivery of a 13-page “Trust Indenture,” prepared by Wood. The initial trustees were Wood, Frank Amos (nonalcoholic), Williard Richardson (nonalcoholic) [near right], Bill R. [far right] (who had accompanied Bill W. to Akron in October 1937), and Dr. Bob S. 

An Advisory Board was elected by the new Trustees, comprising Bill W., Hank P., Albert Scott [left] (nonalcoholic), and A. LeRoy Chipman [right] (nonalcoholic).

    The deed of trust required that non-alcoholic trustees constitute a majority. One challenge Wood encountered while drafting this document was the inability to legally define the difference between an alcoholic and a non-alcoholic. To address this, the terms Class A and Class B were created to distinguish between non-alcoholic and alcoholic board members, respectively.
    Richardson served on the board until April 1949, when he became the first Trustee Emeritus, a position he held until his death in 1952. Wood’s term on the board was short; he resigned in December 1939 after focusing on the original Trust Agreement document. 

    Bill R., whose story “A Business Man’s Recovery” appears in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, was the first President (later called Chairman of the Board). He submitted his resignation^* in December, due to the stress of work and a newborn at home.  His resignation was not accepted until February. Harry B.^† [left], whose story “A Different Slant” is also in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, was then elected to succeed Bill R., who subsequently joined the Advisory Board.

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^*An often-repeated myth is that Ruddell resigned because he drank. He did not.
^†In the chapter “More About Alcoholism,” “Fred” is a pseudonym for Harry Brick.

August 4 in A.A. History

In 1947, the 80th U.S. Congress passed H.R. 2659, (“an act to establish program [sic] for rehabilitation of alcoholics, promote temperance, and provide for medical and scientific treatment of persons found to be alcoholics by courts of District of Columbia, and for other purposes”) into law. Julius S., a member of Washington, D.C.'s Alcoholics Anonymous Cosmopolitan Group, had testified at the hearings for this bill.

Today in A.A. History—August 4–5

In 2001, an ad hoc Roundtable met in Manhattan to discuss issues and plan future directions for Area access to group records maintained by the General Service Office (GSO). The Roundtable members were a mix of computer-savvy and less experienced A.A. members, including an Area Delegate, a regional Class B Trustee, at least four area registrars, and three representatives from GSO.
    There was general agreement to use the Microsoft Access database platform favored by the areas in a survey conducted by GSO. Participants also discussed the original purpose and future direction of the ‘DelArea’ program: a joint development between GSO and the Areas concerning group data management, update timing, and record-editing rights.
    One attendee noted, “We were fortunate in having a cross-section of service experience and computer capabilities,” adding that the new DelArea program “will encourage the frequent exchange of information and, consequently, the timely receipt of GSR (general service representatives) Kits for incoming GSRs.”

August 3 in A.A. History

In 1911, Earle M. [left] was born in Omaha, Nebraska. At the age of ten, he and his family—his father, mother, and brother—relocated to San Francisco, California, which he would come to regard as home. He later became a distinguished gynecological surgeon. In June 1953, he would get sober, and remain so for 49 years, until his death in 2003. His story, “Physician Heal Thyself” would appear in the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th editions of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

In 1918 [likely date], having crossed the North Atlantic Ocean, the H.M.T. Lancashire^* [right] arrived in Liverpool, England, carrying Bill W. and the Coastal Artillery Corps unit to which he belonged.

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^*Hired Military Transport, i.e., non-commissioned

In 1985, in her column [left, with an edited title], Ann Landers recommended Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and Alateen in the Steubenville, Ohio, Herald-Star:

Dear Ann Landers: My friend was always a heavy drinker, but since his wife died he misses work repeatedly and get dead drunk on weekends.
    I have tried reasoning with him, but he gets angry and orders me out of his house. How can I help him? – No Name In New York
Dear No Name: Trying to reason with a drunk is like trying to blow out a lightbulb.
    When he is sober let the drinker know, in a nonjudgmental way, that you are concerned. Set aside your hostility and remember you are angry at the illness, not him.
    Contact the National Headquarters of the National Council on Alcoholism, 12 West 21st St., New York, N.Y., 10010. They will put you in touch with program and services in your area.
    Alcoholics Anonymous is the most effective organization for drunks who want to stop killing themselves. Al-Anon is a terrific support group for relatives of alcoholics who choose to hang in there. Alateen is a group for teenagers whose parent (or parents) are boozers. The majority of heartwarming thank-you letters I have received over the years have come from people I’ve sent to A.A. and Al-Anon.

In 1989, the Liberty Bell’s Group—“Half cracked but liberated from booze a day at a time”—was started at the First Lutheran Church [right], located at 217 N. Lindsay St., Lake Elsinore, California. An early meeting schedule [left, 2007] showed:

Mon.	Mixed	[Closed] As Bill Sees It
Thurs.	Mixed	[Closed] Big Book study
Fri.	Men Only	[Closed] 12×12
Sat.	Mixed	[Closed] Discussion
Last Sat. of Month	Mixed	Open Birthday Meeting and Pot Luck	6:30

    At some point, the group’s name would be changed to the more grammatically correct “Liberty Bell Group” (losing the possessive).

 

 

August 2 in A.A. History

In 1892, (Lawrence) Richmond W. [right] was born to Caroline and Joseph Richmond W. in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second of six siblings, with two brothers and three sisters. 

    Rich would get sober and join Alcoholics Anonymous in May 1942. In 1948, he would self-publish his book, Twenty-Four Hours a Day (also known as “The Little Black Book”) [far left: 1st edition, 1st printing, cover; near left: pages 2–3]. He would later write For Drunks Only (1987) and The 7 Points of Alcoholics Anonymous (1989).

August 1 in A.A. History

In 1993, the General Service Office (GSO) in New York City made group information and contribution details accessible on 3½" floppy disks [left]—to General Service Areas that maintained their records digitally. This initiative resulted from a task force formed by GSO management to review and improve records-keeping procedures.

    In April, during the breaks on Tuesday and Thursday at the 43rd General Service Conference, delegates had the opportunity to attend a presentation of a computer software package demonstrated by two non-alcoholic GSO staff members. This software allowed areas equipped with the necessary technology to access group records retrieved from the GSO mainframe (an IBM AS/400 Model 40) [right, in the upper right corner of the image].

July 31 in A.A. History

In 1879, John Henry Fitzhugh “Fitz” M. [right] was born in Chelsea, New Jersey, to Robert A. and Annie Taylor M.

In 1949, Central Ohio’s first interracial Alcoholics Anonymous group was started by Charlie W. 
   Around the same time, a committee led by Bert P. was organizing the Central Ohio Group Fellowship and opening a new office. The bylaws governing the COGF were approved on this date, at Neil House in downtown Columbus, with Floyd W., Al B., and Harry C. as the primary architects. As always, Reverend Faust provided spiritual guidance during this process. Since its inception, the Central Ohio Group Fellowship has been dedicated to serving the groups and members in need.

In 1952, Henrietta Seiberling [far left] wrote a handwritten letter to Clarence S. [near left] of eight pages (four pages, double-sided). In part, it stated [underlining in original]:

    It looked for a while as if Bill W[—–] would like to crowd God out but we know that it is up to us to seek more & more of God’s power to help other people to know this way of Life & our fellowship. You certainly are doing your part & thank God, all those who have glimpsed the real vision are doing theirs. The joy of it is, to me, that those who have only been offered “the stone,” are so eager & grab at the “bread,” that we know we have to offer - as you say, it is appalling how little they have been offered by the would be “elder statesman” - but the 12 steps & the fact that, as Stanley Jones say, wherever man opens his mind to God, He reveals himself - they have helped the groping AA’s - who have been denied so much of the real “bread” - & given the “stone” of Bill W[—–]’s designs.
    But, Clarence, I have made one big whale of a surrender of Bill & his schemes - & all thought of him & the possibilities of what harm he could do just left me in the most amazing way. I don’t have to try to “not think of him” again, I just don’t - He is completely consigned to God by me & I know He can handle him - We will be closely knit - even with his taking the money & trying to take the book. I am sure he will need our pity & compassion because he has put himself apart from the real fellowship - more and more I see that the 16th Chapter of Luke that I read in answer to my asking to understand Bill & what he was doing, illuminated the situation - He has put himself with the “children of darkness” - he has his henchmen & ingratiates himself with those in the dark - Let us keep ourselves “children of the Light” & keep serving God, instead of “Mammon.” Bill has made his choice - Read the chapter over.
    I heard talk in Missouri 2 years ago about his connection with Sheen but I don’t imagine it is so. He imagines himself all kinds of things. His hand “writes” dictation from a Catholic priest, whose name I forget, from the 1600 period who was in Barcelona Spain - again, he told Horace C[—–], he was completing the work that Christ didn’t finish, & according to Horace he said he was a reincarnation of Christ. Perhaps he got mixed in whose reincarnation he was. It looks more like the works of the devil but I could be wrong. I don’t know what is going on in the poor deluded fellow’s mind.
    He must be wistful. He asked Bill D[—–] if he knew where I was & Bill said “on Park Ave” & he said “Have you seen her”?
    I learned from a Texas friend that a Chaplain in the prisons said the only way they really reached prisoners was thru Alcoholics Anonymous, even for the non alcoholic - so besides such things as that, Bill & his schemes pale into insignificance for us - I am sure.
    We can stand by & see him claim the “glory” if we can keep the “power” to help transform lives - Thank God, you & so many others are still doing that.…
    I saw Henry S[—–] in N.Y. - Bill D[—–] brought him over. Bill W. wouldn’t let him in the “convention.”…
As ever Faithfully
Henrietta

In 1970, Bernard B. Smith [right], 68, died of a heart attack at his home at 1165 Park Ave. in New York City. He was the longest-serving Trustee of Alcoholics Anonymous, holding the position from 1944 to 1970. Initially a member of the Alcoholic Foundation Board, he later became a Trustee of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, serving as Chair from 1950 to 1956. Bill W. referred to him as “the architect of A.A.’s general service structure.”
    Earlier in the month, due to Bill’s poor health, “Bern,” as he was commonly known, stepped in for many of Bill’s scheduled appearances at the Fifth International Convention in Miami, Florida, which celebrated A.A.’s 35th anniversary.

In 1972, a sober Ralston "Rollie" H. [left], known as “Rollickin’ Rollie,” died at the age of 65 from a heart attack in Washington, DC. He had had a notable 18-year career in Major League Baseball as a catcher, earning five All-Star selections. Hemsley played for several teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds (twice), St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees (winning the World Series in 1943), and Philadelphia Athletics. Following his playing career, he managed various minor-league teams and coached the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics.
    His battles with alcohol were legendary while he played for the Indians. In 1939, while on a train trip, he got drunk, poured water on a sleeping porter, tossed lit matches into sleeping berths, and climbed into manager Oscar “Ossie” Vitt’s bed, blubbering incoherently. As a result, he was immediately suspended. When Cy Slapnicka, the Indians’ general manager, gave Hemsley a $1,500 [~$34,700 in 2025] diamond ring and told him it was a gift for his daughter, the tough catcher was deeply moved and teared up. He vowed to quit drinking on the spot, and Slapnicka arranged for him to meet with some members of Alcoholics Anonymous, who promptly admitted him to the hospital. After four days there, he joined A.A., becoming its 77th member.

In 2002, the first meeting of the month-long Online Service Conference (OSC) concluded.
    During the meeting, representatives discussed several important issues affecting online A.A. groups. Topics included how to establish a group conscience online, the internet publication of A.A. copyrighted documents, online anonymity, relationships with "face-to-face" A.A. bodies, and other relevant concerns.
    The OSC representatives passed two actions:

• ratifying the Conference as beginning a general service structure for online A.A. and planning to meet again in January 2003; and 
• electing six members of a Steering Committee to stand for the Conference and prepare an agenda in the interim between meetings.

In 2003, the third meeting of the month-long Online Service Conference (OSC) concluded.
    Two key actions were discussed: defining online A.A. groups and recommending that these groups provide representatives to the OSC for two-year terms. However, neither proposal achieved substantial unanimity and both were referred for further study. Committees were formed to study the issues, and new members were elected to fill vacant positions on the Steering Committee.
    As with the previous assembly, no Online Advisory Actions were voted on during this third conference.

July 30 in A.A. History

In 1863, the military unit of Gardner Fayette Griffith [right], Vermont’s Company B, 14th Regiment, was mustered out in Brattleboro, Vermont, just a few weeks after its pivotal role in the Union’s decisive victory over Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania [left: a Vermont soldier c. 1863]. Griffith would later become the grandfather of Bill W.

In 1945, Silas B., 63, died in a Stamford, Connecticut hospital after a year of illness [near right: obituary, The Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle, 1 Aug 1945, p. 11]. He had been A.A. #3 (or 4) in New York City and, in January 1939, had written the first newspaper article ever published about Alcoholics Anonymous, but he had returned to drinking less than a year later [far right: gravestone].

In 1950, attendees at A.A.’s 1st International Convention at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, adopted the Twelve Traditions with near-unanimous acclamation.

In 1950, Dr. Bob S. [left] made a brief appearance at A.A.’s 1st International Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, to deliver his final public remarks. His now-famous talk included the following:

There are two or three things that flashed into my mind on which it would be fitting to lay a little emphasis. One is the simplicity of our program. Let’s not louse it all up with Freudian complexes and things that are interesting to the scientific mind but have very little to do with our actual AA work. Our Twelve Steps, when simmered down to the last, resolve themselves into the words love and service.

July 29 in A.A. History

Today in A.A. History—July 29–August 2

In 1971, a 21-member General Service Board (GSB) of Alcoholics Anonymous met for the first time in New York City. With the election of nine new members at the April General Service Conference (GSC), the Board reached a 2:1 ratio of Class A (alcoholic) Trustees to Class B (non-alcoholic) Trustees. This completed a reorganization begun by the 1966 GSC and advocated by Bill Wilson since before 1955. Historically, the GSB had always maintained a majority of non-alcoholic members. The 2:1 ratio has remained largely unchanged since [right: Report of the Trustees’ Nominating Committee to the 1971 GSC; all nominees were were approved by the GSC Trustees’ Committee and elected by the GSC].

July 28 in A.A. History

1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo, the capital of the recently annexed provinces of Bosnia-Herzegovina [right: Achille Beltrame’s portrayal of the assassination]. This act provided Austria-Hungary with the justification it needed to initiate hostilities against Serbia, marking the onset of the Great War, later known as World War I. The United States would enter the war in April 1917, and by August, President Wilson would mobilize all National Guard units. At that time, Bill W. was a student at Norwich University and, as such, a member of the Vermont National Guard.

Today in A.A. History—July 28–30

In 1950, Alcoholics Anonymous held its first International Convention [left] in Cleveland, Ohio, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of A.A.’s founding. The event aimed to honor Dr. Bob S., who was seriously ill and would pass away in November, and to adopt the Twelve Traditions by acclamation. While up to 10,000 attendees were expected from an estimated total membership of 96,400, only about 3,000 people registered, with a few hundred attending without registering ahead of time.
    During the convention, Bill W. gave a talk titled “The Group Conscience and the Trusted Servant”* in which he discussed several key points, among them:

    I think that we have developed almost a fetish that this is some terrific infallibility in the group conscience, and I would like to modify it to this extent: that when the group conscience is thoroughly informed, and when experience backs a decision or conclusion it has reached, and when it isn’t too mad or too fearful, it can (and almost always is) supremely wise as to the best interests of Alcoholics Anonymous.

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* This talk is reprinted in Our Great Responsibility: A Selection of Bill W.’s General Service Conference Talks 1951–1970.

July 27 in A.A. History

In 1938, at the request of Bill W., Dr. William D. Silkworth [right] wrote a letter of recommendation titled “To Whom It May Concern” [left] to support fundraising for the book that would eventually become Alcoholics Anonymous. This letter, in modified form, constituted the first part of Silkworth’s contribution to the chapter “The Doctor’s Opinion.” The second part of his contribution was likely submitted just before the Multilith printing in February 1939.

In 1941, Dale A. [left], who had written the Alcoholic Foundation in March after reading Jack Alexander’s article in The Saturday Evening Post, attended his first A.A. meeting. Soon he would be holding meetings in his home across the street from the North City Tavern [right, c. 1927]* in Shoreline, Washington, and would eventually become what many people consider the founding father of A.A. in Seattle, Washington.

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^*17554 15th Ave NE: located 10.6 mi [17.06 km] north of Seattle, it was built as a grocery store in 1927, and is still there, known since 1990 as the North City Lounge.