February 28 in A.A. History

1937: Dick S.^* [near right] regained consciousness in Akron City Hospital after a binge. He later learned that his younger brother, Paul [center right], who had been sober for nearly eight months, had given him 5½ ounces of paraldehyde—more than twice the dosage recommended by Dr. Bob Smith [below right]. From that point on, Dick would remain sober for the rest of his life.
    His story, “The Car Smasher,” was published in the first edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, and outlined the four-step program he recommended:

First: Have a real desire to quit.
Second: Admit you can’t. (This is the hardest.)
Third: Ask for His ever-present help.
Fourth: Accept and acknowledge this help.

    He later revised his story for the second and third editions; it was retitled “He Had To Be Shown.”

---

^*“The Car Smasher” begins with, “During the first week of March 1937,… I ended 20 years of a life made practically useless [by drinking].” In contrast, the second-to-last paragraph of “He Had To Be Shown” states, “On Sunday when I came to, it was a bad, wet, snowy day in February 1937…”. Weather records for Akron in February 1937 indicate that temperature ranges were likely too high and precipitation too low for any Sunday to be described as “a bad, wet, snowy day,” except for the 28th. Therefore, I conclude that the Sunday Paul referred to in “He Had To Be Shown” must have been the 28th.

1942: In Columbus, Ohio, The Columbus Group split into two groups. Fourteen members left to establish the Central Group at the Odd Fellows Temple, located at 24 W. Goodale St. This new group decided to install a phone and set up an office at the temple for Twelfth Step calls. Additionally, the Central Group was responsible for printing one of the earliest A.A. newsletters.

1942: Ruth Hock [far left] left the New York City Alcoholic Foundation office to marry Phil Crocelius; Margaret “Bobbie” B. [near left] took her place as National Secretary, A.A.’s second and last. Bobbie had been a professional dancer in the U.S. and Europe during the 1920s and, as Ruth noted, in the fashion of the 1940s, wore “tiny little hats and went tripping along in her high heels, but was a fantastic communicator.”

1947: The Naugatuck (Connecticut) Daily News reported that Edward McDermott, the executive director of Easy Acres in Newtown, a state sanitarium for neurotics, spoke at a meeting of the Waterbury Junior Club on the topic of “Alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous.”

February 27 in A.A. History

1903: Paul H. [left, 1920] was born in Butte, Montana, to Mary Furlong and Daniel J. H., who founded a department store bearing the family name in Butte. In 1940, Paul got sober in Alcoholics Anonymous in Washington, DC.

1939: Six weeks after leaving the hospital in Los Angeles, California, where which he had gone to detoxify, Pat C. wrote to the Alcoholic Foundation, stating that he had recovered from his alcoholism. Bill W., Hank P., and Ruth Hock had been sending copies of the multilith manuscript all over the U.S. A copy came into Pat’s mother’s possession, and he read it cover to cover. He thanked them for it and shared his story—how he started drinking in 1917, his World War I service, how his drinking continued in France, and how it persisted after he returned home from the war. He described the following 15 years as “one drunk after another.”
    He enlisted in the Marine Corps. Initially, he drank very little and was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant. However, he soon began drinking heavily again, was demoted in rank, and sent to China, which did not help his drinking problem. He did not reenlist.
    After returning home, his wife left him due to his drinking, and he struggled to hold a job. He remarried, but his new wife and mother were concerned about his drinking. Then, his mother read about A.A. in an article published by a doctor and wrote to him. The doctor forwarded her letter to A.A., who responded immediately.
    In his letter, Pat mentioned that he was already reaching out to help other alcoholics. Ruth Hock wired him, asking for permission to use his letter anonymously. He replied the next day, “Permission granted with pleasure. Lots of luck.” They included his story, “Lone Endeavor,” ghostwritten by Ruth based on their correspondence, in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.
    This was the first time anyone had heard of someone getting sober simply by reading the book, so a collection was taken up to buy him a bus ticket to New York City. When the bus arrived, the welcoming party found Pat sleeping off a drunk under the back seat. His story was removed from the Big Book before the second printing.

1961: Bill Wilson wrote a note [right] to Nell Wing from Cambridge Beach, Bermuda [left, c. 1970], where he was vacationing with his wife, Lois:

Bermuda Feb. 27 1961
Monday

Nell Dear

    We are having a great time – probably the best vacation we ever had. We look & feel so well you wouldn’t know us The weather has been perfect and Cambridge Beach is a superb spot – really the best possible.
    Pls [indecipherable] Bert Gardner for us –

Much love  
           Bill

February 26 in A.A. History

1940: Bill W. replied [below left] promptly to John D. Rockefeller’s letter dated February 23, in which Rockefeller expressed his regret for being unable to attend the dinner he had planned to host for A.A. (his son, Nelson, hosted in his stead).

Dear Mr. Rockefeller:
    On an occasion such as this one can seldom write as deeply as he feels.
    You and your friends have offered us the finest thing you could ever give—your confidence. To merit this trust, to meet the responsibilities, to fulfill the purposes implicit in that evening at the Union Club is our great desire. In no other way shall we ever be able to thank you.
    I hope you may always depend upon us for a good measure of discretion, true humility and simple faith in The Great Physician who has already brought us so far.

Sincerely yours,      

<signed “William G. Wilson”>
Wm. G. Wilson       
for            
Alcoholics Anonymous    

1962: Warren C., a merchandising manager for Superior Dairy Co. in Canton, Ohio, shared his A.A. story at the Kiwanis Club in Dover, Ohio. The next day, his speech was published in The Daily Reporter, Dover's newspaper, on the bottom of page 1, credited to him by his full name, under the title “Don't Fluff Off The Alcoholic!” [right].

1999: Felicia G. [left], author of “Stars Don’t Fall” in the 2nd and 3rd editions of Alcoholics Anonymous, died at the age of 93. Born in 1905 in Blansko, now part of the Czech Republic, she was the daughter of the fortune-seeking Polish Count Józef G. and Chicago newspaper heiress Eleanor Medill Patterson, the granddaughter of Joseph Medill, founder of The Chicago Tribune.
    In 1908, her mother took her away following a violent altercation with her father, who later kidnapped her from London and placed her in a Russian convent. Her return was secured with the assistance of President-elect William Howard Taft and Czar Nicholas II.
    Referred to as the ”little Countess” by the press, Felicia married (1) Andrew Russell Pearson—better known as Drew Pearson, a prominent American columnist recognized for his syndicated column “Washington Merry-Go-Round” and his NBC Radio program Drew Pearson Comments—in 1925, but she divorced him three years later; (2) Dudley de Lavigne, an impoverished insurance broker, in 1934, a marriage that lasted less than a year; and (3) John Kennedy Magruder, a landscape architect, in 1958, whom she divorced in 1964.
    Throughout most of her professional life, she used her maiden name. In her later years, she contributed to American magazines and newspapers, lived in New York and other locations, and wrote novels and short stories. In her 1939 novel Flower of Smoke, the Austrian-American heroine famously proclaims, “Make your own peace, no matter what.”

February 25 in A.A. History

1951: A Regional Conference was held in Jacksonville, Florida, starting at 2:30 PM in the assembly room of the Mayflower Hotel [right, 1937]. Representatives from all groups in North Florida were invited to elect an Area Delegate for the newly established Area 15, Northern Florida. The selected delegate would represent the area at the inaugural General Service Conference in New York City.
    It was described that this Conference…

    will act as a “guinea pig” for ob­servers from the Southeastern region, so that they may return to their respective districts with an excel­lent knowledge of the correct procedure in the formation of their group districts.

Bill W. [left, 1955], co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was among those in attendance.

1974: President Richard M. Nixon [near right] replied to a letter from Thomas “Tom” P. [far right], suggesting that Nixon apply the 12 Steps to the Watergate situation by substituting the word “Watergate” for “alcohol” in the 1st Step and then “conscientiously apply the rest of the 12 Steps” to his own situation:

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
February 25, 1974

Dear Tom:

    Before another day passes, I wanted you to know that I received your very thoughtful let­ter of February 1. Many times in the past I have had occasion to thank you, but I must say once again how much it means to know I have been able to count on the loyalty and under­standing of so many long-time friends.

    I deeply appreciate your suggestions and the genuine spirit of concern and goodwill in which they were made. As you know, in several televised press conferences I accepted responsi­bility along the lines you discussed. Further, on a number of occasions I have pledged my full cooperation to the Special Prosecutor and to the Judiciary Committee so that the in­vestigations can be concluded, the guilty parties brought to justice, and those innocent of any wrongdoing may be cleared and, hopefully, have their good names and reputations re­stored. However, I have also stated that I will follow the precedent set by every other United States President of never doing anything that weakens the Office of the President or impairs the ability of future Presidents to make the great decisions that are so essen­tial to this Nation and to the world. This has been a difficult period not only for me but for all Americans, and when this and related matters are brought to a full and just reso­lution, I am confident the majority of the American people will come to understand that the trust they placed in me has not been violated.

    In the meanwhile, it is a source of constant reassurance to me to have the support of friends like Katherine [Tom’s wife] and you and to be included in your prayers. Pat joins me in sending you both our warmest personal regards.

        Sincerely,
        <initialed “RN”>

February 24 in A.A. History

1941: The March 1 issue of The Saturday Evening Post [right: cover], with Jack Alexander’s article “Alcoholics Anonymous: Freed Slaves of Drink, Now They Free Others,” appeared on newsstands.
    In Toledo, Ohio, newcomer Garth M. was given 40 nickels [below] and the job of visiting magazine outlets and purchasing a total of 40 copies.
2002: Hal M., 86, died of renal failure at Cherrydale Rehabilitation Center in Arlington, Virginia, after 37 years of sobriety. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery [right: headstone].
    A former lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, Hal served as an alcohol and drug abuse counselor and as the chief of employee assistance at the State Department. He played a crucial role in establishing drug and alcohol awareness programs at U.S. embassies around the world. On 3 December 1970, he testified anonymously before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
    Hal also created special “attitude of gratitude” pins [left: a similar pin, not Hal’s], which he wore on his lapel and distributed by the thousands. He always carried spare pins to share with other alcoholics, encouraging them to embrace gratitude for their sobriety. Over the years, he became affectionately known as “Dr. Attitude of Gratitude.”

February 23 in A.A. History

1938: Willard S. Richardson [far left] sent the revised version of “Notes on the Akron, Ohio Survey,” written by Frank Amos [near left], to John D. Rockefeller Jr. [right]. Richardson covered it with letter that included a summary of Amos’s findings:

    Briefly, Dr. [Bob] Smith, an able man and the first convert in that section, is the leader of 40 or 50 men and women in that area. His leadership has lasted nearly three years and is for another two very desirable. But his hard experience with drink makes his rehabilitation as a specialist slow, and the demands made by the former and new alcoholics are heavy. Furthermore, he want to help them medically and spiritually. He is connected with the Akron City Hospital and does important service there. But his office and home facilities are inadeqate. His friends, as Mr. Amos’s report indicates, think if he could be helped financially for one year, possibly two, he would be able by having a secretary, a suitable office, and some other aid, to get fully on his feel professionally and could develop some helpers in the group of good men there and in Cleveland who would take much of the burden of the liquor work. Mr. Amos estimates the cost to do this effectively at $,5000 for the two years.…

    Richardson ended his letter with a guarded endorsement:

    We are very much impressed with some of the leaders in Akron and in this city [New York City], as well as with the devlopment of this service both from a drink and a religious point of view. However, we do not mean to be anything but wise in treatment of the undertaking considering the present conditions and possible growth of this work.

1940: John D. Rockefeller Jr. wrote a letter [right] to Bill W., expressing his regret for being too ill to attend the dinner for A.A. “the other night [8 February],” where his son Nelson had stepped in as host for his father.

1948: The Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah, published a nearly full-page article [left] titled “Photographic Series Depicts Work of Alcoholics Anonymous.” The piece featured photographs and text showcasing the efforts and impact of Alcoholics Anonymous.

1959: Alcoholics Anonymous received “Recording for the Blind” permission^* from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) to create an audio recording of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, through the Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), now known as Learning Ally [right: A.A.’s current four audiobook offerings, up from two in 2024].

---

^*A.A.W.S. Inc., the publisher and copyright holder of the Big Book, sought permission to publish an audiobook version, even though it was not strictly necessary. This caution stemmed from the historical treatment of full-length audio editions as separate, licensed derivative works rather than mere accessibility aids. Organizations like RFB&D operated under carefully negotiated copyright agreements, allowing them to record and distribute books solely to individuals with print disabilities. These agreements had strict terms to avoid competing with commercial audio formats. Since this nonprofit—originally founded as Recording for the Blind in 1948, renamed Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic in 1996, and rebranded as Learning Ally in 2011—had long acted as a gatekeeper for these specialized recordings, A.A. adopted a conservative approach, viewing a broadly distributed audiobook version of the Big Book as something that required explicit permission within this established framework.

1978: H. Alfred “Al” S. [left], 74, died in West Palm Beach, Florida [right: obituary]. He made significant contributions to Alcoholics Anonymous, serving as the Director of the New York Intergroup Association and as a Class B (alcoholic) Trustee from January 1958 to April 1961. Additionally, he held leadership positions as the director of A.A. Publishing Inc. and A.A. Grapevine, Inc., and he was the editor of the A.A. Grapevine from 1948 to 1952. Al was also the author of the Responsibility Declaration and the Declaration of Unity.
    His mother, Ella Marks Wenrick, had served as the secretary to Emmet Fox. This connection had allowed Bill W., Ebby T., Al, and others to regularly attend Fox’s talks in New York City, often securing mezzanine seats.

2021: Pastor John Baker [left], 72, co-founder of the Christ-centered program Celebrate Recovery^* (which is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous), died unexpectedly.

---

^*Celebrate Recovery is a program addressing a range of “hurts, habits, and hang-ups,” including anxiety, co-dependency, compulsive behaviors, sex addiction, financial dysfunction, drug and alcohol addictions, and eating disorders. It is one of the seven largest addiction recovery support group programs in the country. Celebrate Recovery is a registered trademark, and groups using this name must adhere to a standardized format, using only the Bible and authorized curriculum materials. Group facilitators must be trained and agree to specific expectations, including following standardized guidelines at each meeting. The program incorporates the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and eight principles based on Jesus' Beatitudes. Participants are encouraged to form small groups of “accountability partners” who share similar problems and support one another.

February 22 in A.A. History

1842: On the 110th anniversary of George Washington’s birth, Abraham Lincoln [left: 2004 painting by Ned Bittinger] addressed the Springfield, Illinois, Washingtonian Society. At the age of 33, he advocated for “kind, unassuming persuasion” instead of the more forceful temperance efforts of the past. He stated,

    When [we] all… first opened our eyes upon the stage of existence, we found intoxicating liquor, recognized by every­body, used by every body, and repudiated by nobody.
    If we take habitual drunkards as a class, their heads and their hearts will bear an advantageous comparison with those of any other class. There seems ever to have been proneness in the brilliant and warm-blooded to fall into this vice. The demon of intemperance ever seems to have delighted in sucking the blood of genius and of generosity.… He ever seems to have gone forth, like the Egyptian angel of death, commissioned to slay if not the first, the fairest born of every fam­ily.…
    Happy day, when, all appetites controlled, all poisons subdued, all matter subjected, mind, all conquering mind, shall live and move the monarch of the world. Glorious consummation! Hail fall of Fury! Reign of Reason, all hail!

1884: William “Willie” Seabrook [near right, 1931] was born. His memoir, Asylum: An Alcoholic Takes the Cure [center right], would later be cited by Marty M. [far right, 1938] in her story “Women Suffer Too,” which appears in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.

1949: The Anniston Star, based in Anniston, Alabama, reported [article left] on the 3-year anniversary celebration of the Anniston Group, which took place this evening in their downtown clubhouse (address not provided). The headline read, “AA Anniversary Here,” and the event was open to all.