July 17 in A.A. History

In 1918, Bill and Lois W. were in Newport, Rhode Island, where Bill was stationed at Fort Adams. It was just a few hours before his deployment to Europe for possible action in World War I. He would later write,

    I remember going out to dinner with Lois and another officer and his wife. A pall of gloom settled over us all. I remember feeling an aversion to the mood of pessimism and thinking how selfish and self-concerned it was. Lois and I stood alone on one of the beautiful cliffs at Newport, overlooking the sea. It was an utterly desolate part of the shoreline. She and I gazed out over the ocean, wondering. The sun was just setting, and we talked about the future with joy and optimism. There I felt the first glimmerings of what I was later to understand as a spiritual experience, while it evolved in me over the years. I shall never forget it [above right: Cliff Walk in Rhode Island at a sunset in 1918].

In 1946, Margaret “Bobbie” B. [left], National Secretary at the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City, replied to an A.A. member from Atlanta, Georgia. The member had written to complain that the March of Time episode “Problem Drinkers” [below right: screen capture] was not being shown in local theaters:

    THE MARCH OF TIME headquarters here tells me today that they do not think any pressure group is keeping the film from Atlanta. They think it is a matter of local theatre policy. They suggest that you see [the] District Manager or [the], Branch Manager, for the local office of the 20th Century Fox at 127 Walton Street N.W., Atlanta 3 (MARCH OF TIME distributes their films thru 20th Century Fox). Perhaps these men may be able to help you on how to get the MOT film, Problem Drinkers, into an Atlanta theatre. It is worth a try anyway. I certainly hope you see it—it has been well received by the groups so far. Naturally we think it is pretty good but we could be prejudiced having worked on the parts dealing with AA for many long months.

In 1952, Bill W. wrote to Father Ed Dowling [left] about his difficulties writing essays on each Step for the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

    The problem of the Steps has been to broaden and deepen them, both for newcomers and oldtimers. But the angles are so many, it’s hard to shoot them rightly. We have to deal with atheists, agnostics, believers, depressives, paranoids, clergymen, psychiatrists, and all and undry. How to widen the opening so it seems right and reasonable to enter there and at the same time avoid distractions, distortions, and the certain prejudices of all who may read, seems fairly much of an assignment.

In 1960, Albert R. “Abby” G. [right], 70, died in at St. Alexis Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, following two years of failing health [left: obituary]. Notably, the first A.A. group in Cleveland met in his home while he was under the care of Dr. Bob Smith at Akron City Hospital.