March 7 in A.A. History

1940: The first meeting of the Philadelphia Group of A.A. was held at the home of George “Bud” S. [right: Bud’s high school yearbook photo], located at 1212 Arrott^* Street [left] in Northeast Philadelphia. Bill and Lois W., and 15 others, attended this open meeting.

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^*While all sources mention Arnott Street, no such street exists in Philadelphia. The closest street name is Arrott, which is ¾ mile (1.2 km) long, running between the 4600 and 4700 blocks from Frankford Avenue northwest to Adams Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia. The 1940 Census records confirm that 1212 Arrott Street was the residence of George and Laura S.

1941: Ruth Hock [left], National Secretary for the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City, responded to a letter from Dale A.  [right] of Seattle, Washington just four days after he wrote it. She recommended that Dale contact Dave W., also of Seattle, with whom she had been corresponding for nearly a year. Ruth suggested that they start an Alcoholics Anonymous group in Seattle. Dave and two others soon did, though Dale was not among them. Dale would attend his first A.A. meeting in July and soon after establish a meeting in his home. Later, he would be recognized by many as the founding father of Seattle A.A.

2002: Clinton “Duke” Paddock, 98, died in Jacksonville, Florida [right: gravestone]. A pioneerng member of Alcoholics Anonymous in Akron, Ohio, he played a key role in establishing A.A. in Toledo, Ohio.