May 17 in A.A. History

1926: From Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Lois W.’s entry in her Diary of Two Motorcycle Hobos [left: cover of initial self-published version, 1973] reads:

    We [Bill and Lois] are not stopping in Pittsburgh as first planned, but are driving straight home, in order to be on time for Kitty’s [her sister’s] wedding. Now that we are on the home stretch, we can hardly wait to get there.

    The next entry, written almost 50 years later, begins:

    Because of an accident on the motorcycle [just outside Dayton, Tennessee] I discontinued my diary. The following account is set down from memory.…

1942: A New Haven, Connecticut, newspaper reportedly published an article about Alcoholics Anonymous, accompanied by a photo showing members seated in a circle.

1942: The Journal-Herald in Dayton, Ohio, published two stories [right] about Alcoholics Anonymous, under the titles “‘Alcoholics Anonymous’” and “‘AA’—National Organization Without Officers and Dues.” The articles included photos of members wearing Halloween masks to protect their anonymity.

1942: The Denver Post in Colorado published an article [left] in its Sunday magazine section about A.A., titled “Cured by their own ‘HORRIBLE EXAMPLES’.”

1942: The photo shown right, front and back, was taken and sold exclusively to Saturday Home Magazine, but it may not have been used by them, according to a note on the back. The text, which could have served as a caption or “cutline” for the photo, states:

    Members of ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ are not reformers. They find that helping others, as this member is doing for the hospitalized man on the bed, is a vital part of the cure for themselves. It's all a part of their own courageous battle which, experience has taught, can be won through confidence and comradeship.

    The date “May 17, [19]42” appears on the back. This usually indicates the intended publishing date, the date the photo was taken, or when the magazine obtained it. This photo did appear in the article in Denver, Colorado’s The Denver Post on that same date, which is likely what it signifies.
    The individual in the photo certainly appears to be Bill W.

May in A.A. History—day unknown

1948: Before learning of his terminal illness, Dr. Bob Smith wrote to Bill Wilson about the concept of a General Service Conference:

    However desirable many of these changes may be, I have the feeling that they will be brought about without too much sudden upheaval. If the trustees are wrong, they will hang themselves. I am just as interested in A.A. as you are, but am not 100 percent sure as to the wisest course to follow and the wisest ultimate setup. “Easy Does It” is the best course to follow [emphasis added]. Maybe it would be wise to let the trustees act as trustees and perhaps insist that they do so, which might be effected with some outside pressure. The objection to the idea would be that they might mess things up badly while they attempt that. But they would surely get some unpleasant repercussions from the groups if they did.… Keep your shirt on for a bit, and remember that whatever happens, we love you a lot. Smithy.