October 17 in A.A. History

1935: Edwin “Ebby” T., the man Bill W. called his sponsor, moved in with Bill and his wife, Lois, at 182 Clinton Street [right: c. 1940, 2009] in Brooklyn.

1940: Toledo, Ohio’s first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous took place at the home of Ruth Haviland T., located at 2222 River Rd. [left] in Maumee Township. The attendees included Ruth, Clinton “Duke” P., who led the meeting, Charlie “CJ” K., Walter C., Chet M., Bill W.^*, Pete B., Ed B., and Ernie G.^†, one of the first 100 members of A.A. All nine had previously traveled to Akron, Ohio, to learn firsthand about A.A.

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^*Not A.A.’s co-founder.

^†Not the Ernie G. who married Dr. Bob and Anne S.’s daughter, Sue.

October in A.A. History—day unknown

1941: An unsuccessful attempt was made to start an A.A. group in Des Moines, Iowa. Emil W. reported to the Alcoholic Foundation office in New York City that there had been four attendees. The Foundation responded by sending him inquiries it had received from the area. However, the group was apparently unable to sustain itself.

1941: The first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Bridgeport, Connecticut [left: low aerial view of wharves, 1941] occurred when members of the New Haven, Connecticut, A.A. group traveled there to help start it. Not long thereafter, a group was started in Westport [right, c. 1940s–50s].

1942: Margaret “Bobbie” B. [left] and Bill and Lois W. visited the Alcoholics Anonymous group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin [right: 1940 skyline], giving them a “shot in the arm.” Dr. Gilbert “Gib” K., a dentist, had written to the Alcoholic Foundation office in New York City in October 1940 asking for help. He was put in touch with the groups in Madison, Wisconsin, and Chicago, Illinois. Within three or four months, Gib had gathered three more members and began holding meetings in his home. Spouses were usually included, together with members from Madison and Chicago, for support. On 30 April 1941, a meeting open to the public was held at the Plankinton Hotel, with about 50 in attendance, including out-of-towners. By January 1943, the group had 25 members with a year or more of sobriety.

1942: Members of Alcoholics Anonymous in Cleveland, Ohio, published the first issue [right: p. 1] of their local newsletter, the Central Bulletin.

1942: Clarence S. [left] stirred controversy in Cleveland, Ohio, after discovering that Dr. Bob S. and Bill W. were receiving royalties from Big Book sales. In light of this revelation, Bill and Dr. Bob re-examined their financial situation and concluded that receiving royalties from the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, appeared to be the only solution to their financial difficulties. Bill also sought the advice of Father Ed Dowling [right, 1940], who recommended that Bill and Bob refrain from accepting money for 12th Step work but suggested that they could accept royalties as compensation for their special services to Alcoholics Anonymous.