July 1 in A.A. History

In 1863, after dark, Gardner Fayette Griffith (Bill W.’s maternal grandfather) [right] arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with the 14th Vermont Regiment.They had been force-marched 130 miles [~210 km] in over 7 days from Washington, DC, to join the Union’s Army of the Potomac as General Robert E. Lee’s rebel army invaded Pennsylvania in late June. It rained every day during that week. The regiment took up a position near Cemetery Hill [left: map with gold arrow near the bottom showing their position during Pickett’s Charge].

In 1938, Honor Dealers, based in Newark, New Jersey, which had been founded by Hank P. [right], had to relocate from 11 Hill St. [far left] to a smaller two-room suite (#601) on the 6th floor of 17 Williams St. [near left]. Both locations also served as the service office for what would later become Alcoholics Anonymous.

In 1995, the Los Angeles Times published Tony Perry’s article, “AA Quietly Marks 60 Years of Deep Impact on Society” [right: my re-creation]. In this over 2,600-word piece, Perry discusses the tens of thousands who were celebrating Alcoholics Anonymous’ 60th anniversary in San Diego, as well as the history of the Fellowship and its program of recovery.

In 2000, Nancy F. spoke at the Metrodome during the Saturday night session of the 11th International Convention, which celebrated A.A.’s 65th anniversary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Though she was petite and had to stand on a platform to reach the microphone, her spirited presence evoked thunderous applause and cheers of “More!” from the crowd.

In 2002, the first meeting of the month-long Online Service Conference commenced, with approximately 49 interested members representing about 32 online groups in attendance. From the invitation to the conference: 

    The concept of a self-contained general service conference for the online AA world has been, and will continue to be, controversial. Your group’s participation in this exploratory July meeting by sending a rep does not imply your group’s membership in an eventual conference, or even agreement to its principles. It’s just an opportunity for your group to be present at what may someday prove to be another historic moment in AA history.

In 2003, the third meeting of the month-long Online Service Conference commenced, with 43 groups represented. Including alternates and steering committee members, total attendance reached 57.

Today in A.A. History—July 1–3

In 1863, Gardner Fayette Griffith (Bill W.’s maternal grandfather) served in Company B of the 14th Vermont Regiment. This unit was merged with the 12th, 13th, 15th, and 16th Regiments to create the 2nd Vermont Brigade, which was assigned to the 1st Army Corps.
    John C. Williams later said of these men,

    The regiment bore a conspicuous part in the battle of Gettysburg, and was highly complimented, both by Gen. Stannard, Brigade Commander, and by Gen. Abner Doubleday, the commandant of the division. Though exposed to the severest fire of the enemy, not a man shirked his duty, but all stood their ground, ‘as though rooted to the earth.’ The 2d Vt., brigade being placed in the front line, in the center position, —the most important in the whole line, for nearly twenty-four hours, it gallantly repelled a vigorous attack, by an overwhelming force of seventeen thousand rebels, and after sustaining a terrific fire from seventy-five to one hundred pieces of artillery, the result of which contributed essentially towards achieving one of the most glorious and decisive victories of the war. The casualties of the fourteenth regiment were twenty-five killed and seventy-five wounded.

In 1955, an estimated 5,000 registrants attended the 2nd International Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, celebrating A.A.’s 20th anniversary. However, the actual number of paid registrations was only 3,800, resulting in an operating deficit of $25,000 [~$300,000 in 2025], which accounted for 10% of the entire annual budget for the New York office and the Trustees. General Manager Hank F. G.^*, Dennis Manders, and the Trustees agreed that this should be A.A.’s last convention, as the Fellowship could not sustain such significant losses. However, when this recommendation was presented at the 1956 General Service Conference, it was rejected.

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^* Source says “Hank C.”, which I think is a mistake.

In 1960, an official estimate reported that 10,000 people attended the 3rd International Convention in Long Beach, California, celebrating A.A.’s 25th anniversary. However, the actual number of paid registrants was closer to 8,700. Despite this, the Convention generated an operating surplus of $600 [~$6,500 in 2025]. Both Long Beach and San Francisco expressed interest in hosting the event, and the final decision was made by a coin toss between the Delegates from Southern and Northern California. The Trustees required local groups to raise sufficient funds to ensure there would be no financial loss and later agreed to match whatever amount was raised, a practice that continued until 1975. While the full story of the event is both fascinating and lengthy, one memorable detail is that they ran out of coffee!

Today in A.A. History—July 1–4

In 1993, six or seven thousand A.A. members and friends from Canada, the U.S., South America, Europe, and Asia gathered in Toronto, Ontario, to celebrate 50 years of Alcoholics Anonymous in Canada. The event featured participants from countries such as Mexico, the West Indies, Brazil, England, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, and Sri Lanka. The comprehensive program included 31 speaker meetings, 26 panels, 40 marathon meetings lasting 50 hours, and two talkathons.

In 2010, despite the ongoing threat of bad weather from the remnants of Hurricane Alex^*, approximately 53,000 people attended the 13th International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in San Antonio, Texas, themed “A Vision For You” [left: a Big Meeting at the Alamodome].
    During the event, the 30 millionth copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was presented to Rebecca Patchin, former chair of the American Medical Association’s Board of Trustees.

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^* Hurricane Alex's spiral bands brought tropical storm-force winds to southern Texas, reaching a peak of 51 mph [82 km/h] in Port Isabel. The storm also set rainfall accumulation records, caused a storm surge of at least 3.5 feet [1.1 meters] that eroded beaches, and spawned nine tornadoes, all rated EF0. The storm dissipated on July 6 [below: Hurricane Alex making landfall on Mexico at peak intensity on July 1; track map of Hurricane Alex, showing the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The color represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale, and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below]. 

WHITE TEXT HERE

June 30 in A.A. History

In 1940, Works Publishing, Inc. released its first financial report [right: p. 4, "Receipts and Disbursements"], consisting of eight pages. However, the records used to compile this report were not entirely reliable.

Today in A.A. History—June 30–July 3

In 2005, nearly 44,000 people attended the 12th Internation

­

al Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in Toronto, Ontario, celebrating A.A.’s 70th anniversary [below: scene from Rogers Centre Stadium]. The theme of the event was “I Am Responsible.” During the convention, the 25 millionth copy of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous, was presented to Jill Brown, the warden of San Quentin Prison.

 

 

June 29 in A.A. History

Today in A.A. History—June 29–July 2

In 1995, fifty-six thousand people celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) at the 10th International Convention in San Diego, California [left: big meeting Jack Murphy Stadium].

In 2000, forty-seven thousand people gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) at the 11th International Convention [right: Gary Glynn, General Service Board Chair, at the Opening Meeting, from Box 4-5-9, Aug/Sep 2000].

Today in A.A. History—June 29–July 4

In 1913, Bill W. accompanied his maternal grandfather, Gardner Fayette Griffith [left], to the 50th anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Get­tys­burg, where Fayette had fought.
    This spectacular event was organized with meticulous care and efficiency by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in collaboration with the Federal War Department. It attracted 53,407 veterans, including approximately 8,750 former Confederates, making it the largest Civil War veterans’ reunion ever held. All honorably discharged veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic and the United Confederate Veterans were invited, and veterans from 46 of the 48 states attended. Bill and Fayette likely stayed at the Great Camp [below: panoramic view], a tent city established by the War Department on leased farmland near the battlefield.
    Fayette pointed out where his military unit, the 14th Vermont Infantry, Company B, along with other Vermont regiments, had outflanked Pickett’s charge and contributed greatly to the Union vic­tory. The hot days were filled with speeches and exhibits, culminating in an address by President Woodrow Wilson on the 4th.

June 28 in A.A. History

In 1935, Dr. Bob S. and Bill W. first visited Bill D. [right] at Akron City Hospital in Ohio. His story, “Alcoholic Anonymous Number Three” appears in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. A prominent attorney in Akron, Bill D. had been hospitalized for his drinking eight times in the first half of 1935 alone. Following their initial visit, Dr. Bob and Bill W. saw Bill D. every day.^* It took about five days for him to admit that he could not control his drinking. He left the hospital on July 4 and, within a week, returned to court sober to argue a case. The founding of Akron’s Group #1, A.A.’s first group, is marked by the day Bill D. left the hospital. He later became a Panel 1 Delegate for Ohio, serving at the first General Service Conference in 1951.

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^* Ernie G., A.A. #4, who sobered up, at least temporarily, later that summer, claimed to have been on at least one of these visits to see Bill D.

In 1940, Works Publishing, Inc. formally acquired the assets and liabilities of “William G. W▓▓▓, doing business as Works Publishing Company, of New York City, N. Y.” [left: copyright assignment]. This acquisition presumably included the copyright to Alcoholics Anon­y­mous, known as the Big Book. However, it was later discovered that this copyright was never valid because some prepublication multilith manuscript copies of the book had been distributed without any indication that they were “ON LOAN.”

In 1944, a photo was taken of bridge players in an Alcoholics Anonymous club room [right], probably the Cosmopolitan Club at 405 W. 41st St. in Manhattan.

In 1961, Irwin “Irv” M., 63, died in Los Angeles, California [left: gravestone].

Today in A.A. History—June 28–30

In 1955, most of the sessions of the 5th General Service Confer- ence (GSC) took place at the Jefferson Hotel [right, 1940s] in St. Louis, Missouri.
    The final session—the only public one ever held during a GSC—occurred on the stage of the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis on 3 July (q.v. that date). This marked the end of the GSC experiment and established a lasting component of the A.A. General Service Structure that remains in place today.

June 27 in A.A. History

In 1938, [Lois Remembers says June 15] Lois and Bill W. [right: in happier times, c. late 1930s] had a big fight at their home at 182 Clinton St. in Brooklyn. Lois had visited her sister five days earlier and returned on the 25th. Within the next 48 hours, a conflict of some kind arose between them. Lois later wrote, “I got mad at Bill and he dashed out to take a drink, but went to [Hank and Kathleen] P——s [sic] instead.” In her diary, she noted that after she “got mad at Bill,” he “went over to Jersey for lunch” and that the fight was so bad that he “came close to taking a drink.”

June 26 in A.A. History

In 1935, Bill D. [right, with his wife, Henrietta], a prominent attorney and Akron city councilman, was admitted to Akron City Hospital in Ohio for his final detox and the first day of his sobriety. In his story, “Alcoholics Anonymous Number Three,” found in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions of Alcoholics Anonymous, he wrote,

    On June 26, 1935, I came to in the hospital, and to say I was discouraged is to put it mildly. Each of the seven times I had left this hospital in the previous six months, I had come fully determined in my own mind that I would not get drunk again—for at least six to eight months. It hadn’t worked out that way, and I didn’t know what the matter was and did not know what to do

    Two days later, Bill W. and Dr. Bob S. came to see him. Six days after that, he left the hospital, never to drink again. That day, July 4, marked the founding of A.A. Group Number One. Within a week, he was back in court, arguing a case.

Today in A.A. History—June 26–29

In 1955, the 5th General Service Conference met prior to the 2nd International Conference at the Jefferson Hotel [left, c. 1940s] in St. Louis, Missouri. Advisory Actions included:

• The… plan for selecting Class B Trustees from outlying areas is submitted for consideration, subject to approval of the General Service Conference [note: this is the first move to establish Regions—the initial geographical groupings were called “Area A” thru “Area E”].
• The Delegates voted overwhelmingly to set the retail price of the new edition [of Alcoholics Anonymous] at $4.50 [~$54 in 2025], the price to A.A. groups at $4.00 [~$48 in 2025] and to earmark fifty cents [of each sale] for the Reserve Fund.
• … adopting the proposed permanent “Charter of the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous—North American Section,” subject to approval of the 20th Anniversary Convention of A.A.

A Public Relations Policy and Practice report noted, among other things, the following activities:

• Headquarters cooperation with the North American Newspaper Alliance syndicate, with Fawcett Publications and with the New York Daily News on stories proposed. In all cases, emphasis is on the fact that A.A. does not “promote” publicity, nor does it endorse specific articles.
• Headquarters cooperation in John Daly’s network television presentation on A.A. on his “Open Hearing” program. Substantial assistance was rendered by Grapevine personnel.
• Continued correspondence and consultation with representatives of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios over the projected filming of the Lillian Roth book, “I'll Cry Tomorrow,” in which it is proposed to portray an A.A. member who deliberately breaks anonymity.

June 25 in A.A. History

In 1908, David “Dave” B. [left] was born in Toronto, Ontario. He grew up in Knowlton, Quebec, and married Dorothy Ford on 1 Sep 1929. Together, they would have three children and thirteen grandchildren.

    In the late 1930s or early 1940s, he would be incarcerated in a mental institution. He would get sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) in 1944 and become a founding member of A.A. in Quebec. From 1962 to 1964, he served as a Class B [alcoholic] Trustee. His story, “Gratitude in Action,” appeared in the fourth edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. It is said that every French-speaking A.A. meeting in the world traces its roots back to the group he founded in Montreal.

In 1939, Percy Hutchison of The New York Times gave a highly favorable review [right] of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. He noted that its central thesis “is more soundly based psychologically than any other treatment of the subject I have ever come upon.” However, despite the positive review, sales did not improve, as the book was not available in bookstores.

June 24 in A.A. History

In 1898, Irwin “Irv” M. [right, as an adult] was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Minnie Cohen and Benjamin William M., as the eldest of six children. 

    He would begin his career as a salesman but struggled with alcoholism, losing several accounts before becoming one of Clarence S.’s “babies” [sponsees]. Irv’s wife would often ask Clarence to “pull” Irv out of bars and “convince” him that he “needed to be fixed.” Irv initially found it difficult to stay sober, but eventually embraced the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and dedicated himself to helping others.
    As a salesman, Irv traveled extensively throughout the southeastern United States, selling Venetian blinds. During his travels, he started A.A. meetings and became a highly effective high-pressure salesman, with both alcoholics and his customers. In Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, Bill W. would note:
Irwin weighed 250 pounds [~113.4 kg], at 5’9” [175 cm] tall] and was full of energy and gusto. The prospect of Irwin, as a missionary, scared us rather badly.
    Due to his vast sales territory, Irv regularly received lists of potential A.A. members from Ruth Hock at the Alcoholic Foundation Headquarters in New York City. He pursued these leads with the same enthusiasm he applied to his sales efforts, establishing A.A. groups in cities such as Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; West Virginia; and throughout the South.

In 1938, Bill W. [far left] replied to a letter dated June 21 from Jeremiah D. Maguire [near left], President of Federation Bank and Trust Company. In their previous correspondence, Bill had sent Maguire Hank Parkhurst’s promotional brochure. Maguire’s letter expressed interest in the brochure and offered “to try to work out an appointment.” Bill expressed gratitude and included an outline of the remaining chapters of the book, along with a copy of a letter he had dictated to Dr. Bob Smith to “give you [Maguire] a clearer idea of what is going on and how we are progressing.”

In 1938, Frank Amos [near right] wrote to Albert Scott [far right] (both close associates of John D. Rockefeller, Jr)…

    to tell you in detail the developments in the activities of the self-styled Alcoholics squad… The work has been going splendidly and every day evidences are piling up which strengthen my conviction that these fellows are not only on the level but have developed a Christian technique which if earnestly followed out is, and can be, effective in a majority of cases… [T]hey have decided to bring out a book.… The idea is for the book not to bear the name of any author but to be by “Alcoholics Anonymous.”

    He included…

    a rough draft of the first dictation. The first page… is outlining the purpose of it. The rest is a rough beginning on Chapter I [“There Is A Solution”] and on the first story of an ex-alcoholic [“Bill’s Story”].

In 1985, U.S. President Ronald Reagan [left] sent a two-page letter of congratulations to Alcoholics Anonymous in recognition of its 50th Anniversary celebration, which would take place during the International Convention in Montreal from July 5 to 7. The letter [right] stated, in part:

    Nancy and I send our warmest wishes for a successful convention as you continue to observe the 50th anniversary of Alcoholics Anonymous.        Look around you, at the more than 30,000 men, women, and even children who have overcome alcoholism. You are the lucky ones; you are the winners.…
    I would like to share with you one of Nancy’s favorite stories. It is about a starfish man.
    One morning at dawn, a young boy went for a walk on the beach. Up ahead, he noticed an old man stooping down to pick up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally, catching up with the old man, the boy asked him what he was doing. The old man answered that the stranded starfish would die unless they were returned to the water.
    “But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish,” protested the boy.        “How can what you’re doing make any difference?”
    The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
    When the co-founders of AA first began to share their hope, they had no idea that AA would become more than one million members strong, or that it would encompass 114 countries around the world. But they laid the foundation for the world's largest self-help group. They reached for only one stranded starfish at a time… one day at a time.
    You are making the world a better place for all of us, and on behalf of all mankind, we are grateful. God bless all of you.

June 22 in A.A. History

In 1916, Norwich University cadets, including Bill W. [right: at Norwich], were mobilized to Fort Ethan Allen. Four days earlier, President Woodrow Wilson had ordered the activation of all National Guard units from states not already involved in Brigadier General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing’s “Punitive Expedition” to capture Pancho Villa. As a result, Norwich University readmitted the sophomore class, including Bill, all of whom had been expelled after a hazing incident in February, so they could be mobilized.

In 2012, the U.S. Library of Congress launched an exhibit titled “Books that Shaped America,” showcasing 88 books that “shaped Americans’ views of their world and the world’s views of America.” Among these influential works is Alcoholics Anonymous [left: exhibit card], about which the exhibit said,

    The famous 12-step program for stopping an addiction has sold more than 30 million copies. Millions of men and women worldwide have turned to the program co-founded by Bill W[—] and Dr. Bob S[—] to recover from alcoholism. The "Big Book," as it is known, spawned similar programs for other forms of addiction. Shown here is the third edition. The book is now in its fourth edition.

June 21 in A.A. History

In 1938, Jeremiah D. Maguire [right], President of the Federation Bank and Trust Company, received a copy of Hank P.’s “neatly gotten up brochure” from Bill W., which included the latest versions of “There Is A Solution” and “Bill’s Story.” In his reply to Bill, Maguire expressed his approval:

    I have not read [it] intently, but such extracts as I have had opportunity to read prove the document a very interesting one and I shall take the opportunity to read it more at more length.… On my return from the Bankers Convention,…I will try to work out an appointment with you.

1944, the first issue—Vol. I, No. 1—of The Grapevine was published in an edition of 1,200 copies.
    A one-year subscription cost $1.50 [~$27.40 in 2025], resulting in 165 subscriptions. Six volunteers, whom Bill W. referred to as “six ink-stained wretches,” launched it as an 8-page newsletter for members in the New York City area and for GIs overseas.

    An article in that first issue identified these six as “a cashier; a radio script writer [sic]; an author; a bookseller; an art director; a wife and mother of two.” Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age later named them as “Marty [M.], Priscilla [P.], Lois K., Abbott [‘Bud’ T.], Maeve [S.], and Kay,” acknowledging Grace O. and her husband Fulton as “moving spirits.”

    The July/August/September 2007 issue of Culture, Alcohol & Society Quarterly identified the group as “Abbot [sic] (Bud) T.; Lois K., Priscilla P., Chase H., Marty M., and Felicia G.” Priscilla—Marty’s partner, an artist and later art director for prestigious magazines in both the U.S. and Europe—designed the masthead [left].

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Note: all square brackets ([ ]) are from the original, except for “[sic]”.

June 20 in A.A. History

In 1944, Alcoholics Anonymous National Secretary Margaret “Bobbie” B. [near right] announced in a bulletin to A.A. groups that the demand for copies of Bill W.’s presentation to the New York State Medical Society and Dr. Harry Tiebout’s paper to the American Psychiatric Association was so great that both articles would be published in a pamphlet titled “Medicine Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous” [far right: as published, undated].

In 1946, Drs. C. Nelson Davis [far left] and C. Dudley Saul [near left] established The C. Dudley Saul Clinic for alcoholics at St. Luke’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This clinic was the first private facility of its kind in the United States. 

    After Dr. Saul’s death in 1947, Dr. Davis moved the clinic to Malvern, Pennsylvania, renaming it the Malvern Institute [right, 2017]. Both doctors were early advocates of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and traveled together to promote the organization, believing in the benefits of a 12-step program for recovering alcoholics.

    Additionally, Dr. Saul founded the 4021 Clubhouse [left, 1972] in Philadelphia for A.A. meetings, which remains active today.

June 19 in A.A. History

Today in A.A. History—June 19–21

In 1981, the University of Akron in Ohio hosted the 46th Annual A.A. Founders’ Day Weekend, as noted in issue #9 of the Founders Day Herald from 1981 [left].

June 18 in A.A. History

In 1935, [Date assumes Dr. Bob’s last drink was on June 17th.] In Akron, Ohio, one day after his last drink, Dr. Bob S. proposed that he and Bill W. find other alcoholics to work with.

    A local minister, J. C. Wright, connected them with a prospect who lived down the street from Dr. Bob. They would spend the summer trying, in vain, to sober him up: Edgar “Eddie” R. [left], an “alcoholic atheist able to produce a major crisis of some sort about every other day.” Notoriously, he once chased Bob’s wife, Anne, around their home with a butcher knife. Eddie also claimed to have visited Bill D. (A.A. #3) in the hospital alongside Bill and Bob.
    Although he missed the chance to become A.A. #3 himself, years later, at a large A.A. meeting in Youngstown, Dr. Bob exclaimed, “Holy Moses!” upon seeing Eddie, who was reportedly sober for one year at that time. Eddie attended Dr. Bob’s funeral in 1950 and later became a member of the Youngstown, Ohio group. When Eddie died in 1963, his wife said he had been sober for 17 years, dating back to 1946.

In 1940, the first meeting at the original A.A. clubhouse, located at 334½ W. 24th St. in New York City, was attend­ed by 100 people. A February 1951 article in the A.A. Grapevine would say about this location: The cryptic letters “AA” had gone up on a battered green doorway in the undistinguished neighborhood of New York’s once elegant Chelsea district. It isn’t a very auspicious doorway, nor a conspicuous sign.… Wedged in between two old-fashioned brick-fronts,… there isn’t supposed to be any doorway there at all.… You push open the door. You’re in a little ves­­tibule.… And you open the inner door to find—nothing! Nothing, that is, except a long, bare, tunnel-like and mysterious looking hallway.… Actually this is merely the passageway between the two houses back to the oddity of an “extra building” built in the rear, over what had once been the “gardens.” It was Bill who first christened this hall “The Last Mile.”… Ultimately you step into the inner sanctum which… is the “meeting room.” An old upright piano, a card table or two, a few nondescript chairs and, of course, people. But the center of the room to your newcomer’s eye is the fireplace, pine panelled [sic], with a plain wooden mantel and, over it… the sign reading—“But For The Grace of God….” On the second floor there is another room of about the same size only somewhat lighter and airier because of the skylight. Here, in addition to the secretary’s desk, is what is called… grandly… “the lounge” … two wicker divans, three chairs and a table! Off in the far corner is a door leading to two tiny rooms that will be Lois and Bill’s living quarters during a period when AA’s financial affairs could easily be kept on the back of an old envelope.     Herbert “Bert” T. and Horace C. personally guarantee rent for the building. [Above left, top to bottom: climbing the the stairs behind the entrance; main room of clubhouse. Above right, top to bottom: entrance; the “long, bare tunnel-like and mysterious” hallway; the upstairs room, where Bill and Lois lived for the first year the clubhouse was open. Below: The Saturday Evening Post’s photo of “a typical meeting,” which was anything but typical.]

June 17 in A.A. History

In 1926, Lois W.’s sister, Katharine “Kitty” Burnham [near right, 1924], married Gardner Swentzel [far right, 1916] at the Church of the New Jerusalem, near the Burnham home in Brooklyn. 
    Bill and Lois had interrupted their motorcycle tour in Alabama to attend the wedding. On their way, they had an accident outside Dayton, Tennessee, where Bill broke his collarbone and Lois twisted her leg, resulting in “water on the knee.” They spent a week recovering and then, after a few more days, shipped their motorcycle and belongings home while they took the train. As Lois described it:

Although we were in plenty of time for the wedding, I made a sorry looking matron of honor, when, with red gashes on my face, I limped up the aisle.

In 1935, Dr. Bob S. [left] had his last drink, according to recent historical research. The best known but incorrect date is June 10, the official founding date of Alcoholics Anonymous.
    Dr. Bob had decided to attend the annual American Medical Association convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from June 10 to 14. During the trip, he engaged in several days of binge drinking: on the way to the convention, during the convention, and while returning home. 

    Ul­ti­mate­ly, a drunken Dr. Bob ended up at the home of his office nurse in Cuy­a­hoga Falls, Ohio. His wife, Anne [near right], and Bill W. [far right] came to pick him up. With Bill’s help, Bob spent three days sobering up. Facing surgery at Akron City Hospital, he made a pivotal decision:

I am going through with this—I have placed both the operation and myself in God’s hands. I’m going to do what it takes to get sober and stay that way.

    Before the surgery, Bill gave Bob his last drink, a beer, along with a “goofball” (a barbiturate) to help steady him.

In 1942 , local A.A. groups hosted the inaugural New York City area meeting, which attracted 424 attendees. The event featured speakers Rev. Vincent Donovan [near right], Dr. William D. Silkworth [middle right], and Williard S. Richardson [far right], Treasurer of the Alcoholic Foundation and associate of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

In 1967, T. Henry Williams [left] died and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Twinsburg, Ohio.

    From the early 1930s until 1939, he and his wife, Clarace, had hosted weekly Oxford Group meetings at their home [above right], welcoming early members like Henrietta Seiberling, Dr. Bob, Anne S., and others. Following Bill W.’s arrival in 1935, new members of the emerging Alcoholics Anonymous group in Akron, Ohio, were included as part of the “alcoholic squadron” of the Oxford Group.

Supporting A.A. in Ukraine

[Note that this post was written in March 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion of the Ukraine by the Russian Federation.]

An A.A. friend sent me a very well-done flyer for an online A.A. meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine. It's shown to the left, but I've removed the Meeting ID and Passcode; I don't want to make it that  easy to attend. When I first saw it, I thought, "I only wish that we could do something similar for all the Russian alcoholics, who must also be terribly distressed at this time" (especially those in the Russian military).

This flyer was immediately followed by a less well-done message, shown below, purporting to be from "Ukrainian AA Service Center and the Ukrainian AA Service Board" to "the AA World Community." I was skeptical. This looked so much like a myth that I expected to find it debunked at Snopes ("the internet’s definitive fact-checking resource"). I did not. But I did find an article titled, "UKRAINE: New Crisis, Grimly Familiar Disinformation Trends", which said, in part, 

It is a grim measure of the frequency of crisis events in recent years, and the ubiquity of online disinformation, that when a major story breaks — a terrorist attack, a mass shooting, or an act of war — the writers and editors at Snopes can typically predict what comes next. Recycled videos and photographs, stripped from their proper context, and the same old tropes, all designed to inflame or confuse, or even amuse, the reader.

This is followed by a "grim overview of the familiar disinformation trends and recurring memes… in the opening days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine."

But, as I said, I only later looked on Snopes. First I searched the Internet. To my surprise, I immediately got a hit that looked very promising. It was on the aa.lviv.ua website and looked like this:

Since I don't know what I presumed was Ukrainian, and not having much patience, I immediately had the page automatically translated into English. It is indeed Ukrainian, and here's the English translation I got:

It was only later that I noticed that an English translation of the message follows the Ukrainian on the original, one click further down. I felt stupid and impatient for not looking.

Ultimately, I decided I'd check into the Kyiv online meeting and see if there was some way I could be helpful. I tried to log in a few minutes before it was to start. Due to the meeting having reached capacity, it was impossible to get in. It then occurred to me, If I'm having this much trouble getting in, there are probably Ukrainians who are also unable to get in. It horrified me to think that I could have had a part in disrupting their meeting. If, by some miracle, I had been able to get in, I sure hope I would have realized that the meeting was at capacity and left. But even if I had, my spot would have been filled by a non-Ukrainian.

I tried joining after the meeting was over. It was bedlam. It appeared that most people were unmuted and there were multiple conversations going on at the same time. I saw one man, who appeared to be that single Ukrainian member. He appeared to be quite stressed out. I also saw some A.A.friends of mine, which was disappointing. I only stayed a minute. The last thing they needed at that point was yet one more non-Ukrainian A.A. to join the fray.

Tonight, I learned from a reliable source that only one of the seven or eight regular Ukrainian group members was able to get into the meeting (presumably, the Zoom host). No doubt, many of the attendees had good intentions, although I'm also pretty sure some did not. Clearly, many also didn't think through the consequences of their actions.

And then, very late last night, My friend said that another friend of hers had found a Facebook post about the A.A. meeting in Kyiv earlier, shown at the left. It was so disheartening to read. Yes, many non-Ukrainians—maybe hundreds of them—got to feel good for a minute. Meanwhile, seven or eight locals never got to their meeting.