Aa history Lovers 2009 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page
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(heat_cool2004 at yahoo.com) I recently visited Dr. Bob's house again. During our tour the guide told us to notice the phone number on the old rotary dial phone in the living room. The last four numbers were 1935. Does anyone know if that was really Dr. Bob's phone number?? ~Mike IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6103. . . . . . . . . . . . The first AA bulletin From: priscilla_semmens . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/9/2009 8:57:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I read on a date list that in Nov 14 1940, the Alcoholic Foundation published the first AA Bulletin.
could be easily obtainable for reading? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6104. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Paul M. from IL From: Jim . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/10/2009 9:51:00 AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Paul M. was Gary B.'s sponsor (the man who wrote the personal note below which talks about Paul's life and work).
("He Sold Himself Short") who founded A.A. in Chicago. Earl's sponsor was Dr. Bob.
> > I received this today. God bless, Mike :) > > We lost another piece of AA history linking us > to the founders. Paul Martin, 87 years old and > 62 years sober. His sponsor was Tom Powers who > helped Bill Wilson edit and publish the 12x12. > Below is an official obituary that was in a > local paper and a personal note from Gary B. > a long time sober friend of Paul's. > > Rest in peace Paul, we will carry the torch! > > - - - - > > I returned home yesterday from Paul's wake and memorial service. This was the third time I have been privileged to not only be with Paul but many of his sponsees and friends. The first two times I was asked to chair (more like emcee) the celebrations of his 50 years and 60th years of sobriety. > > I met Paul 36 years ago when he spoke at the Wyatts meeting in Denver . He had been invited to speak there by a fellow known as Big Frank McKibbon. Frank
was big and tough and a true Big Book Step Nazi who said that I should come hear
Paul. I was surprised that Frank really looked up to anyone so I figured I better go. I left the meeting knowing that I had just met a man who really believed that the 12 Step program of AA was indeed "sufficient" for alcholics and anyone else who might be motivated to go to the lengths we need. > > 24 years ago I called Paul with my ass hanging out and jam on my face and asked him for help. I had not drank, but I was living a life of infidelity, dishonesty in all my affairs--my wife still says I was depressed during that time. Other than the depression that is a symptom of alcoholism I have no other
experience with that. > > Paul and his group, the LaGrange group, firmly believe and practice repeated trips through the 12 steps. Each time they do that they swap 5th Steps with several other people, and are extremely diligent in making all the amends to remain current. I learned that the repeated process thru the 12 Steps in order relieves alcoholics of the depression, anxiety, fear and all those other things the sober alcoholic contends with. > > Paul always believed that guilt is the cause of depression. In fact, he was sure that Wilson would not have had his depressions if he would have kept his pecker in his pants. > > I last spent several hours with Paul this last Spring when he was in Bloomington, Indiana, undergoing a series of heavy radiation. His conversations were always about AA. He said he knew I don't really enjoy speaking on the circuit but asked me to continue to do it when I was asked so I could continue to share my experience with amends. > > Paul spent the last 3+ months in a retirement center/nursing home. I am told that this past August there was a young man taking a tour of the home with his parents. The parents were thinking of moving there. The lady giving the tour always spoke to each resident as they passed by. She would say "Hi Joe" or "Hi
Mary" etc., but when they passed Paul she said "Hi Paul Martin." The group passed by and then the young man returned and asked Paul if he was the guy who knew Bill Wilson. Paul said he was and asked what he could do for the young man. The kid said he was 3 years sober and was having trouble getting along with his parents. Paul said "Do you have your amends list in your pocket?" > > Paul then showed the kid how to write an inventory, told him to come back when he had it completed (Paul gave him one week). The kid came back, took 5th Steps with Paul and a few of his friends. On September 10th the kid returned to see Paul and said he had made all the amends with his parents and things were getting better. > > All the years I knew Paul, I never once heard him change his mind about anything regarding the AA program--the Twelve Steps. I asked Matt A., a 50 year
sponsee of Paul's if he ever heard Paul change his mind about any part of the
program. Matt said he never heard Paul change his mind about a damn thing. > > Three weeks ago Bryan B took Paul up to Mayo Clinic for some tests. The doctor came into the room after two days of testing and before the doc could say
anything Paul asked "How long do I have." The doctor looked down while looking
for words when Paul said "I'm glad you didn't look at your watch." > > I'm sure someone will be telling more about his life. He spoke Spanish fluently.. He interviewed many South American political figures, both winners
and losers of revolutions. He was a wonderful god father and friend. > > The wake and service were truly victory celebrations. > > Gary
++++Message 6105. . . . . . . . . . . . Bishop''s 2010 AA History Calendar From: diazeztone . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/5/2009 6:07:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII "The Hands of AA" The 2010 Alcoholics Anonymous History Calendar A source of some good AA historical information: A list of the first AA groups in each of the 50 states. What ICYPAA is. What are AA’s 4 "Founding Moments"? A new book about the Catholic contributions to AA. Why did we leave the Oxford Group? And so on.
http://aabibliography.com/charlie_bishop_aa_history_calendar.html LD Pierce www.aabibliography.com - - - - Also see halfway down on http://hindsfoot.org/archives.html (and http://hindsfoot.org/fiftybk.html for the famous 2009 Alcoholics Anonymous History Calendar with Bishop's list of what to the AA historian are in his estimation the Fifty Most Important Books ever published)
number?
From: lester gother . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/10/2009 5:49:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Here are Dr Bob's complete phone numbers: Office: Hemlock 8523 Residence: University 2436 This is from Dr. Bob's letterhead dated 8/11/38 Best Regards Lester Gother IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6107. . . . . . . . . . . . In memoriam: Jack M. of the Ed Keating Center From: J. C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/9/2009 6:25:00 AM
in Cleveland, Ohio, 48 yrs Sober. Our friend Jack Mulhall took his journey home to the Lord on Sunday evening, November 8, 2009. May Jack rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon him. With support from Dennis E. and others Jack was one of the founders of the Keating Center in Cleveland, Ohio, started in October 1998, which has helped literally hundreds of people each day live in sober housing, where they receive the gifts required to maintain sobriety. All at no cost to the recipient.
Center:
to any man or woman who has a genuine determi- nation to overcome their alcoholism or addiction, without regard to their ability to pay for the help they require; and (b) That these services should be provided without the direct assistance of any local, state or federal agency, instead depending on the private support of individuals and organi- zations who believe in communities helping themselves; and (c) Our only deciding question to the man seeking help is "What are you willing to do to become sober and straight?" not "How will you be paying for our services?" Jack would say . . . There are numerous options available to the man or woman with the means to pay for alcohol or drug abuse treatment. For those who have only the determination to become sober, there is the Ed Keating Center.
From: S Sommers . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/11/2009 10:21:00 AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII This is very interesting. Is this an oral tradition of singing only or is there some song book somewhere? Are the songs or tunes original or are they older folk songs or ballads with new or different words attached?
hymn was Amazing Grace. Do we have any evidence of what some others' favorite songs might have been?
Elkhart, Indiana
(peter at aastuff.com) Hey Matt and Group. AA in North Carolina started in a small town 70 years ago named Shelby. Bill Wilson mentions his trip there in the Yale Summer Studies Lecture that was later published. His trip to Shelby was in the early 40's.
where he talks about his visit) I remember that he said they had singing going on. The talk I believe was in 1947. Peter F. in the Carolinas - - - - Original Message #6101 From (mdingle76 at yahoo.com)
founded by Tom Powers -- early AA member and Bill Wilson's main editorial consultant.
kind for it holds Sing-along meetings. And we've been doing this for forty-five years now.
the early days of AA when meetings were held in people's livingrooms that it wasn't unusual for everyone to sing a few songs when the meeting was over. Of course, this makes a lot of sense because many people knew how to play musical instruments back than -- it wasn't as unusual as it is today. Well, I wanted to share with this online group a video clip of Basket Landing — a folk and blugrass group that just happens to be made up of Tom Powers' family members. The group's leader Joan is Tom's daughter and she tells some about her dad's relationship to Bill W. The song "I'm an Alcoholic" was sung by the group at Stepping Stones — the home of Bill and Lois Wilson and is the kind of song sung at AA gatherings. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR_lrsnov5Y IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6109. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Music in early AA From: J. Lobdell . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/15/2009 2:41:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII So far as I have been able to find out (though I'm still awaiting a letter from Paul K's daughters -- Paul used to play the piano and Bill his fiddle after meetings at 182), the after-meeting songfests were not from a book but from memory, and they were just the ordinary versions of the songs (a century before, on the other hand, the Washingtonians had their own songs to the familiar tunes).
Fitz attended (1936?), Bill used to play the fiddle and Fitz the banjo at Fitz's home: I'm told Bill's favorite (or one of them) was The Battle Hymn of the Republic, and that Fitz was partial to "Old Virginny Never Tire!" -- but that they would collaborate on playing (I don't know about singing) "Greensleeves." Bill was also known to do WW1 songs -- so was Fitz -- and I have indirect/anecdotal evidence that they played and sang "Pack Up Your Troubles in the Old Kit Bag" (which was in any case the theme song for the WOR radio program "Rambling with Gambling" from 1923 until past the time Bill was singing), probably also "How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm [After They've Seen Paree]?"
From: mrpetesplace . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/11/2009 3:46:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I couldn't find a copy online anywhere using the search box on my AAStuff.com site so I just finished posting a pfd file there which has the first four AA Bulletins. I believe if my notes are correct Paul H. sent the file to me originally. Go to http://www.aastuff.com and in the section titled "Information that Interests Us," it is the first listing, simply called "AA Bulletins."
bulletins (starting in November 1940) which were sent from "The Alcoholic Foundation" (national headquarters of Alcoholics Anonymous). Thank you to all who assist with sending files or links to useful AA information. Peter Falcone - - - - From: Arthur S (artsheehan at msn.com) Hi Priscilla The "AA Bulletin" was the precursor to the "AA Exchange Bulletin" which was the precursor to "Box 4-5-9."
post AAHL messages with attachments, copies have been put online at the bottom of page:
existed at the time and those that were emerging. http://hindsfoot.org/bullno1.pdf The 1/15/41 Bulletin gave the membership an early alert as to the historic Jack Alexander Saturday Evening Post article.
of what was later to be called "The Serenity Prayer."
informed of important events. Cheers Arthur
Original message from "priscilla_semmens" : > > I read on a date list that in Nov 14 1940, the > Alcoholic Foundation published the first AA > Bulletin. > > What was it? Is there a copy available which > could be easily obtainable for reading? >
++++Message 6111. . . . . . . . . . . . Transcripts, for the hearing impaired, of AA historical audios? From: deafbluiegurl33 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/14/2009 3:38:00 PM
group, I have a special question. I was referred to the free resources in the free stuff section of this site: http://www.silkworth.net/freestuff.html yet all of them are in audio format. I have contacted those who is responsible for this site and was recommended to come here and ask about this.
transcripts for all of those listed? Cassie IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6112. . . . . . . . . . . . Re-writing history in the movies From: Al Welch . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/12/2009 9:29:00 AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I see that E-Entertainment and Hallmark are making a new movie about Lois Wilson, naming her as a COFOUNDER of AA.
made movie.) Alas, this will probably eventually become part of AA history under the heading "Did you hear?" or "I read it somewhere" !
31, 1941
From: Glenn Chesnut . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/16/2009 3:13:00 PM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII List of all the cities with A.A. groups as of Dec. 31, 1941. Very impressive growth, going from one or more established groups in 22 cities in November 1940 to three times that size in only one year: this list shows one or more established groups in 69 cities as of December 1941 (plus groups in two other cities handwritten into the list). Sent to us by A.A. archivist and historian Bruce C. from Muncie, Indiana. See bottom of page http://hindsfoot.org/archive3.html Which links to a copy of the list at http://hindsfoot.org/dec1941.pdf IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6114. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Transcripts, for the hearing impaired, of AA historical audios? From: mrpetesplace . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/15/2009 8:49:00 PM
and can sign some. I have a set of VHS Big Book which I was going to use to help learn more signs to help deaf alcoholics as there is none around here or meetings. I'm originally from the Rochester, New York area and there were plenty.
this set to you or anyone else who is deaf that needs a copy.
also know some deaf can't read but do sign and would depend on the Big Book signing.
then whoever else requests it I'll send to them. My email is: = peter (AT) aastuff.com Peter Falcone in the Carolinas IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ++++Message 6115. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: List of all A.A. groups as of Dec. 31, 1941 From: jax760 . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/17/2009 6:40:00 PM
subsequent work by this group to identify the first AA group in each state. In doing my original research I worked to substantiate each of the first 25 groups especially with two primary AA documents. 1. Bills letter to the trustees dated 10/1/1940 2. AA Bulletin # 1 dated 11/14/1940 Both of the above documents listed the cities that had "working groups" at that
time as well as groups that were forming and cities with isolated members. They
are nearly identical but Bill omitted South Orange from the first list and Camden from the second list. In working with Bill's lists and the plethora of "secondary" sources available I was able to provide a second source of substantiation for all the locations in the two primary references except for
two, Jackson & Waunakee, which cast doubt on whether or not there were actually
woking groups with the membership numbers Bill claimed (15 & 20 respectively) in the Trustee letter dated 10/1/1940
list
one can see that "Al C." is Al Cameron the Coffee Shop owner at the Ostego Hotel
and "Harry S." is Harry Smith from Madison. Note 1 We had lots of fine members whom I remember with great affection. I have good
memories of Bernie W., Roy D., Butch and Jake (a she) C., Silvanus J., Bill H.,
Charlie S., Ruth W., Frank Mc., Beck U., and many others whose names don't come
up on my screen at the moment, although I could remember them with a bit of jogging. We called ourselves Jackson Group #2, although there was not a #1 in an active state. However, there was a group registered in the national AA directory with Stan S. as a contact, but I never knew him and as far as I knew, it wasn't meeting. I would be happy to review any records you have, but I do think you can use December, 1939, as the starting time for AA in Jackson. It may have taken some time to really get off the ground, but I think we have to call Al C., the founder with later backup from Jack D.I hope this is of some help to you. Please call if you have more questions and I'll try to help. All the best, Mel B. Then we heard from Tom B.: Bud S. the electrician told me that Jackson Group #1 folded after they lost their meeting place when their landlord padlocked the hall. The present Jackson
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