Throwback Thursday AA history post:

Timelines in AA History – 1940

Many heartfelt thanks go out to Archie M. of Tennessee, who did much research in order to compile this “Timelines in AA History” and to Arthur S., Northeast Texas Area Archives, who has built upon Archie M’s original Timeline file.

 1940’s -Ebby familiar visitor 415 Lexington A.A. office; Bill wrote memos Code Tradition & Code Headquarters & Code Grapevine; Bill pushing hard A.A. self-government through general service conference, visited groups get support; St. Thomas & Knickerbocker Hospitals pioneered best techniques combined medicine & A.A. worked out (G 9, 13) (SM 16)

• early 40′ -Wife’s A.A. prospects interviewed to this time; A.A. Canada started; Lillian R. popular singer went public (D 109) (G 9, 46)
• mid 40′ -Number black alcoholics found sobriety; Aunt Jenny radio soap opera involving alcoholic family member; U.S. groups proliferating rapidly & starting abroad; radio discovered A.A., call in radio show Ask An Alcoholic; Wilson’s traveled among groups U.S. & Canada, movie Lost Weekend out portrayed alcoholic 1st time not Bowery bum successful middle-class businessperson reduced Bowery bum (G 8) (N 120) (P 317)
• late 40′ -Bill stumped U.S. & Canada explaining, cajoling need for Fellowship continuity after he & Dr. Bob gone (G 51)

 1940 -Father Ed Dowling wrote 1st Catholic recommendation A.A.; Bill selling wire rope; A.A. got building for meetings 334 1/2 24th Street called 24th Street Clubhouse; Fitz M. long loner Washington D.C. area joined Hardin C. & Bill A.; Paddy K. founded A.A. Boston; Sister Ignatia made hospitalization available alcoholics St. Vincent’s Charity Hospital Akron took alcoholic patients single rooms; Akron Group starting meeting King School, Big Book done Braille, Norman Y. had done, never read it; Deaconess hospital took alcoholic patients single room; rainy night Bill & Father Edward Dowling, S.J. meet 24th Street clubhouse; Bill Dr. Bob royalties Big Book starting 1940; impressive A.A. growth; end 3,000 copies Big Book, 1,500 members coast, about 50 groups, 12-13 cities quite stable groups Akron, New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Greenwich Connecticut, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Little Rock, Arkansas, Washington D.C. Richmond Virginia, St. Louis; official office set up 30 Vesey Street Room 703 downtown Manhattan; membership about 2,000; book sales sole support A.A. office; stock ownership Works Publishing Inc turned over Board Trustees; Toronto minister Reverend George Little saw copy Big Book, gave to parishioner who sobered up; A.A.’s 1st club house 24th Street New York opened; Jimmy B. started A.A. Philadelphia home George S.; Dr. Haggard & Dr. Jellinek published Quarterly Journal Studies Alcohol (A 11, 17, 180, 253) (D 202, 220, 249-250) (E 34-35) (G 24, 66, 79, 86) (H 188, 204, 366) (L 122, 128, 171-172) (SM 12) (N 98) (P 222, 238, 257) (S 34) (TC 11)

• early 40′ -Dick P. 1st Spanish-speaking joined A.A.; no word John D. Rockefeller 3 years (B 294) (D 249)
• late 40′ -1st news bulletin Vesey Street headquarters issues groups, 1st pamphlet A.A. published called A.A., John D Rockefeller Jr. A.A. dinner, 1st A.A. clubhouse 24th Street, 1st A.A. oriented drying facility High Watch Farm Kent Connecticut, passing hat custom started, Father Edward Dowling S.J. & Reverend Harry Emerson Fosdick 1st religious leaders endorse A.A. (G 86) (H 147)
• Winter -Reporter Saturday Evening Post Jack Alexander assigned investigate & perhaps do A.A. story (A 190-191) (B 310) (H 148, 181) (N 100)
• end 40′ -A.A. had 2,000 members (A 310) (H 147)
• January -Akron group found new home King School, started take collections rent, custodial expenses; most groups required hospitalization, being talked to least 5 A.A.’s or passed committee before new person join; Youngstown 2 couples visit prospective A.A. before could attend 1st meeting; John S. joined A.A.; definite working agreement Sister Ignatia superior Sister Clementine, Dr. Bob, probably Chief Staff St. Thomas Hospital (D 100, 146, 263, 348) (S 85, 87)
• February -Grand Central Station Lois started weeping due not having home, started looking own place; Lorraine Greim Ruth Hock’s assistant started work Newark office; Bill & Lois move Monsey apt small place Greenwich Village; Bert T. & Horace C. discover & guarantee rent building 334 1/2 West 24th Street, old Illustrators Club (B 297, 304) (L 128) (P 216)
• February 8th -John D. Rockefeller Jr. gives A.A. dinner, Manhattan’s exclusive Union Club (A 87) (B 295) (E 15) (G 73) (H 145) (L 128, 198) (P 232)
• March -Mort J. early A.A., book convert, came Los Angeles from Denver & helped faltering group; started custom reading Chapter 5 Big Book Cecil group (A 93) (P 266, 288)
• March 16th -Works Publishing moves offices Newark, 30 Vesey Street Room 703 lower Manhattan (A 187) (L 129, 198) (P 235)
• April 21st -1st rehabilitation home for alcoholics Joy Farm near Kent Connecticut (L 122, 199)
• May -1st anonymity break national level Rollie H. catcher Cleveland Indians just caught Bob Feller no-hitter, revealed been sober A.A. year, caused lot publicity (D 251) (N 85, 95) (P 236)
• June -2nd A.A. meeting Baltimore (P 258)
• June 30th -Works Publishing Company incorporated (W 160)
• September -1st meeting Toledo A.A., Duke P., others started; Journal Nervous & Mental Diseases published most unsympathetic review Big Book (D 255) (N 92)
• October 1st -Total A.A. membership 1,433, 30% + Cleveland, 47% Ohio (S 157)
• November 4th -Wilson’s moved upstairs bedroom 334 1/2 24th Street 24th Street Clubhouse (H 366) (P 238)
• November 2nd week -3 groups Cleveland, 3rd week Orchard Grove Group started making 4 (D 209-210)
• December -Group started Ashtabula, Ohio due Plain Dealer articles A.A., Cleveland about 30 groups (A 134) (D 207, 211) (H 62)

 REFERENCES USED:

(A) ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS COMES OF AGE (AA)
(B) BILL W. -by Robert Thomsen
(C) CHILDREN OF THE HEALER -by Bob Smith & Sue Smith Windows as told to P. Christine Brewer
(D) DR. BOB AND THE GOOD OLD TIMERS (AA)
(E) A.A. EVERYWHERE ANYWHERE (AA)
(G) GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN THERE -by Nell Wing
(H) THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART (AA)
(L) LOIS REMEMBERS -by Lois Wilson
(N) NOT-GOD -by Ernest Kurtz
(P) PASS IT ON (AA)
(S) SISTER IGNATIA -by Mary C. Darrah