What A.A. Owes to Its Antecedents Most of the ideas and principles that define how A.A. works were far from new at the time of Bill W. and Dr. Bob’s historic meeting in 1935. Drinking was a serious problem in North America starting in the late eighteenth century, when molasses then being imported from Barbados
This article appeared in the July 29, 1995 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. It followed shortly after an article featuring an advocate of teaching alcoholics “responsible drinking” habits. James E. Royce, S.J., Ph.D. is professor emeritus of psychology and addiction studies at Seattle University and author of a leading
From the September 19, 1964 Saturday Evening Post. Alcoholics Can Be Cured–Despite A.A. By Dr. Arthur H. Cain It is time we made a thorough investigation of Alcoholics Anonymous in the interest of our public health. A.A. is identified in the public mind as a God-fearing fellowship of 350,000 “arrested
In March, 1941, an article entitled “Alcoholics Anonymous” by Jack Alexander appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. The Post, at that time, was one of the country’s most popular publications. The influence of that article on the growth–and indeed, survival of Alcoholics Anonymous–cannot be
The Gabriel Heatter broadcast of April 25, 1939. The first national exposure for Alcoholics Anonymous came with the April 25, 1939 “We The People” broadcast. Gabriel Heatter’s radio program was a tremendously popular program that was tuned in by millions of people. Morgan R., the AA member who spoke on the
The following is an excerpt from the book Don’t Be Afraid! written by Edward Spencer Cowles, M.D. and published in 1941. From today’s perspective some of this material may seem shocking, and yet, pathetically humorous. This physician treated “chronic alcoholics” with this method over a span of nearly 30
Remaking A Man One Successful Method Of Mental Refitting by Courtnay Baylor of The Emmanuel Movement, Boston, 1919 The writer’s one object in his psychological work has been to obtain results. He has therefore explained his ideas to his patients in the language each individual would understand. Since his experience has
No society can function well without able leadership in all its levels, and AA can be no exception. It must be said, though, that we AAs sometimes cherish the thought that we can do without any leadership at all. We are apt to warp the traditional idea of “principles before personalities” around to such a
By Dr. Bob Smith July 1944, AA Grapevine During nine years in AA, I have observed that those who follow the Alcoholics Anonymous program with the greatest earnestness and zeal not only maintain sobriety but often acquire finer characteristics and attitudes as well. One of these is tolerance. Tolerance expresses itself in a
The Jack Alexander Article The Saturday Evening Post March 1, 1941 Alcoholics