Grapevine, February, 2001

Texas Preamble:

A few months after the Grapevine published the Preamble in June,
1947, Ollie L., Dick F., and Searcy W. decided to beef it up for the
drunks in Texas. "We worked on it, passed it around, and agreed on
this version, " says Searcy W. "It's now read by groups throughout
the state." It works for Searcy. He's been sober 54 years.

For all who would be interested in it:

-------------------------------------

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their
experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve
their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

We are gathered here because we are faced with the fact that we are
powerless over alcohol, and are unable to do anything about it
without the help of a Power greater than ourselves.

We feel each person's religious convictions, if any, are his own
affair, and the simple purpose of the program of AA is to show what
may be done to enlist the aid of a Power greater than ourselves,
regardless of what our individual conception of that Power may be.

In order to form a habit of depending upon and referring all we do to
that Power, we must first apply ourselves with some diligence, but
repetition confirms and strengthens this habit, then faith comes
naturally.

We have all come to know that as alcoholics we are suffering from a
serious disease for which medicine has no cure. Our condition may be
the result of an allergic reaction to alcohol which makes it
impossible for us to drink in moderation. This condition has never,
by any treatment with which we are familiar, been permanently cured.
The only relief we have to offer is absolute abstinence - a second
meaning of AA.

There are no dues or fees. The only requirement is an honest desire
to stop drinking. Each member is a person with an acknowledged
alcoholic problem who has found the key to abstinence from day to day
by adhering to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. The moment he
resumes drinking he loses all status as a member of AA. His
reinstatement is automatic, however, when he again fulfills the sole
requirement for membership - an honest desire to quit drinking.

Not being reformers we offer our experience only to those who want
it. AA is not interested in sobering up drunks who are seeking only
temporary sobriety. We have a way out on which we can absolutely
agree and in which we join in harmonious action. Rarely have we seen
a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not
recover are those who will not or cannot lend themselves to this
simple program-- usually men and women who are incapable of being
honest with themselves. You may like this Program or you many not,
but the fact remains that is works.. and we believe it is our only
chance to recover.

There is a vast amount of fun included in the AA fellowship. Some
people may be shocked at our apparent worldliness and levity, but
just underneath there is a deadly earnestness and a full realization
that we must put first things firs. With each of us the first thing
is our alcoholic problem. Faith must work twenty-four hours a day in
and through us, or we perish.

with gratitude,
Jim M

The best place I've found to get Big Book dust
jackets is http://www.dustjackets.org/. They have
replica dust jackets for all printings of the
first, second, and third edition.

             Rob
______________________________

From: Cindy Miller <cm53@...>
(cm53 at earthlink.net)

This is exactly the kind of work that Bob W. (archivist from
Little Rock, Arkansas) is involved in...

I've misplaced his contact info. Can anyone else provide it?

My email address is <cm53@...> (cm53 at earthlink.net)

-cm
______________________________

From: "Gallery Photography" <gallery5@...>
(gallery5 at mindspring.com)

If it were me, I wouldn't touch it. If he wants a good usable
book, go buy a new one. Take that book and put it in a glass
box.

Rotax Steve

There will be a Multi-District History & Archives
Gathering on June 24 2006 location to be negotiated
but between Harrisburg PA and Lebanon PA, from about
8:30 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m.

This will be like the Gatherings held in Summerdale PA
April 2003 and Elizabethtown PA June 2004.  (We skipped
a year for the International.)

We have invited AA historians Glenn C. and Mitch K.

We are also inviting other historians, and hope to
have exhibits from the Philadelphia Intergroup Archives,
the Maryland Archives, and the Northern New Jersey
Archives, at least, along with a speaker from GSO.

We expect Chet H. (DLD 4/4/49) to be in attendance,
and hope for other 50+ oldtimers.

No charge for attending.  Keep the date free if you can,
and come if you can.

-- Jared Lobdell
__________________________________

A note from the moderator:

At the very beginning, AA developed around two major
centers:

(1) Akron, Cleveland, and that area of the
upper midwest clustering around the western Great Lakes.

(2) That area on the eastern seaboard which had New
York City at its center, but involved people from that
entire part of the eastern seaboard.

Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey were
all part of that early eastern AA center, so Jared's
history and archives gathering should be of more than
simply regional interest, on those grounds alone.

Also Mitchell K. is our expert on early Cleveland AA,
which was a key part of the other early AA center.

Glenn C., South Bend, Indiana
(see map at http://hindsfoot.org/contact.html)

From: "Charlene C." <ccp28para4@...>
(ccp28para4 at yahoo.com)

IIdog wrote: <IIdog@...> (IIdog at prodigy.net)
##I am looking for information on Dr. Paul Oehlinger.  His
story is in the third and fourth edition of the Big Book.
The same story with different titles. I appreciate any
information on this.
Thank you,
Jane B.##

You can listen to Dr. Paul O.'s talk on-line.  Go to
xa-speakers (The Lights Are On) at

http://www.xa-speakers.org/

then to aa-alcoholics anonymous, then
to single speakers.  Dr. Paul's is on page 24.

C. Cook
______________________________

From: Tammy Cook <tomatolcook@...>
(tomatolcook at yahoo.com)

Wendi Turner wrote:
<wenditurner@...> (wenditurner at earthlink.net)
##In the stories in the back of the book, the wonderful story
of Dr. Paul O. published in the 3rd ed "Doctor, Alcoholic,
Addict" (BB3 439-452u)... and in the 4th ed as "Acceptance
was the answer."  At the end of his story, i believe in the
second to last paragraph... he speaks of knowing that at any
given moment, God's will for him is simply the "Next right
action."##

I like the saying too Wendi. It helped me to not
feel so overwhelmed in the beginning...still helps sometimes too.
______________________________

From: "Joe Nugent" <joe-gent@...>
(joe-gent at sympatico.ca)

Dr. Paul O. was what I call an elder statesman.

Joe

A couple of comments from Jim S. and Tommy H.
______________________________

Comment from: "Jim S." <james.scarpine@...>
(james.scarpine at verizon.net)

Arsonists have burning desires.
______________________________

Comment from: Tom Hickcox <cometkazie1@...>
(cometkazie1 at cox.net)

Responding to Message 3211 from <ricktompkins@...>
(ricktompkins at comcast.net), where Rick said:

{"It Works If You Work It!" is part of our ever-longer chants
that follow a meeting closing... From my own experience, this
"gospel shout" comes from treatment centers and nowhere else,
and it took hold in AA in the early 1990s.}

The chants are moving, and are now starting to occur, not
just at the end, but also to "How It Works" at the beginning.
A couple of years ago people started chanting the last line
of How It Works, "God could and would, if He were sought,"
to the immense annoyance of a number of people.  My wife, who
moved here from NYC last year said the chant is common there.
I think treatment centers started it to see who was still
awake.

Rick (who lives in Illinois) also said:

{"Does anyone have a 'burning desire' to share" or
"to add more thoughts" is a normal question a meeting
chair can ask before closing an AA meeting. I still
hear it a lot.}

More than once a chair has said, "People with burning
desires need to see their urologist."

Tommy H in Baton Rouge

Hi, Bill T. thought you might me able to help me out.

I am working with a member that is trying to restore a first edition
third printing of the big book.  He has askied if I can replicate the
front cover and spine lettering and create a black and white image of
it.  I am looking for either actual scans of the cover, the font name
or style, or anything that would help.

I appreciate any and all feedback.

dpdave@...

dave h

I remember when I first started coming around (1976), the oldtimers said "toss
in the cost of a drink"  You could get a good stiff drink for a buck in 1976. 
Can't do that now.  If we still were tossing in the cost of a drink we might
still be self-supporting.
_________________________



A comment from the moderator:

I think this is useful.  We need to pool our knowledge of early AA history and
get a better idea of the reasoning that was used, back at that point in AA
history, for deciding that a dollar was a reasonable amount.

Just like Kimball, I have also heard old timers talking about it in the context
of how much it cost for a drink.

What other reasoning did they actually use for deciding on the figure of a
dollar?  I'm not talking about us just guessing about it, but would like to hear
from people who remember old timers actually talking about it.

A dollar for a good stiff drink in 1976 sounds about right, and seventy-five
cents to a dollar for a beer.

What would it be now at a bar of similar calibre?

And what about the 1960's and 1950's and even earlier?

What was the price of a single beer at a bar at various points between 1939 and
the present?  What was the price of a shot of whiskey, or a single mixed drink,
as it continued to rise over that same period of time?

But I think we need to keep the focus on what we can actually know historically.

Glenn Chesnut
South Bend, Indiana

--- In AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com, jocis007@... wrote:
>
> do the right thing is from the Big Book.   "Never avoid these
> responsibilities, but be sure you are  doing the right thing if you
assume them." from
> chapter 7

I should have been more specific, and I promptly admit it. The
original source of the cliche is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hall of Fame
basketball player, political activist and buddy of Spike Lee.  Mr.
Abdul-Jabbar's well-known quote was, "I try to do the right thing at
the right time."  Spike Lee is a huge basketball fan and polical
activist. Spike modified Kareem's quote for his movie title, so that
the quote became "Do the right thing".  The quote doesn't come from
Big Book or any AA source. It's just Polly-Parrot rhetoric used
liberally by corporate public relations officers, high school
civics teachers, group therapy moderators and recovery group members.
john
where the Monongahela meets the Allegheny, to form the Ohio

>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

--- In AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com, jocis007@... wrote:
>
> do the right thing is from the Big Book.   "Never avoid these
> responsibilities, but be sure you are  doing the right thing if you
assume them." from
> chapter 7
>
That's a real stretch. You could make a better argument for the
language at the bottom of page 87 of Big Book, "...ask for the right
thought or action."  The point is that "do the next right thing" is a
popular cliche, heard on the street, in the media and, only
incidentally, in meetings since 1989.  The first eleven chapters of Big
Book use the word "money" thirteen times, but I wouldn't claim that the
cliche, "Show me the money" comes from the Big Book.
love+tolerance
john
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

There was a question as to where "The next right action" came from in the
fellowship.  I cannot give a certain response, but i do know the first place
i've seen it written.

In the stories in the back of the book, the wonderful story of Dr. Paul O.
published in the 3rd ed "Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict" (BB3 439-452u)... and in the
4th ed as "Acceptance was the answer."

At the end of his story, i believe in the second to last paragraph... he speaks
of knowing that at any given moment, God's will for him is simply the "Next
right action."

Although this story is famous for it's slant on acceptance... my personal
favorite paragraph is the afore mentioned.  That and where he discusses his
perspective in relation to his wife Max.

I am a part of the fellowship here in Southern California, Orange County.  I go
to several meeting where Dr. Paul O. was the founding member of the meeting. 
His spirit lives on here and is felt constantly.  My home group meeting is where
he sat every Wednesday night for years.

I love and cherish his legacy of "next right action."  Keeps me in the now when
i choose to act.

Looking for a link or copy of an article or articles Bill wrote in the
RHS Memorial Grapevine edition of the Grapevine. These articles relate
to the phone calls Bill reports making from the Mayflower Hotel in
Akron.

I only need that one article (or articles), not access to all the
back copies of the Grapevine on line.

Please contact me at:

<mitchell_k_archivist@...>   (mitchell_k_archivist at yahoo.com)

Looking for information on a book similar to the 24 hour a day book
format entitled THE GOD ANGLE by The God Angle Committee, 1972.

This was sent to me about 7 months ago, I dont know if it's the same one your
talking about here,thought i'd share it with the group..I had it read at my
birthday meeting this past aug..Many were surprised to kno as I was that there
was another one written years ago.maybe someone in the group can give a history
on this.In His Grace >>Jeanne
   AA Old Preamble - 1940

We are gathered here because we are faced with the fact that we are
powerless over alcohol and unable to do anything about it without the help
of a Power greater than ourselves.

We feel that each person's religious views, if any, are his own affair. The
simple purpose of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is to show what may be
done to enlist the aid of a Power greater than ourselves regardless of what
our individual conception of that Power may be.

In order to form a habit of depending upon and referring all we do to that
Power, we must at first apply ourselves with some diligence. By often
repeating these acts, they become habitual and the help rendered becomes
natural to us.

We have all come to know that as alcoholics we are suffering from a serious
illness for which medicine has no cure.

Our condition may be the result of an allergy, which makes us different from
other people. It has never been by any treatment with which we are familiar,
permanently cured. The only relief we have to offer is absolute abstinence,
the second meaning of A.A.

There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is a desire
to stop drinking. Each member squares his debt by helping others to recover.

An Alcoholics Anonymous is an alcoholic who through application and
adherence to the A.A. program has forsworn the use of any and all alcoholic
beverage in any form.

The moment he takes so much as one drop of beer, wine, spirits or any other
alcoholic beverage he automatically loses all status as a member of
Alcoholics Anonymous.

A.A. is not interested in sobering up drunks who are not sincere in their
desire to remain sober for all time. Not being reformers, we offer our
experience only to those who want it.

We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree and on which we can join
in harmonious action. Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly
followed our program. Those who do not recover are people who will not or
simply cannot give themselves to this simple program. Now you may like this
program or you may not, but the fact remains, it works. It is our only
chance to recover.

There is a vast amount of fun in the A.A. fellowship. Some people might be
shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity but just underneath there lies
a deadly earnestness and a full realization that we must put first things
first and with each of us the first thing is our alcoholic problem. To drink
is to die. Faith must work twenty-four hours a day in and through us or we
perish.

In order to set our tone for this meeting I ask that we bow our heads in a
few moments of silent prayer and meditation.

I wish to remind you that whatever is said at this meeting expresses our own
individual opinion as of today and as of up to this moment. We do not speak
for A.A. as a whole and you are free to agree or disagree as you see fit, in
fact, it is suggested that you pay no attention to anything which might not
be reconciled with what is in the A.A. Big Book.

If you don't have a Big Book, it's time you bought you one. Read it, study
it, live with it, loan it, scatter it, and then learn from it what it means
to be an A.A."
-----------


diazeztone <eztone@...> wrote:
   I am looking for a copy of Ester's (elizardi)
preamble, Dallas, Texas.

She wrote the story "Flower of the South."
She was founder of AA in Dallas, Texas.

Anybody have any idea how many different AA
talks there are by her which are still
obtainable??

LD Pierce
editor aabibliograpy.com









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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi group,
Here's a 'burning desire' to reply to this post before its thread goes away.

"Do the right thing" is a movie, the title copyrighted by Spike Lee's film
company.
AA's Eleventh Step, "praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to
carry it out"  has had much input and interpretation over our years of
existence. Our early founders spoke of the search for the 'next, best, indicated
course' of action, specifically relating to Step Eleven. I agree with our
Moderator, Glenn,  that "old time" is a relative concept on this phrase---not
many speak the same way as was spoken in the late 1930s. From recollections of
Ruth Hock's daughter, that exact phrase "next, best, indicated" was used
verbatim and regularly. The phrase evolved into the 'next, best, thing' that I
first heard many years ago, too, but let's remember that it comes from Step
Eleven.

"It Works If You Work It!" is part of our ever-longer chants that follow a
meeting closing...Phrases like "keep coming back" usually start it, and 'keep
coming back, it works if you work it, sober!' are the current norm, with arms
waving and all...From my own experience, this "gospel shout" comes from
treatment centers and nowhere else, and it took hold in AA in the early 1990s. I
don't believe it has caused any harm, but at face value it's pretty silly. Just
think, if this stuff was going on in the 1950s, the Hokey-Pokey dance would have
fit just fine with the closing chant!

"Does anyone have a 'burning desire' to share" or "to add more thoughts" is a
normal question a meeting chair can ask before closing an AA meeting. I still
hear it a lot.

Rick, Illinois

___________________________

A comment by the moderator:

Rick,

What makes the idea of the whole AA group
dancing what would become known as the
"Higher Power Hokey-Pokey" in a circle
after the closing prayer, and finishing up
with a shouted "and that's what it's all
about!" is that I can halfway imagine it
actually happening!

Turn backward, O time, in thy flight!

Your friend, Glenn

I have a copy of this movie & just watched it for the first time.  Here is
my revue:

Woman drinks
Woman drinks more (always has a drink in each hand)
Woman drinks non-stop with fake friends
Woman cheats on second husband
Woman drinks
Woman remarries
Woman experiences alcoholic progression
Woman's alcoholism pushes away older son, younger son forgives & stays with
her
Woman drinks
Woman's alcoholism pushes away third husband
Woman experiences alcoholic insanity & bewilderment
Woman tries to commit suicide by taking many sleeping pills with booze
Woman has a spiritual experience while near dead
Woman awakes from the coma
Woman fights off urges to drink and begins to annoy fake friends with talk
about God
Woman's conversion experience leads her to a church thanks to her youngest
son
Woman commits herself to being involved with the church
Woman begins to help a friend who also has a drinking problem thanks to the
help of her new pastor
The End

                                                                     Just
Love,
                                                                     Barefoot
Bill





   -----Original Message-----
   From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of billyk
   Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 4:40 AM
   To: bajohanson@...; History Lovers
   Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] The Late Liz


   i checked out this web site and also the IMB (internet movie
   database). the movie "the late liz" indeed was made in 1971
   and starred ann baxter (extremely well acclaimed actress as
   would be attested by our history lover elders).

   i've never seen the movie and so my question is (and i'm
   asking anyone), should this movie be added to our history
   lover's database.  it would seem so.

   any input would be appreciated - direct them to me as to not
   clog up the group mail (billyk3@...).

   thanks - be good to yourselves,
   billyk


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

In the February 2006 AA Grapevine on page 21 is an excellent article  titled,
"A Buck in the Basket?"
The on line Grapevine archives are awesome!  _www.aagrapevine.org_
(http://www.aagrapevine.org)




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I saw one in the Houston Intergroup office years ago.

"diazeztone" <eztone@...> (eztone at hotmail.com)
wrote in saying:

I am looking for a copy of Ester's preamble, Dallas, Texas.

2-20-06


Dear MK -

Just finally getting to read a great deal of saved AA History Lovers E-mails.
Wow. Just a question.
Regarding an e-mail from you on January 26,06 regarding galleys, Cornwall,
Living Sober, etc.

My question, regarding the friend of Barry. Maybe also even just yourself? I
have been wondering about
the 'Bill's Birthday talk' that he gave at NY Intergroup every year. Especially
the final talk
of Bill at the NY Intergroup event which was held on or close to his own
birthday...
'69, '70? Do you, or did Barry and/or his friend know if a recording of this
event ever was made?
Was / is it an item held in the archives of GSO? I have asked them about it...no
response as of yet.

OK. So, I guess that is as about as simple as I can put it across to you.
Regardless, thanks for being part
of this.

Mike D.
Houston, TX
SETA Archives Committee

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Mitchell K." <mitchell_k_archivist@...>
>Sent: Jan 26, 2006 4:38 AM
>To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] The Dr. Howard/Hank P. manuscript
>
>
>
> From what I have learned, this
>> one manuscript was brought to Cornwall Press in the
>> Nyack, New York area of the Hudson River valley in
>> February 1939---
>
>Just a quick geographical correction. The Cornwall
>Press was located in Cornwall, NY located in Orange
>County, NY. The first edition printings were done
>there as were several of the 2nd edition printings.
>The company merged with another and from what I
>understand, further printings were done in New Jersey.
>
>When the galleys were gone over, it was done by Bill
>W., Hank P., Ruth Hock and Dorothy Snyder who came up
>to Cornwall to go over them.
>
>As far as Barry's family giving anything to AAWS, due
>to a history of problems, litigation and pending
>litigation over royalties for Living Sober They had no
>desire to give AAWS anything. There was a great deal
>of animosity generated. I remember going over all the
>drafts for Living Sober which were housed in a
>friend's apartment in Connecticut. This friend had
>many of Barry's materials as well as another friend's
>materials which were left to him (Ron was involved
>with many of the private recordings of Bill W. and
>Bill speaking at his anniversaries in NYC - I think
>close to 200 of them and left them to Dennis when he
>passed on). I have no idea where these materials might
>be today (I do have some guesses). Dennis was a
>collector of AA memorabilia and had a small but
>amazing collection. There were some great "spook", LSD
>and vitamin B tapes but as I was only allowed to
>listen to portions of them, not make copies or take
>notes, unless they surface again, the material
>contained in them might be lost.
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

"Texas Preamble"


Art:

One thing I vaguely remember is that the so called "Texas Preamble" appeared
once in the Grapevine several years ago.  I do not remember the month or
year, but, I remember reading it there.  You might know something of it or
want to look into it.

tmd

Gene:

I've heard that Big Joe's show was underwritten by the Salvation Army
and was one of the first call-in shows on radio (you only heard his
voice).  It promoted people helping one another and had a strong
spiritual angle.  This is Rosenfeld's obituary as it appeared in The
New York Times:

-------------------
Published: December 19, 1987

LEAD: Joe Rosenfield Jr., who was the host of a radio talk show
called ''The Happiness Exchange'' for many years, died on Nov. 22 at
a nursing home in Falmouth, Me., after a long illness. He was 86
years old.

Joe Rosenfield Jr., who was the host of a radio talk show
called ''The Happiness Exchange'' for many years, died on Nov. 22 at
a nursing home in Falmouth, Me., after a long illness. He was 86
years old.

Mr. Rosenfield, who was known as Big Joe, did a nighttime show during
what was called ''the insomnia stretch'' from 2 to 5 A.M. Broadcast
over several New York radio stations from 1949 to 1962, the show
raised large sums in contributions by letting the unfortunate air
their troubles.

Born and raised in Tennessee, Mr. Rosenfield began his first
nighttime program with his son, Joe 3d, in New Orleans. His nickname,
Big Joe, evolved to differentiate him from his son.

Mr. Rosenfield is survived by his second wife, Ruth, of Falmouth,
Me.; a son, Joe, of Acton, Mass., and a daughter, Dorothy Fisher-
Smith, of Ashland, Ore.; six grandchildren, and six great-
grandchildren.

---------------
I didn't listen to Big Joe, myself.  I'd listen to Jean Shepherd on
WOR, keeping the volume low so my parents wouldn't know I was up so
late on a school night.

I'll never forget how Shepherd would tell you to put your radio on
the window sill and turn the volume all the way up; then he
would  "hurl an invective" at your neighbors.  Something like, "I
can't stand this neighborhood.  Take your goddamn wash off the
line!!"  Just the sort of thing for a somewhat demented 14 year-old.

John K in Charlotte







--- In AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com, "Gene" <genesclean@...> wrote:
>
> When I was a depressed kid I'd stay up at night unable to sleep and
> listen to Big Joe  on the Happiness Exchange...Early radio sold
time
> after it's daily programming was over, and Big Joe Rosenfeld had a
> show  from 1AM till 3 or 4...on WABC radio, New York.
> I learned that he coined the expression...
> "One is too many and a thousand isn't enough"...
> I have subsequently learned that Bill W  had a major impact on his
> life...
> Does anyone know more about  him?
> I still remember his theme song.."Somebody Cares" and recall
quietly
> weeping  alone in my room.
>
> It keeps getting better
> Gene in Westchester
>

Hi LD

Based on research I've been doing for the last few years, I'm fairly
certain that the so-called "Esther's Preamble" should not be
attributed to her as her invention. If you are referring to what is
also sometimes called the "Texas Preamble" I don't believe that my
home state of Texas should be credited with its invention either. As a
resident of Arlington, TX I don't pass this on with enthusiasm but I'm
doing extensive research for publication of a paper on how AA started
in Fort Worth and Dallas. There is much myth surrounding this.

A January 1945 article was submitted to the Grapevine by Merle S of
Dallas, TX saluting Esther E as starting AA in Dallas upon her arrival
in 1943. However, evidence exists, in GSO Archives news-clipping
scrapbooks that AA started in Dallas as early as 1941.

Due to the impact of mobilization for World War II, early Dallas
pioneers were eventually relocated elsewhere through war work or
service in the armed forces. Esther E certainly was a pioneer in
revitalizing AA in Dallas. A woman she sponsored, by the name of Anne
T, similarly helped revitalize AA in Fort Worth during the difficult
war years of the early to mid-1940’s. Ester was also very instrumental
in helping to start AA in San Antonio.

A remarkable series of correspondence between Esther and Bobbie B,
AA’s second national Secretary, provide a detailed history of the
development of AA in Dallas and Fort Worth. One thing that can be
definitely stated about Esther is that she was a remarkable woman and
a natural historian. Her correspondence with Bobbie has revealed
information I've been searching for about 3 years now. There is no
doubt in my mind that Esther's correspondence provides the definitive
history for how AA originated in the Fort Worth/Dallas metroplex (as
well as a few other Texas locations).

In regard to the preamble, several variations are attributed to
different locations in the US. Barring the discovery of dated source
documents, the establishment of primacy is probably beyond possibility
at this point in time. The preamble contains material from the "Akron
Manual" (c 1940)as well as extracts from the 1st edition Big Book
Foreword and basic text.

The earliest genuine copy of the preamble I've been able to locate
locally is in a 1946 document in the archives of the Harbor Club in
Fort Worth, TX. The preamble originated some years prior to that but I
haven't been able yet to locate an earlier original or facsimile.

I'll send you some additional material to your web site email address
unless you want me to send it to a different address.

Cheers
Arthur


-----Original Message-----
From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of diazeztone
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 8:57 PM
To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] Ester's preamble, Dallas, Texas

I am looking for a copy of Ester's (elizardi)
preamble, Dallas, Texas.

She wrote the story "Flower of the South."
She was founder of AA in Dallas, Texas.

Anybody have any idea how many different AA
talks there are by her which are still
obtainable??

LD Pierce
editor aabibliograpy.com










Yahoo! Groups Links

do the right thing is from the Big Book.   "Never avoid these
responsibilities, but be sure you are  doing the right thing if you assume
them." from
chapter 7


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.440.com/favesw.html  this is web site about the history of AM
radio and mentions Big Joe



Rob Fuhrman

Huntington, IN



-----Original Message-----
From: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Gene
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 2:47 PM
To: AAHistoryLovers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AAHistoryLovers] Does anyone remember "The Happiness Exchange"?



When I was a depressed kid I'd stay up at night unable to sleep and
listen to Big Joe  on the Happiness Exchange...Early radio sold time
after it's daily programming was over, and Big Joe Rosenfeld had a
show  from 1AM till 3 or 4...on WABC radio, New York.
I learned that he coined the expression...
"One is too many and a thousand isn't enough"...
I have subsequently learned that Bill W  had a major impact on his
life...
Does anyone know more about  him?
I still remember his theme song.."Somebody Cares" and recall quietly
weeping  alone in my room.

It keeps getting better
Gene in Westchester










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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Found it in alanon book.
   "How Alanon Works" on page 68 under Easy Does It
   "If the time is right, more will be revealed."

Chris Budnick <cbudnick@...> wrote:          Chapter Ten of Narcotics
Anonymous, commonly referred to as the Basic Text,
   is titled More Will Be Revealed.  It is the last chapter in Book One of the
   text, which contains the program of Narcotics Anonymous.  Book Two contains
   the personal stories.


   Chris

   Raleigh, NC





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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi history lovers, can you please tell us if any of the other doctors
at the Charles Townes Hospital agreed or disagreed with Dr Silkworth's
allergy theory, thank you.

i have to comment here.  one of my sponsors once told me
that since i was one of the lucky ones that didn't lose
the wife, family, house etc., and that i was 'doing okay',
i should put in the basket what i spent of booze. well...
if that were the case, our clubhouse would be adding a
mighty fine addition to the building.

but i read that article too (in grapevine, feb 2006) and i
thought it was well written and really brought home the
fact that inflation really has been ignored. and maybe,
people should up their donation to $2 if just once in a while.

but, something i learned from a close friend in the fellowship.
i give exactly a dollar a day.  if it's been 3 days since
my last meeting, i give $4 (which is usually a five cause i
don't have four ones). and i always look for the opportunity
to do a little more like buy the newcomer a big book or support
a clubhouse activity (any clubhouse-not just mine).

i can't put a price on my sobriety, but the fact remains that
in this world, rent, coffee, materials, etc., all costs money.

that fellow who wrote the grapevine article said it all at the
end.  "i am responsible......" and i accept that responsibilty
with a glad heart.

billyk

When I was a depressed kid I'd stay up at night unable to sleep and
listen to Big Joe  on the Happiness Exchange...Early radio sold time
after it's daily programming was over, and Big Joe Rosenfeld had a
show  from 1AM till 3 or 4...on WABC radio, New York.
I learned that he coined the expression...
"One is too many and a thousand isn't enough"...
I have subsequently learned that Bill W  had a major impact on his
life...
Does anyone know more about  him?
I still remember his theme song.."Somebody Cares" and recall quietly
weeping  alone in my room.

It keeps getting better
Gene in Westchester

i checked out this web site and also the IMB (internet movie
database). the movie "the late liz" indeed was made in 1971
and starred ann baxter (extremely well acclaimed actress as
would be attested by our history lover elders).

i've never seen the movie and so my question is (and i'm
asking anyone), should this movie be added to our history
lover's database.  it would seem so.

any input would be appreciated - direct them to me as to not
clog up the group mail (billyk3@...).

thanks - be good to yourselves,
billyk

Chapter Ten of Narcotics Anonymous, commonly referred to as the Basic Text,
is titled More Will Be Revealed.  It is the last chapter in Book One of the
text, which contains the program of Narcotics Anonymous.  Book Two contains
the personal stories.


Chris

Raleigh, NC

Never heard the cliche, "Do the next right thing" until the Spike Lee
movie "Do the Right Thing" was released in 1989.  It's street slang,
the type commonly used by professional athletes as they're leaving
their third halfway house. No God. No Steps. Just me, deciding what
the next right thing might be. Managing my life again, just like the
old days.
john lee