Aa history Lovers 2004 moderators Nancy Olson and Glenn F. Chesnut page

space, or

the love of friends, or the power of the AA meeting itself: Choose your own

Infinite.

Whatever works.

In the can-do land of the bottom line, even our spirituality tends to be

results-oriented.

But the language of AA plays provocatively with a simple word: "work." In

one

sense, sobriety is something that just happens, much like Wilson's great

clean

wind. It is a gift from the Higher Power to the alcoholic. At the same time,

"work" means work, as in tangible, sometimes even grudging, effort. In the

early

days, Bill W. and Dr. Bob would sit in the Smith parlor refining their

drunk-saving techniques, and often Smith's wife, Anne, read aloud from the

Bible. They were partial to the Epistle of James, which reminded them that

"faith without works is dead." AA members speak of "working the steps," and

many

meetings end with the affirmation that "it works if you work it."

This means returning again and again to the state of mind and the exercises

that

constitute the upkeep on each miracle of sobriety. Beginning with the

admission

that they are powerless over alcohol and continuing through labors of

humility,

repentance, meditation and service, AA members maintain the dam that holds

back

the obliterating tide of booze from their lives.

A Friend of Bill W.

Cheever is a forthright woman with a big laugh and no immediately obvious

illusions, a hard-working writer who publishes books like clockwork, pens a

column for Newsday and teaches at Bennington College. She decided to write

about

Wilson because "I loved him. I loved how he changed the world without

knowing

it, just as a way to stop drinking himself. I loved his Yankeeness," by

which

she seems to mean a range of qualities, from the Emersonian flinty optimism,

to

the unsentimental practicality, to the hovering dark clouds and the weirdo

seances, which she calls his "table-tapping after dark."

No doubt she also loved Wilson for the fact that his miracle, worked and

reworked through the long chain of drunks, touched her own family, late in

the

life of her father, the short-story artist John Cheever. Booze was the

lubricant

of Cheever's masterpieces. He was the poet laureate of postwar suburbia, in

which hope, striving, lust and angst were all refracted through the bottom

of a

cocktail glass.

But what was symbol and atmosphere in his stories was toxic in John

Cheever's

life, as his daughter explained in her acclaimed memoirs "Home Before Dark,"

and

booze washed into Susan Cheever's life as well. In her book "Note Found in a

Bottle," she recalls learning to mix a martini by the age of 6, and doing

plenty

of drinking as an adult. Susan Cheever now speaks of her father's AA years

as an

amazing gift to the whole family, not a gift of bliss so much as a gift of

simple reality. When a drunk enters the unreal world of his illness, he

takes

his family and friends with him.

Her homage to the family benefactor is pro-Wilson but not hagiographic. "I

like

to take saints and make them into people," she explains. She touches the

spiritual bases in her portrait of Wilson, but seems more moved by the

concrete

elements. Over lunch at a Manhattan bistro, she recalls her first visit to

Wilson's boyhood home in East Dorset, Vt., not far from the Bennington

campus.

Cheever noticed the low ceiling of the stairway leading to Wilson's room,

and

caught a glimpse in her mind's eyes, so to speak, of the gangly boy having

to

duck his head each time he passed.

"And I was him," for that moment, she says. "I understood what it was to be

a

depressed 10-year-old boy trapped in that house" after his parents had

abandoned

him to his remote and austere grandparents.

It's not easy making a spiritual figure compelling and real without slipping

into iconoclasm. Cheever's approach is to apply a writerly version of

Wilson's

humility. She gets the goods on his serial adultery, for instance, but

declines

to make too much of it. "He was engaged to Lois when he was 18 -- hello!"

Cheever says. "They were married 53 years. All we really know is that they

were

friends through an amazing life. He was a good-enough husband."

Likewise, she can look into Wilson's LSD experiment with proto-hippie Aldous

Huxley without getting mired in a puritanical inquisition into whether this

constituted a "slip" in his sobriety or hypocrisy in his creed.

This attitude allows Cheever to see that Wilson's inconsistencies and quirks

weren't blemishes on his record -- they were the essence of a flawed man who

was

endlessly seeking what works. "Again and again, his intuitions were wrong,"

Cheever says. "But he wasn't interested in problems. He was interested in

solutions." Most of the key traditions of AA operations, including its

independence, anonymity and governance-by-consensus, ran counter to Wilson's

personal disposition. "He wanted fame and fortune, but somehow was able to

figure out that AA would have to be a group in which nobody represents it,

nobody speaks for it and nobody's in charge of it."

Sobering Reality

The striking thing about Wilson's story -- which only settles in upon

reflection

-- is how hard his life was even after he sobered up.

What, really, had that bright light and clean wind changed? He and Lois

remained

penniless, even homeless, for years. Sometimes it seemed that AA was

determined

to keep him poor forever. He had a chance to cash in by allying his message

with

a particular hospital, but his fledgling flock forbade him to do it. He

harbored

hope that John D. Rockefeller Jr. would lavish money on him, but instead

Rockefeller came through with a tiny stipend. Alcoholics Anonymous struggled

for

six long and underwhelming years before catching its crucial break: a

glowing

article in the Saturday Evening Post.

Then, as the group flourished, Wilson was attacked by jealous colleagues and

abandoned by old friends. He sank into a crushing depression, and "often

just

sat for hours with his head on the desk or with his head in his hands,"

Cheever

writes. "When he raised his head, he was sometimes weeping." Wilson liked

children but was childless. Cigarettes were killing him but he couldn't stop

smoking.

He wrote of "being swamped with guilt and self-loathing . . . often getting

a

misshapen and painful pleasure out of it."

It was enough to drive a man to drink.

Yet for 36-plus years of this troubled and very human life, he was able to

resist that next drink. Perhaps the most efficacious miracles are the small

ones. And because "his mind was the right lens" and his will was "the right

machine," in Cheever's words, for mass-producing that limited but crucial

victory, Bill Wilson's miracle keeps working, one person and one day at a

time.

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

Of Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill Wilson, Cheever says, "He changed the

world

without knowing it, just as a way to stop drinking himself." (Helayne

Seidman

For The Washington Post)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

++++Message 1788. . . . . . . . . . . . Re: One Solitary Voice by Jack B...any

info.?

From: Jim K. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/6/2004 7:25:00 AM

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Jack B got sober in 1942 in the southern Westchester county area

just north of New York City. Before relocating to Perth, Australia

in the late 1970s, he was associated with "The Cops and Robbers" of

Westchester AA [oldtimers from the era of 1950-80 in Westchester]

and notably at the Sobriety Unlimited Group on Gramatan Avenue in

Mt. Vernon, NY. As an aside: this group keeps a fully decorated

Christmas tree in the meeting room 365 days per year. Sobriety is

like Christmas everyday! It never stops giving!

Jack was well known for his emphasis on the physical aspects of our

disease which is chronicled in his pamphlet published in 1968 - "One

Solitary Voice". He used to go to area meetings with a contraption

known as "The Monster". Roughly it was a representation of the body,

it's organs, and the physical interrelations between the alcohol

intake in an alcoholic and the effect it has on the brain and body

of an alcoholic.

Jack passed in the mid 1980's if I recall correctly. He was a good

friend of my mom's [Margette Grandy/Hartzell (deceased) of Maryknoll

Group] and of Jim B. of Lincolndale.

I still have photocopies of "One Solitary Voice", [someone made off

with the original sometime ago] which I pass on to newcomers as it

helps to explain the physical dimension of alcoholism which isn't

discussed in many meetings these days.

Glenn K. Audiotapes of Long Island has a recording of Jack at the

Blackstone Retreat.

Jim K.

The Into Action Group

Manhattan, NY

--- In [e-mail], "wbmscm"

wrote:

> Does anyone have any information on a gentlemen by the name of

Jack

> B. who wrote a publication called "One Solitary Voice"?

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

++++Message 1801. . . . . . . . . . . . Chip system, etc. -- Compilation

From: [e-mail] . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/12/2004 4:37:00 PM

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

This is a compilation of previous posts which have been deleted.

Nancy

From: "pete_geilich"

Date: Thu May 6, 2004 3:00 pm

Subject: Chip System

How did this system come about, and is it practiced world wide?

From: Ken Ring

Date: Sat May 8, 2004 8:28 pm

Subject: Re: Chip System

I don't claim that I have authenticated all of the statements

included in the following, but it has been accepted locally for

quite some time. From our archives collection.

MEDALLIONS

In 1965, a Wendell's employee, "Bill," joined AA. Bill gave

numerous talks at Mission Farms and detention centers in

Minneapolis and surrounding areas. He began handing out bronze

medallions with the Serenity Prayer on one side and two large

A's on the reverse. Everyone wanted a medallion!

Bill then got the idea that all AA members should have a

medallion to carry in their pocket or purse, to constantly

remind them of their hard won sobrietyÅ but the medallions

should be just for that person-so, somehow it has to say how

long he/she has been soberÅ it had to be easily distinguished

from pocket change, thus, the raised center medallion was born.

The first versions of the medallion were actually two pieces-the

medallion was struck, then the center was soldered on. This

worked, but the medallions began to sell in such great numbers,

Wendells couldn't keep up with the demand. At that time, coining

dies were made and they used insert dies in the center with the

Roman numeral engraved and when the medallion was struck, it

gave them a one-piece medallion that could be made in one

operation.

The raised center medallion was introduced in November of 1973

at the Founders Group weekend at the Leamington Hotel in

Minneapolis. The response was outstanding. A mailing went out to

all the Intergroups and Central Offices in the United States and

Canada. Wendell's has had to make various changes in the

medallion at the request of AA World Services (they deleted the

two A's). Without a doubt, the raised center medallion has been

used by more recovering people than any one item, aside from the

Big Book, used in recovery, and it all came to be because of one

member who recognized the need for "reassurance" and was

fortunate enough to be employed by a coining mint.

In many parts of the country, or the world for that matter, have

their own traditional ways of recognizing sobriety birthdays.

Some offer "pins" to be worn on the lapels of jackets (remember

them)?

Others simply have a cake, much like a real birthday

celebration, to be shared in the group. And there are certainly

combinations of all of these and further adornments that show

the support of family, group and fellowship.

In some locales, recognition is in increments of months, years

or sets of years-every five years-in others it is much more

personal and not brought before the group at all and between

sponsor and sponsee.

Ken Ring, Dist. 18 Archives Committee Chair

Archivist/Historian Alano Society of Minneapolis, Inc. "2218"

From: "Robert Stonebraker"

Date: Sun May 9, 2004 1:15 am

Subject: RE: [AAHistoryLovers] Re: Chip System

Could someone please give me the history of celebration

of sobriety. I have not been able to find this in the

BB.

Here is a post on this subject I saved for history

Lovers:

Chips, Medallions and Birthdays

The traditions of chips, medallions and birthdays vary

in different parts of the country and I thought it

would be interesting to look up some of the history on

them.

Sister lgnatia, the nun who helped Dr. Bob get the

hospitalization program started at St. Thomas Hospital

in Akron was the first person to use medallions in

AlcoholicsAnonymous. She gave the drunks who were

leaving St. Thomas after a five day dry out a Sacred

Heart Medallion and instructed them that the acceptance

of the medallion signified a commitment to God, to A.A.

and to recovery and that if they were going to drink,

they had a responsibility to return the medallion to

her before drinking.

The sacred heart badges had been used prior to A.A. by

the Father Matthew Temperance Movement of the 1840s and

the Pioneers an Irish Temperance Movement of the 1890s.

The practice of sobriety chips in A.A. started with a

Group in Elmira, N.Y. in 1947 and has grown from there.

The celebration of birthdays came from the Oxford Group

where they celebrated the anniversary of their

spiritual rebirth. As we have a problem with honesty,

A.A. chose the anniversary of the date of our last

drink.

Early celebrations of birthdays resulted in people

getting drunk and Dr. Harry Tiebout was asked to look

at the problem and he commented on this phenomenon in

an articled titled "When the Big "I" Becomes Nobody",

(AAGV, Sept. 65)

"Early on in A.A., I was consulted about a serious

problem plaguing the local group. The practice of

celebrating a year’s sobriety with a birthday cake

had resulted in a certain number of the members getting

drunk within a short period after the celebration. It

seemed apparent that some could not stand prosperity. I

was asked to settle between birthday cakes or no

birthday cakes. Characteristically, I begged off, not

from shyness but from ignorance. Some three or four

years later, A.A. furnished me the answer. The group no

longer had such a problem because, as one member said,

"We celebrate still, but a year’s sobriety is now a

dime a dozen. No one gets much of a kick out of that

anymore."

The AAGV carried many articles on chips and cakes and

the following is a brief summary of some.

Feb. 1948, Why All the Congratulations? "When we start

taking bows (even on anniversaries) we bow ourselves

right into the cuspidor."

July, 1948. Group To Give Oscar for Anniversaries.

The Larchmont Group of Larchmont, N.Y. gives a cast

bronze camel mounted on a mahogany base to celebrate

1st., 5th and 10th anniversaries.

"The camel is wholly emblematic of the purposes of most

sincere A.A.s, i.e., to live for 24 hours without a

drink."

August 1948. The Artesta, N.Mex. Group awards marbles

to all members. If you are caught without your marbles,

you are fined 25 cents. This money goes into the

Foundation Fund.

June 1953, We operate a poker chip club in the Portland

Group (Maine). We have poker chips of nine colors of

which the white represents the probation period of one

month. If he keeps his white chip for one month he is

presented with a red chip for one month's sobriety.

The chips continue with blue for two months, black for

three, green for four, transparent blue for five, amber

for six, transparent purple for nine months and a

transparent clear chip for one year. We have our chips

stamped with gold A.A. letters.

Also at the end of the year and each year thereafter,

we present them with a group birthday card signed by

all members present at the meeting.

January 1955, Charlotte, N.C. "When a man takes "The

Long Walk" at the end of a meeting, to pick up a white

chip, he is admitting to his fellow men that he has

finally accepted the precepts of A.A. and is beginning

his sobriety. At the end of three months he exchanges

his white chip for a red one. Later, a handsome,

translucent chip of amber indicates that this new

member has enjoyed six months of a new way of life. The

nine month chip is a clear seagreen and a blue chip is

given for the first year of sobriety. In some groups a

sponsor will present his friend with an engraved silver

chip, at the end of five years clear thinking and clean

living.

March 1956, The One Ton Poker Chip. Alton, Illinois.

Author gave friend a chip on his first day eight years

ago (1948) and told him to accept it in the spirit of

group membership and that if he wanted to drink to

throw the chip away before starting drinking.

October 1956, Bangor Washington. Article about a woman

who sits in a bar to drink the bartender sees her white

chips and asks what it is. She tells him. He throws her

out as he does not want an alcoholic in his bar. She

calls friend.

April 1957, Cape Cod, Mass. Group recognizes 1st, 5th

and 15th anniversaries. Person celebrating leads

meeting. Person is presented with a set of wooden

carved plaques with the slogans.

July 1957, New Brunswick, Canada. Birthday Board.

Member contributes one dollar for each year of sobriety

July 1957, Oregon. Person is asked to speak and is

introduced by his or her sponsor. The wife, mother,

sister or other relative brings up a cake. The Group

sings Happy Birthday. The wife gives a two or three

minute talk.

April 1959, Patterson, N.J. People are asked to give

"three month pin talks."

And that's a little bit of info on chips, cakes and

medallions.

From: "Robert Stonebraker"

Date: Sun May 9, 2004 1:33 am

Subject: RE: [AAHistoryLovers] Re: Chip System

In 1975, when I first came to AA in the Los

Angeles area of Southern California, this was

the custom:

· No beginner's chip was given, but you had to

hold up your hand if you had less than 30 days

sober.

· Then embossed poker chips on chains were

given: White for 30 days, Red for 3 months, Blue

for 6 months, and Yellow for 9 months. They had

“God grant me the serenity” stamped on the

back.

· It was the custom to carry all these

accumulated tokens till you got one year.

· No tokens were given for number of years, but

there was always a birthday cake and singing of

“Happy Birthday.” Followed by singing

“Keep coming back.” Then the candles were

blown out.

· This custom was still in effect at some of

the meetings I attended out there last year.

Bob S., now from Indiana

From: "Kimball Rowe"

>

Date: Sat May 8, 2004 7:52 pm

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Chip System

The "chip" system used in Germany consisted

of poker chips and pie pans (originally).

They used poker chips with 5 colors, white,

green, red, yellow and blue. They were given

for beginners, 2 months, 3 months, and 6

months. There was no 9 month chip, and there

was no 18 month chip. Metal chips started at

one year.

SURRENDER - The white chip was called the

surrender chip since the international color

for surrender is white. It was given to all

new comers (1-30 days). It is said that if

you chose not to surrender, then the white

could stand for the color of the sheet that

they cover you dead body with.

GO - The green chip was called the "GO" chip

since green is the international color for

go. It was given at 30 days and implied that

the owner should GO to more meeting, GO get

a big book, GO read your big book, GO take a

step, GO get into service, GO get into

action, etc. It is said that if you don't

take these simple suggestions that green

could also symbolize the color of your liver

as they perform the autopsy.

STOP - The red chip was called the "STOP"

chip since red is the international color

for stop. It was given at two months and

meant for us to STOP our stinking thinking,

to STOP using our character defects, STOP

taking others inventory, STOP ducking

responsibility, etc. It is said that if you

persisted in your old ways, then perhaps red

could be the color of your windshield as you

are ejected from the car in an alcohol

related car accident.

CAUTION - The yellow chip was called the

"CAUTION" chip since yellow is the

international color for caution. It was

given at three months because at three

months a member knows just enough about

sobriety to be dangerous, so CAUTION is the

watch word. It is said that if you do not

practice caution during this time that the

color yellow could reflect the color of your

eyes as jaundice sets in.

SERENITY - The blue chip was called the

"SERENITY" chip, as it resembles the color

of the a peaceful sky. It was given at six

months. It is said that if you don't do what