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

it takes to achieve serenity that the color

blue could refer to the emotional state of

your loved ones as you disappear into an

alcoholic oblivion.

After the plastic chips, a disc of aluminum

was cut our of an aluminum pie pan and the

number of your sobriety year was stamped

onto the soft aluminum. The aluminum chips

have since been replaced by "store-bought"

metal chips with anniversary years on them.

Kim R.

From: "Gerry Silver" [67] >

Date: Sun May 9, 2004 9:37 am

Subject: Fw: Chip System

I read with interest the comments of Ed Ring

re Medallions, and that they first surfaced

in the Minneapolis area in 1965.

In the early 1950's a Group in Brandon,

Manitoba, Canada began using copper chips to

recognize years of sobriety. They were

almost as large as a large penny (for those

who remember what a large penny looked

like), they were blank and then stamped with

the members initials and the number of years

of sobriety. A number of these early chips

are

hanging on the wall of the Wheat City Group

in Brandon today.

In the mid 1950's, groups in Winnipeg,

Manitoba began to use a heavy copper oval

medallion about 1½" x 1". There was a

raised AA on one side, and the flat reverse

was used to engrave the members' name (with

last initial), dry date, and group name.

This type of medallion soon became widely

used in Western Canada.

I still have my first medallion from 1959,

although can't find it this minute.

Gerry Silver

From: "wilfried antheunis"

[68] >

Date: Sun May 9, 2004 3:37 pm

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Fw: Chip System

[69]

From:.The History of A.A. in Ontario:

The medallion as we know It today was thought

of and designed by Tom G. the acting manager

of our A.A. Toronto Office in April 1946.

Little could he have known that his simple

idea would come to mean so much to so many In

such a short time.

From: "Jim K."

Date: Mon May 10, 2004 12:46 pm

Subject: Re: Fw: Chip System

In a twist on the chip system Long Islanders

once had the following tradition:

When there was still smoking in meetings on

Long Island, and in particular in Suffolk

County, people were issued lighters at their

first anniversary. A Zippo with your

sobriety date and your name and a single

star. With each subsequent year a new star

was added. Some would also bear a slogan of

the member's choice.

Non-smokers, few indeed back in the 70's and

80's, were given a

medallion.

Then the meetings went non-smoking, as

did I.

Jim K

The Into Action Group

Manhattan, NY

And I would add to the above, that I was

told in New

York in 1965 -- where we then did not have

chips, only a cake on the first anniversary

-- that some sponsors

gave a marble to their sponsees, telling the

sponsee to carry it in his pocket and throw

it away if he decided to take a drink. "Then

you will have lost

all your marbles."

Nancy

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++++Message 1802. . . . . . . . . . . . Principles Meditation Card

From: [e-mail] . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/13/2004 2:27:00 AM

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The following is a compilation of previous posts. No

further posts on this subject will be approved.

Nancy

From: "David G."

Date: Sun May 9, 2004 9:40 pm

Subject: Principles Meditation Card

[72]

Good Day All,

While attending an AA Area function, I purchased a

meditation card, from a vendor, which listed "The

Principles of the Program."

Step One-Honest

Step Two-Hope

Step Three-Faith

Step Four-Courage

Step Five-Integrity

Step Six-Willingness

Step Seven-Humility

Step Eight-Brotherly Love

Step Nine-Justice

Step Ten-Perseverance

Step Eleven-Spiritual awareness

Step Twelve-Service

I've seen these around for years and usually buy some

to just pass along.

Does anyone know where and/or when these originated?

Thanks, Respectfully,

David G.

Illinois-USA

From: "Kimball Rowe"

Date: Mon May 10, 2004 8:28 am

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Principles Meditation

Card

I have a card like that, that has the principles on one

side and the gifts on the other. The gifts were

received as the result of taking the step.

The Gifts

Step 1 - Willingness - As willing to listen as a dying

man can be.

Step 2 - Open-Mindedness - All you really need is a

truly open mind.

Step 3 - Honesty - Turning our will and lives over to

the care of God, we lose our reason to lie.

Step 4 - Truth - The truth we must now share with our

God and another human being.

Step 5 - Humility - We gained a genuine humility, a

recognition of who and what we are, followed by a

sincere attempt to become what we could be.

Step - 6 - Spiritual Growth - We begin to grow in the

image and likeness of our Creator.

Step 7 - Unselfishness - We stand ready to make amends

and serve others.

Step 8 - Forgiveness - Forgiveness of others makes step

nine possible.

Step 9 - Freedom - Freedom of others, of our past and

of ourselves. Free to seek God in the steps that

follow.

Step 10 - Sanity - We will react normally, even where

alcohol is concerned.

Step 11 - Strength - Sufficient strength to help

others.

Step 12 - Recovery.

If anyone knows where the gifts come from that would be

appreciated too!

From: "J. Lobdell"

Date: Mon May 10, 2004 9:21 am

Subject: RE: [AAHistoryLovers] Principles Meditation

Card

[75]

They originated with a Texas Intergroup sometime around

1951, I think -- there's a copy of the original

Intergroup sheet/flyer/whatever in the Archives in NYC.

They are not GSO literature, and as they date from the

time when the Conference had been established, they are

at most local AA literature. So far as I know "practice

these principles" in Step 12 is intended to refer to

the Steps. -- Jared Lobdell

From: "wilfried antheunis"

Date: Mon May 10, 2004 11:19 am

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Principles Meditation

Card

They have been around forever plus a day. The

principles vary from various to other cards. A list I

have dated February 2000 has the following variances;

8. Self-discipline

9. Love

The Big Book uses the word Principle 36 times.

USE OF THE WORD PRINCIPLE IN THE BIG BOOK

Here are the 36 instances of "principle" in the Big

Book.

1 & 2) As we discovered the principles by which the

individual alcoholic could live, so we had to evolve

principles by which the A.A. groups and A.A. as a whole

could survive and function effectively. [Big Book, page

xix, lines 8 & 9]

3) Though none of these principles had the force of

rules or laws, they had become so widely accepted by

1950 that they were confirmed by our first

International Conference held at Cleveland. [Big Book,

page xix, line 27]

4) The basic principles of the A.A. program, it

appears, hold good for individuals with many different

life-styles, just as the program has brought recovery

to those of many different nationalities. [Big Book,

page xxii, line 13]

5) My friend had emphasized the absolute necessity of

demonstrating these principles in all my affairs. [Big

Book, page 14, line 29]

6) We feel elimination of our drinking is but a

beginning. A much more important demonstration of our

principles lies before us in our respective homes,

occupations and affairs. [Big Book, page 19, line 7]

7) Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual

principles would solve all my problems. [Big Book, page

42, line 32]

8) That was great news to us, for we had assumed we

could not make use of spiritual principles unless we

accepted many things on faith which seemed difficult to

believe. [Big Book, page 47, line 23]

9) 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result

of these steps, we tried to carry this message to

alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our

affairs. [Big Book, page 60, line 3]

10) No one among us has been able to maintain anything

like perfect adherence to these principles. [Big Book,

page 60, line 8]

11) The principles we have set down are guides to

progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than

spiritual perfection. [Big Book, page 60, line 9]

12) We listed people, institutions or principles with

whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were

angry. [Big Book, page 64, line 30]

13) Although these reparations take innumerable forms,

there are some general principles which we find

guiding. [Big Book, page 79, line 6]

14) Unless one's family expresses a desire to live upon

spiritual principles we think we ought not to urge

them. [Big Book, page 83, line 13]

15) If not members of religious bodies, we sometimes

select and memorize a few set prayers which emphasize

the principles we have been discussing. [Big Book, page

87, line 26]

16) The main thing is that he be willing to believe in

a Power greater than himself and that he live by

spiritual principles. [Big Book, page 93, line 10]

17) When dealing with such a person, you had better use

everyday language to describe spiritual principles.

[Big Book, page 93, line 12]

18) We are dealing only with general principles common

to most denominations. [Big Book, page 93, line 12]

19) Should they accept and practice spiritual

principles, there is a much better chance that the head

of the family will recover. [Big Book, page 97, line

29]

20 & 21) When your prospect has made such reparation as

he can to his family, and has thoroughly explained to

them the new principles by which he is living, he

should proceed to put those principles into action at

home. [Big Book, page 98, lines 26 & 28]

22) The first principle of success is that you should

never be angry. [Big Book, page 111, line 1]

23) If you act upon these principles, your husband may

stop or moderate. [Big Book, page 112, line 20]

24) The same principles which apply to husband number

one should be practiced. [Big Book, page 112, line 22

25) Your new courage, good nature and lack of

self-consciousness will do wonders for you socially.

The same principle applies in dealing with the

children. [Big Book, page 115, line 20]

26) Now we try to put spiritual principles to work in

every department of our lives. [Big Book, page 116,

line 30]

27) Though it is entirely separate from Alcoholics

Anonymous, it uses the general principles of the A.A.

program as a guide for husbands, wives, relatives,

friends, and others close to alcoholics. [Big Book,

page 121, footnote line 3]

28) Another principle we observe carefully is that we

do not relate intimate experiences of another person

unless we are sure he would approve. [Big Book, page

125, line 18]

29) Giving, rather than getting, will become the

guiding principle. [Big Book, page 128, line 2]

30) Whether the family has spiritual convictions or

not, they may do well to examine the principles by

which the alcoholic member is trying to live. [Big

Book, page 130, line 21]

31) They can hardly fail to approve these simple

principles, though the head of the house still fails

somewhat in practicing them. [Big Book, page 130, line

23]

32) Without much ado, he accepted the principles and

procedure that had helped us. [Big Book, page 139, line

5]

33) The use of spiritual principles in such cases was

not so well understood as it is now. [Big Book, page

156, line 33]

34) Twelve - Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of

all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place

principles before personalities. [Big Book, Appendix I,

page 564, line 32]

35) & 36) There is a principle which is a bar against

all information, which is proof against all arguments

and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting

ignorance -- that principle is contempt prior to

investigation. HERBERT SPENCER [Big Book, Appendix II,

page 570, lines 16 & 19]

[Note: These page numbers are from the 3rd edition, not

the 4th. Nancy]

From: "Arthur Sheehan"

>

Date: Tue May 11, 2004 12:25 pm

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Principles

Meditation Card

Hi

In comparing the so-called "principles" and

"gifts" cards, it seems fairly self-evident that

both represent little more than the creative

exercises of individual imagination. Also, the

imagination can go in many well-intended, but

far different, directions. It is easy to go from

"keep it simple" into a realm that can be just a

bit too simplistic.

It's also interesting to note that the

"principles" card was purchased from a "vendor"

yet is being associated with an "AA function."

I'd sure like to see the members who put

together so-called "AA functions" eliminate the

participation of those who sell tapes, trinkets

and t-shirts. Words printed on a card, and sold

by a vendor, are not endowed with any special or

extra insight, authority, validity, accuracy or

historical relevance. The so-called "principles"

and "gifts" cards, do little more than denote

the semantic preferences of the those who did

the word association.

I've seen a number of variations on this theme

(in the form of cards, wall charts, etc.) trying

to reduce the Steps to single words and

asserting that the word represents the

"principle" embodied in the Step. I just don't

see how this rises to the level of an adequate

description.

Much can be gained, and gleaned, from the Steps

(and Traditions and Concepts) both in

understanding and results, when each of them is

viewed as a whole instructive sentence. Each

whole instructive sentence can then be viewed as

a "principle" (i.e. a rule of personal conduct)

that we try to practice in all our affairs as a

means of developing a spiritual condition that

offers a daily reprieve from alcohol. The

resultant God-given gift is something called

"sobriety" (freedom from alcohol).

I'm always amazed at the energy that goes into

reading things into AA's spiritual principles

with perhaps far too much emphasis on cleverness

than clarity. It is often done at the expense of

missing what is written there in rather plain

language. One of our principal principles (rule

#62) is to try to carry a message - not

creatively modify it.

Arthur

From: "Dick" [78]

Date: Wed May 12, 2004 6:41pm

Subject: Re: [AAHistoryLovers] Principles

Meditation Card

Thank you, Arthur. I wish I could have said it so

eloquently.

Whenever I hear the "principles debate", I think of

page 15, the

Forward to Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (Third

paragraph):

"A.A.'s Twelve Steps are a group of principles,

spiritual in

their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can

expel the

obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become

happily and usefully whole."

Bill Wilson clearly intended this to be a "Program of

Action".

Practicing these principles with these goals in mind

seems much more important to me than playing word

games.

Dick Spaedt

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++++Message 1806. . . . . . . . . . . . What Causes A Man to Slip? (1948)

From: Lash, William (Bill) . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/15/2004 5:43:00 AM

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Aug. 1948 AA Grapevine

What Causes A Man to Slip? The Program?

From Ponca, Neb.

What is there about a man that causes him to slip? Why, having once accepted

something which he so desperately wanted and needed, does he suddenly get

drunk? Surely there can be nothing wrong with the Program. It has been

effective in too many cases to lay the blame on it; it even proved effective

for the slipper for a good period of time. It can and will prove effective for

him again if he chooses to use it. If the fault does not lie within the

Program then it must be that the fault lies within the man himself. Either he

never actually accepted the Program in the first place, or else he accepted it

with reservations.

Too Much Attention

But perhaps, and most likely, he gradually lost sight of the A.A. Program in

favor of some other related activities and thus just as gradually began

re-inflating an ego that had once been satisfactorily deflated.

Perhaps he began paying too much attention to the related activities that have

somehow become attached to A.A. The result being that he began attaching more

and more importance to these related activities and his relation to them and

less and less importance to the real A.A. Program. Perhaps he began to believe

that these activities were the Program.

Over-emphasis

Thus the over-emphasis on the attached but basically unrelated activities

tended to obscure in his mind his continuing need for the basic A.A. Program.

He began to drop his own A.A. in favor of conventionitis and banquetitis to

such an extent that what was once recognized as a desperate need gradually

came to be considered as no need at all. His ego and self-sufficiency began to

build itself up again.

From a program of personal salvation the shift was to a program of personal

glorification. Instead of worrying about the problem of alcohol, he began

worrying about making his speeches click. In-stead of seeking help, he began

to seek applause. Pride began to replace humility. He began to lose his

salvation because he forgot that he needed it. He no longer needed to be saved

because he was saved already. He could now turn his attention to things more

important than the search for God.

God Not Important

God was not so important anymore because he had become important in him-self.

His prayer was no longer "Thy will be done,"' but "My will be done." The

poisonous vapors of self-concern began to cloud his vision. The reliance upon

God was over for he had become a self-sufficient alcoholic again, concerned

about his own importance and welfare. Then lo and behold--he slipped.

In view of these slips it seems essential that we continue to re-examine

ourselves as alcoholics and our relationship as alcoholics to the A.A. Program

as our way of life. - L.T.C.

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++++Message 1807. . . . . . . . . . . . Rowland Hazard

From: [e-mail] . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/15/2004 3:04:00 AM

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THE ROUNDTABLE OF AA HISTORY

April 12, 1998

**************

Rowland Hazard (1881-1945)

**************************

[This is being reposted as the original post became garbled. Nancy]

Rowland Hazard was the sober alcoholic who brought the spiritual message of

The Oxford Group to Ebby Thacher. Thacher carried the message to Bill Wilson.

Wilson then based much of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous on Oxford

Group principles. The rest is history; millions have recovered from

alcoholism.

Hazard was born October 29, 1881, into a prominent, enormously wealthy Rhode

Island industrial family. He was the oldest son of Rowland Gibson and Mary

Pierrepont Bushnell Hazard. An unbroken line of Hazard men named Rowland dates

back to 1763. His grandfather and great-great-grandfather had the same name.

So: he sometimes used the name Rowland Hazard III. He named one of his

companies, Rowland Third, Inc. The Hazard family's colonial roots dated back

to 1635 and its members were large-scale landowners, manufacturers and people

of learning in science and literature. They were respected widely as achievers

and as philanthropists.

The family resided in a colony of estates at Peace Dale, Rhode Island. Oakwood

was built in the 1800’s by Rowland's paternal grandfather. Rowland lived

from age 11 at Holly House. His Aunt Helen's home, The Acorns, was where 1941

Pulitzer Prize winning poet Leonard Bacon grew up. And, there was Scallop

Shell, the home of Rowland's Aunt Caroline, on her return from serving as

President of Wellesley College.

Rowland was the tenth generation of Hazards born in Rhode Island. The subject

of this writing was a Yale graduate (BA, 1903). Some of his classmates called

him, "Ike" or “Rowley”. He sang in the varsity glee club and chapel choir

and was a member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Both his father and paternal

grandfather had graduated from Brown University. The males on his mother's

side of the family favored Yale. One of these was Eli Whitney, who invented

the cotton gin.

Rowland spent the years immediately following Yale learning the various family

businesses. He began at The Peace Dale Manufacturing Company, of Peace Dale

Rhode Island, a woolen mill that produced much of the family wealth. That mill

had made blankets for the Army during the Civil War. Rowland then moved on to

work in family industries producing coke and coke ovens, soda ash, calcium

chloride and soda bicarbonate in Chicago and Syracuse, before returning to

Peace Dale Manufacturing in 1906, as Secretary-Treasurer.

In October 1910, Rowland married his wife, Helen Hamilton Campbell, a Briar

Cliff graduate, the daughter of a Chicago banker. They had one daughter and

three sons. Two of their three sons were killed while serving with the US

armed forces during World War Two.