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

fetch them. In this connection, I did [not] give you and Rosa much thought

because you near by. But I did think a good deal about Henrietta Seiberling

and Bob Oviatt in Akron, both of whom preceded you, I think A.A.-wise.

Admittedly, I did not think of Clarence. Probably this is because he has

always disapproved of conventions and all of the doings of the New York

headquarters - off and on he has had us under bitter attack for years. I

didn't mean to let that effect [sic] me, but subconsciously maybe it did.

In any case, you will surely remember that I tried to give all

possible credit in "A.A. Comes of Age" to you, Bert, Dorothy, Clarence, and a

great many others.

Considering the time at my disposal, I did not see how you people could have

been introduced in either of my talks. In the first one I could only show the

bare beginnings of A.A. In the second one - which was altogether too long - I

had to dwell on the development of the Traditions. I really don't see where

you folks would have fitted in - at least to the

satisfaction of the audience in that respect. Naturally I had to bring in Ebby

because despite his lack of soberiety [sic] he was at the very beginning.

Sister Ignatia was certainly due for a bow after all these years. After all,

she and Smith ministered to 5,000 drunks - a number far greater than you and I

ever thought of touching ourselves.

In this connection I also felt not a little sorry that Henrietta

wasn't invited. There was not only the question of cost. Though she has been

extremely friendly during the last two or three years, it must be remembered

that she has never cared for the convention idea and indeed, was against the

whole New York headquarters operation for many years. For several reasons she

wasn't invited. Maybe that was a mistake. I know that, for one, I was damn

sorry she wasn't there. However, I wasn't the entire boss of this whole

undertaking, by any means.

I don't know whether you and Dorothy got to say anything at those Alkathon

meetings. Some of them were very outstanding indeed, and apparently rated much

higher in many A.A. minds than any of my efforts. If you were not

invited this [is] surprising indeed, considering how prominent you,

especially, have been out on the Coast, well known to everybody. If this was

an omission, it certainly gives me cause for wonder, as doubtless it does you.

However, those arrangements were all made by the Coast people.

Nevertheless I suppose if I had been thoughtful enough about it - which I

wasn't - I might have taken pains.

I guess the upshot of it is that life never gives quite the deal we would

like. On one hand, you say that you suffer from lack of recognition, and I can

say with certainly equal fervor that I greatly suffer from far too much.

Ever devotedly yours,

/s/ Bill

WGW:nw

Mr. and Mrs. James Burwell

4193 Georgia Street

San Diego, California

__________

W.G.W.

Box 459 Grand Central Annex

New York 17, N. Y.

August 2, 1961

Dear Folks,

Thanks so much for that last news of you both. It's good to read on and

between the lines that you both are well and happy.

We can say the same. Haven't had better health in years.

Am progressively detaching myself from active management of A.A. affairs, just

as I probably should have done before this. The November Grapevine will carry

a piece to the effect that I can no longer get around speaking, nor

participate in active management of the office. Of course I

shall be glad to help put on blow-out patches, if anything serious turns up.

But I do hope to keep up some writing. This seems to be about the only channel

left. My present series in the Grapevine is a trial run to see if I can do a

larger book on "Practicing These Principles in all our Affairs".

About those Twelve Step Houses. Well, honestly, I don't know. Like the clubs,

some appear to be good and others bad. Are most of the Twelve Step Houses on

the Coast those famous "boarding houses"?

Lois and I are just now taking off for a month - the most of it probably to be

spent at the old home town in Vermont, that is if we can hide out up there!

Meanwhile, all goes well at General Headquarters. The

contributions and book sales are fine. And the reserve fund continues to grow

slowly. So we could stand quite a lot of hard times, if necessary.

Do you like the Grapevine any better nowadays? We have been trying hard to

improve it and have depended on improvement for increased sales, which are now

up about 2,000 from the low point of a year or so ago.

Meanwhile, Lois joins me in all affection, and I'll ask her to send you an

Al-Anon book.

Always devotedly,

/s/ Bill

WGW/nw

Mr. and Mrs. James Burwell

4193 Georgia Street

San Diego, California

__________

W.G.W.

Box 459 Grand Central Annex

New York 17, N. Y.

November 14, 1961

Dear Jim,

First, all the best to you both. And thanks for your remembrance of mother -

she die [sic] May 15th last. When, during the last few months she realized she

could not get out of bed alone, she began to quit eating. This was quite

deliberate, and it finally did her in. That was the way she wanted it, and she

made a swell job of passing away - in fact, was mighty cheerful about it.

You may have noticed my article in the Grapevine, which indicates that I have

taken another several steps toward the sidelines. For many years I meant

business on this, and at last the time is now here.

I think there are a few situations in which I can still help. Our

trusteeship needs several more out of town members, and perhaps a better

method of selection. Eventually I expect we shall have to shift the ratio and

install an A.A. Chairman of the Board. If we fail to do this, we shall be

denying our present-day capabilities. And whether this is a good idea or not,

we shall never know unless we try.

As to the Twelve Step Houses - well, there you've got me. I haven't actually

seen one of these operations in a very long time. I think the impression at

the office is that some seem good, some seem fair, and others practically no

good. About the best that can be done is to restrain them from soliciting

money at the top public level or busting anonymity for publicity and the like.

From this end we try to hold the line at this top level. Beyond that there

isn't a thing that we can really do except to leave these situations to the

areas concerned. It's like the trouble we used to have with the clubhouses in

the old days. Some were damn good, some were damn bad. But these things do

have a way [of] working around, after enough experience. What the outcome of

the Twelfth Step Houses will finally be, I'm

less qualified to predict than anybody I know. I'm getting like Rip Van

Winkle, just waking up in the Adirondacks!

Meanwhile, the old desk gets piled pretty high, in spite of my supposed

retirement. I could make a full-time job of answering mail; another full-time

job looking after all my old friends in trouble; a full-time job of traveling

and speaking; a full-time job of messing around the office.

But I don't think these are the most effective things that I could do from

herein. I shall continue to do a little of all of them, but the assignment has

gotten so big that it couldn't be handled anyway. So I'm beginning to get out

from under a great many of these things which may often be desirable to do,

but which are becoming impossible.

Once again the old desk is piled up - so I have to fly. I know you'll

understand.

In affection,

/s/ Bill

WGW/nw

__________

W.G.W.

Box 459 Grand Central Annex

New York 17, N. Y.

August 29, 1962

Dear Folks,

Your letter reached us while on vacation in East Dorset, Vermont, the old home

town. Sometimes I wish I could resettle up here.

Thanks for all the news and views. As you imply, we are not so young as we

used to be. I'm beginning to feel this also, as is Lois. However, we are still

doing okay, thank God.

About the late lamented April Conference. There, I think we made some A.A.

history, but I question just the right kind. I do think that my

recommendations for strengthening the General Service Board would have bucked

up our situation a good deal against a future time of real trouble. Routinely,

things would go along nicely with present setup. But if the heat really came

on in a big way, I would rather see a stronger situation to handle it, so I'm

sure we ought to experiment in this direction -- something that the Conference

and trustees seemed very adverse to doing.

It wasn't [so] much that I was surprised or disappointed by the Conference

decision -- the thing I deplored was the haste and even recklessness in which

it was taken. At the very least I think I might have been aloud [sic] to get

my recommendations printed as an Appendix to the Third Legacy Manual, along

with the Concepts. But evidently the Conference and the Trustees thought the

material to be of so little merit that it should not be put on permanent

record in this fashion. In a way, this attitude amounted to censorship,

something I can't exactly relish. I hope future

Conferences will allow me the courtesy of being printed permanently. After

all, the recommendations might prove to be some use later on.

But one good thing did come of it. Future responsibility was so completely and

eagerly taken away from me that my trip to the sidelines has been greatly

facilitated. It's now strictly up to the Trustees and to the Conference and on

their own say-so. In a sense, this is a great relief, because, as you know, I

have been backing away for along [sic] time. So the job is now complete.

All the best now, and God bless you both. In this Lois joins,

Affectionately,

/s/ Bill

WGW/nw

Mr. and Mrs. James Burwell

4193 Georgia Street

San Diego, California

__________

May 15, 1965

4193 Georgia Street

San Diego, California

Dear Bill,

Just received a letter from Hazel Rice, saying G.S.O. could not invite me to

Toronto, for it would break a precedent. First, I did not ask anyone in G.S.O.

for an invitation. I did mention to Hazel down in Washington, D.C., that I was

retired and could not afford the trip and that I was going to talk it over

with you at Bedford Hills, which I did, explaining

my circumstances.

But, since this has now come up in G.S.O., I do feel quite

hurt and slighted and unappreciated. I do feel a special exception can be made

as with Ebby at two conventions. This is really a hard letter to write. Am

listing a few unusual contributions I have made over these 27 years as

follows:

Am oldest active AA member at group level.

Did contribute materially in all three of our A.A. books, with phrases "God as

you understand Him" and "Only requirement for membership is a desire to stop

drinking," plus my own story.

In 1939-40 period did sell more books to stores, doctors, etc. than anyone.

Did help in 1940, finance (200.00 stock) to keep Vesey Street going.

Carried the message to and help organize original groups in Philadelphia,

Baltimore, Wilmington, and Harrisburg; plus half a dozen neighborhood and

hospital groups in Philadelphia and San Diego. The Philly group was the first

to contribute to New York.

Initiated the plan for Judge Bok to get us inside The Saturday Evening Post,

And Bill, I am the only one of the original members that has never bucked

publicly on any of your projects. Especially in 1948-49, I stumped the state

for your conference. I do hope this does not sound braggadocious,

[sic] but these are facts as I see them.

In all these years, this is the very first favor I have ever asked you or the

N.Y. office. Am now 68 and feel positive I will not make the next convention.

Also, this is the first convention I have ever been asked to speak or

participate, so do hope you will find ways and means to get me there.

After all, A.A. has only given me life and peace of mind. Maybe I should not

expect more, but have only done it this once in 27 years.

Our love to both you and Lois as ever appreciated,

/s/ Jim

__________

This is the "history" that Bill refers to in his December 11, 1947, letter to

Jim. It was supplied by Bill L, whose editorial comments are included:

(Jim Burwell was among the first members of A.A. to get sober in

New York. His sobriety date is 6/16/38 and his story can be

found in the Big Book called "The Vicious Cycle". Please keep in

mind when reading this that his recollection of some of the

specific facts around the first meeting of Bill Wilson and Dr.

Bob Smith are inconsistent with more reliable versions of the

same story.)

MEMOIRS OF JIMMY THE EVOLUTION OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

By Jim Burwell

The spark of Alcoholics Anonymous was ignited about the middle

of November 1934 in a kitchen on a second floor at 182 Clinton

Street, Brooklyn. This was Bill Wilson's home. The occasion was

the visit of a schoolboy friend of his from Vermont, Ebby

Thacher. Bill was in the middle of a binge, which had started on

Armistice Day. His friend Ebby had heard of Bill's trouble with

alcohol. Ebby was sober and Bill said later that this was the

first time he had seen him in that condition for many years, for

he always thought that Ebby was a hopeless drunk. He greeted

Bill on this visit with the words, "I've got religion."

Bill says at the time he thought poor Ebby had probably gotten

sober only to become balmy on religion. While still drinking, he

listened to Ebby's story about being converted some six months

previously by the New York Oxford Group. He told Bill about the

main idea of this group being one person helping another, and

their other formulas. Bill said he listened to all this talk

while he was in the process of keeping the jitters down by

continuously drinking and probably smiling cynically to himself.

When Ebby left a few hours later he practically dismissed the

incident, but he later found that this was not the case. Within

five days he found himself wheeled into his refuge, Towne's

Hospital on Central Park West in New York, for the third time

that year. On his arrival at the hospital with his wife Lois, he

was greeted and put to bed immediately by his old friend, Dr.

Silkworth, the Director.

Bill said that after he had been in bed a short while he heard

the doctor talking to Lois by the door, saying that if her

husband came out of this episode and did drink again, he did not

honestly believe he would live six months. [This was during an

earlier hospitalization.] Bill states that when he heard these

words he was immediately carried back to his talk with his

friend and could not dismiss the idea that although Ebby might

be batty with religion, he was sober and he was happy. He kept

turning this over in his mind, in a mild delirium, and came to a

vague conclusion that maybe Ebby did have something in a man's

helping others in order to get away from his own obsessions and

problems.

A few hours later when the doctor came in, he felt a tremendous

elation and said, "Doc, I've got it." At the same time he felt

that he was on a high mountain and that a very swift wind was

blowing through him, and despite the several weeks of drinking,

he found he was completely relaxed and quiet. He asked Dr.

Silkworth, "Am I going crazy with

this sudden elation I have?" The doctor's answer was,

"seriously, I don't know Bill, but I think you had better hold

on to whatever you have."

While he was in the hospital Ebby and the other Oxford Group

people visited Bill and told him of their activities,

particularly in the Calvary Mission. On Bill's release, while

still shaky, he visited Dr. Shoemaker at Calvary Mission and

made a decision to become very active in the Mission's work and

to try and bring other alcoholics from Towne's to the Group.

This resolution he put into effect, visiting the Mission and

Towne's almost daily for four or five months, and bringing some

of the drunks to his home for rehabilitation. During this time

he was also trying to make another comeback in his Wall Street

activities, for Bill, like many others, had built up tremendous

paper profits in the roaring twenties, only to go broke in the

'29 crash. However, he did make a temporary comeback in the

depression years of '32 and '33 as a syndicate man, only to have

John Barleycorn wipe him out more completely than ever in his

worst drinking year of 1934. Through hard work and a little good

luck, by May 1st, 1935, he managed to become a leader of a

minority group of a small corporation, and obtained quite a few

proxies from others. This group sent him out to Akron, Ohio,

hoping to get control of the corporation. Bill said later that

if this had happened, he would probably have been financially

independent for life, but when he attended the stockholders

meeting he found himself snowed under by the other faction. So

around the middle of May, there he was in the Portage Hotel in

Akron [Mayflower Hotel; Portage was the name of the country club

at which Henrietta Sieberling put Bill up for a few days, after

which he moved into Dr. Bob's home.] without even return fare

home and completely at the end of his rope.

Bill's story goes that he found himself pacing the lobby,

backwards and forwards, trying to decide whether to forget it

all in the hotel bar, when he noticed the Directory of Churches

at the other end of the room. The thought struck him that if he

could talk to another alcoholic he might regain his composure,

for that had been effective back in New York. Although he had

worked consistently with drunks for over six months he had not

been able to save anyone, with the possible exception of

himself. He telephoned several of the churches listed, and was

finally directed to one of the Oxford Group's leaders in town,

Henrietta Seiberling.

Bill tells of calling Henrietta and being so shaky that he could

hardly get the coin in the slot. The first thing he asked her

was, "Where can I find another alcoholic to talk to?"

Henrietta's answer was, "You stay right where you are until I

get there, for I think I can take you to the very man you are

looking for." This she did, and the man she took Bill to see was

Dr. Bob Smith, who later became the co-founder of Alcoholics

Anonymous. When Henrietta and Bill got to Dr. Bob's they found

his wife, Annie, alone. She was in a mental uproar herself

because her husband had been on the loose for several days.

After Bill and Henrietta had waited and chatted on the Oxford

Group policies, in popped the good doctor himself, quite potted

and with a potted lily in his arms for his wife's Mothers Day

gift. When Bob had been bedded Annie insisted that Bill stay and

try to straighten her husband out. Bill did this and his stay

lengthened into months. During the next few days Bill and Bob

talked for hours and decided to pool their resources to help

other drunks. When Bob had been dry only a few weeks, a new

hurdle arose, for Bob found it was imperative for him to go to a

medical convention in Atlantic City. Bob did make the

convention, but suddenly found himself drunk on the train going

back to Akron. However, this turned out to be his last spree,

for he dates his last drink June 15, 1935. [Note that Jim's

memory of the date differs from official version of June 10.]

This apparent calamity was probably one of the greatest

blessings in disguise for us later members, for it did cement

Bob in this new fellowship they were launching. Bill stayed on

with the Smiths until the 1st of October and during that time

Bob and he managed to secure two more converts to the fold. Bill

then returned to New York where he continued his previous

activities, with daily visits to Towne's and Calvary Mission.

During the latter part of October, Bill got his first real New

York convert, Hank Parkhurst. Hank later became one of the

genuine inspirations of Alcoholics Anonymous, for he was a

red-haired, high-pressure human dynamo. Before his last trip to

Towne's, where Bill found him, Hank had been sales manager for

Standard Oil

of New Jersey. From the time of their meeting and during the

latter part of 1935 it was Hank and Bill who did all the ground

work, but even then they had but indifferent success until their

next real convert, Paul Rudell came in about April 1936.

The next man to be pulled out of the mire, through Towne's, was

dear old Fitz Mayo who joined the others about November 1936.

From this time on the duet became a trio, Bill, Hank and Fitz

and they were the spearheads in drunk-saving for the Oxford

Group in the New York area.

However, they discovered in September 1937, that despite all the

wet-nursing, praying and rehabilitation work done at Bill's

house on Clinton Street, of approximately thirty-five or forty

drunks, they were the only three men to come clear in almost two

years. During this period many things happened, some quite

tragic, with even an alcoholic suicide in Bill's home.

In September 1937 the three concluded that perhaps their

technique would be better if they would do their work with

drunks outside of an affiliation with a religious organization.

Having arrived at this decision, the trio formally resigned from

the Oxford Group and concentrated all their efforts on working

with alcoholics in Towne's Hospital, using Bill's home as a

de-fogging station. About this time the first completely

alcoholic meetings were held in Bill's home on Tuesday evenings

and average attendance ran about fifteen, including the drunks'

families. Even though the trio had separated from the Oxford

Group, they still retained a lot of their principles and

utilized them in the discussions at these weekly meetings, but

at the same time more emphasis was placed on the disease of

alcoholism as a psychological sickness. At the same time they

stressed spiritual regeneration and the understanding of one