The American Weekly, March 11, 1951 (This is a magazine article about Dr. Bob Smith, AA’s cofounder.) By Booton Herndon The kindly faced man lying in the white hospital bed raised his hand to the light, studied it calmly and then remarked to the nurse standing by his bed: "I think this is it." Thus Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith recently passed from the world. So, finally, the story of "Dr. Bob, beloved by 120,000 members of Alcoholics Anonymous whom he had helped to find the way back … [Read more...]
Dr. Bob Biography
"Simplicity, devotion, steadfastness, and loyalty; these were the hallmarks of Dr. Bob's character which he has well implanted in so many of us." - Bill Wilson. ROBERT HOLBROOK SMITH, M.D. 1879-1950 Dr. Bob was born August 8, 1879, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the only son of Judge and Mrs. W.P. Smith, who were prominent in civic and social activities of that city. Though often rebellious against the strict authority of his parents, "Rob," as his schoolmates called him, was willing to work hard to … [Read more...]
Letter to Dr. Bob about a “Big Book” Story by Harry Z
This is one of the earliest letters in the Dr. Bob and Anne Smith Archives pertaining to the writing of the Big Book. To: Dr. R. H. Smith Orville, Ohio Akron, Ohio 3-11-39, Saturday p.m. Dear Doctor: I am terribly sorry that it is has been necessary to delay the enclosed manuscript concerning some of the facts in Z-----'s life, (Note: Harry Z's story in the first edition of the Big Book is titled, "A Close Shave") but it just couldn't be helped. He and I were not able to … [Read more...]
Dr. Bob News Article 1942
Newspaper Article-1942 The Dr. Bob and Anne Smith Archives was transferred from the attic of Dr. Bob's daughter, Sue Smith Windows, in Akron, Ohio to a permanent repository at the Brown University Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies in Providence, Rhode Island. It joined several other collections already housed at Brown including the Kirk Collection (15,000 items pertaining to the temperance movement and early A.A.), the Clarence Snyder Collection (books, pamphlets, letters and ephemera … [Read more...]
Dr. Bob’s Last Drink
Bill W. had met a kindred spirit in Dr. Bob. Both men were born in Vermont, both were intelligent and both were alcoholics. They somehow knew that fateful evening in Henrietta Seiberling's Gatehouse home both of them were going to be okay. After a few weeks of working with each other and attempting to deliver the message of recovery to other alcoholics, Bill and Dr. Bob did not appear to be discouraged. Despite their not being able to bring another rummy into the fold - they were staying … [Read more...]
Anne Ripley Smith, wife of Dr. Bob, Mother and Co-Founder of A.A.
Pioneer A.A.'s Most Ignored, Forgotten, yet Critically Important Resource by Dick B. Let's meet the woman Bill Wilson and others frequently called the "Mother of A.A." (See Dick B., Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of Success, 3rd ed, pp. ix, 10, 54, 137, 139; Sue Smith Windows and Robert R. Smith, Children of the Healer, pp. 29, 43, 152; Women Pioneers in Twelve Step Recovery, Hazelden, 1999, p. 2). I'd been going to A.A. meetings regularly for about four years and had … [Read more...]
Liberty Magazine article mention in 2nd preface of Big Book
Charles Towns, owner of Towns' Hospital where Bill Wilson had sobered up, tried to get publicity for A.A. and finally succeeded. He had known Morris Markey, a well-known feature writer, for years. Markey was intrigued by what Towns told him of A.A., and approached Fulton Oursler, then editor of "Liberty," a popular magazine that had a religious orientation. Oursler saw the possibilities at once and said, "Morris, you've got an assignment. Bring that story in here, and we will print it in … [Read more...]
Bill Dotson – AA #3
On a Friday night, September 17, 1954, Bill Dotson died in Akron, Ohio. "That is, people say he died, but he really didn't," wrote Bill Wilson. "His spirit and works are today alive in the hearts of uncounted AA's, and who can doubt that Bill already dwells in one of those many mansions in the great beyond." Bill Dotson, the "Man on the Bed," was AA number 3. At his death, he had not had a drink in more than nineteen years. His date of sobriety was the date he entered Akron's City Hospital … [Read more...]
The Forerunner – Rowland Hazzard
By: RON RAY 140 Dove Trail Bowling Green, KY 42101 After telling Rowland Hazard that he could never regain his role in society, Dr. Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) the renowned Swiss psychiatrist was asked, "Is there no exceptions?" “Yes,” replied Dr. Jung, "...once in a while alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual experiences." He went an to describe a spiritual experience as "... huge emotional displacements and rearrangements. Ideas, emotions, and attitudes which were once … [Read more...]
ERNIE G. – AA #4
The man generally considered AA number 4 was Ernie Galbraith, who first got sober in the summer of 1935, when Bill Wilson was still staying with the Smiths in Akron. Described as a wild, devil-may care young fellow (page 158 in the Big Book); he had enlisted for a one-year term in the Army when he was only 14 (but could pass for 18). After getting out of the Army he went to Mexico where he worked for an oil company, then "rode the range" in Texas. He had been married twice and had a son. … [Read more...]
Lois Burnham Wilson: Bill Wilson’s Wife
"I believe that people are good if you give them half a chance and that good is more powerful than evil. The world seems to me excruciatingly, almost painfully beautiful at times, and the goodness and kindness of people often exceed that which even I expect." Lois Burnham Wilson Lois Burnham, the co-founder of The Al-Anon Family Groups, was born on March 4, 1891 at 182 Clinton Street, Brooklyn Heights, New York. Brooklyn Heights at that time was in character much the same that it … [Read more...]
Henrietta Seiberling and Dr. Bob Smith
For those of you who don't know, Henrietta Seiberling is the lady who introduced Bill Wilson to Dr. Bob Smith... May, 1972 In the spring of 1971, the newspapers reported the passing of Bill Wilson of New York City, who as one of the two co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. The other co-founder, Dr Robert Smith of Akron, Ohio, has passed on some years earlier. Shortly after Bill's death, the Akron Alcoholics groups asked my mother Henrietta Seiberling, to speak at the annual "Founders Day" … [Read more...]
Philadelphia Handbook Ideas 1942
May 18, 1942 To: Miss Margaret R. Burger, Secretary, The Alcoholic Foundation, 30 Vesey Street, New York City. Dear Miss Burger: Here's a story of the Philadelphia Group from the handbook standpoint, as requested in your recent mimeograph. Our nucleus was derived from six alcoholics known to be such through their written contact with Alcoholic Foundation. Two had dried up via the Oxford Group, one of them attempted work upon other alcoholics without plan and without results. … [Read more...]
Rowland the Messenger
(Rowland Hazzard brought the message to Ebby Thatcher who brought the message to Bill Wilson.) By Ron Ray, 9/24/92, from Bowling Green, KY After telling Rowland H. that he could never regain his position in society, Dr. Carl Jung the renowned Swiss psychiatrist was asked, "Is there no exceptions?" "Yes," replied Dr. Jung, "there is. Exceptions to cases such as yours have been occurring since early times. Here and there, once in a while, alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual … [Read more...]
1944 A.A. Sponsorship Pamphlet
by Clarence Snyder This is the first pamphlet ever written concerning sponsorship. It was written by Clarence H. Snyder in early 1944. Its original title was to be "A.A. Sponsorship...Its Obligations and Its Responsibilities." It was printed by the Cleveland Central Committee under the title: "A.A. Sponsorship... Its Opportunities and Its Responsibilities." PREFACE Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is a potential sponsor of a new member and should clearly recognize the obligations and … [Read more...]