Big Book Dave - Archivist Interior Alaska
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April
Interior Alaska
Report

Couldn't make it to our March Pre-Conference Assembly, but I sent a copy of my report down to Juneau. If you want a copy, get a hold of me...

Thanks to Irene R., an A.A. Historian who lives in Anchorage, for sending us several magazine articles including: 1) Family Circle, April 5, 1945, "Alcoholism, Is There a Cure?" 2) Pageant Magazine, April 1947, "I Was an Alcoholic." 3) Variety Magazine, March 28, 1945, "A.A. Doing Great in Its New Times Square Clubhouse." 4) Your Life magazine article dated April 1953, "The 24 hour Club for Alcoholics." and 5) Saturday Evening Post article, May 21, 1960 , "I Always Have Helped."

It's about an alcoholic's struggle... Without active members like Irene, much of our history would be lost forever.
 

Interesting April Dates
 
1813 - April 19th
Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Rush, M.D., dies in Philadelphia. Author of "The Effects of Ardent Spirits upon the human Body and Mind." It was the first significant medical argument for the disease concept of alcoholism.
  1896 - April 29th
Ebby Thacher was born in Albany, N.Y. He would become Bill W's one and only sponsor. It's Ebby who brings Bill the message of sobriety. Big Book pages 9, 10, 11, 12.
 
1909 - April
"The Child Act" goes into effect in the United States. It prohibits giving any intoxicating liquors to children, and no children under 14 enter taverns for any reason.
 
1917 - April
The U.S. has entered World War I and Bill W. completed his training at Fort Monroe Virginia as a Second Lieutenant in the Army artillery. Bill is assigned to Fort Rodman Mass., where he will take his first drink of alcohol at age 22.
 
1920 - April
In Perth, Australia, the first meeting of the "Anti-Liquor League" is held.
 
1928 - April
The First Century Christian Fellowship took the name "The Oxford Group." Bill W. said the first A.A. meeting anywhere gave birth inside an Oxford Group Meeting.
  1939 - April
First printing of our Big Book rolls off-the-press. Between 1939 and 1955 when the Second Edition came out - 300,000 copies were sold.
 
1940 - April
Dr. Bob writes the trustees to refuse royalties from the Big Book, but Bill W. insists they go on for Dr. bob and Anne.
 
1944 - April
 The American medical Association (A.M.A.) recognized alcoholism as a disease.
 
1947 - April
Bill begins taking instructions from Bishop Fulton Sheen in the Roman Catholic faith, but does not complete the course for several reasons.
  1957 - April 27th - 28th The first gathering of G.S.R.s from all over Alaska takes place in anchorage. The July 1957 Grapevine had an article written up about this weekend.
  1962 - April the General Service Conference adopted the 12 concepts of World Service as written by our Co-Founder, Bill W.
  1989 - April 24th Bill Wilson's Brother-in-law, Dr. Leonard Strong, dies. He was an early supporter of A.A.
 
Big Book Dave
Elected Archivist - Interior Alaska
24-Hour Number
(907) 456-7501