The Original, Seven-Point, Akron A.A. Program--to be quoted and discussed at our California Summit Conferences

The Original, Seven-Point, Akron A.A. Program

In February 1938, before work began on the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., dispatched his agent, Frank Amos, to Akron to investigate what Amos referred to as the “self-styled Alcoholic Group of Akron, Ohio.” In his report to Mr. Rockefeller on the results of his investigation, Amos included a description of the original, seven-point, Alcoholics Anonymous program that Bill W. and Dr. Bob began developing over the summer of 1935. The following is a discussion of that Amos report, including the description of the original Akron A.A. “Program,” found on pages 130-31 of the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (New York, N.Y.: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980):

In meeting with a number of the men, their wives, and “in some cases, their mothers,” Mr. Amos heard varying stories, “many of them almost miraculous.” He noted, however, that when it came to recovery, they were all remarkably alike in “the technique used and the system followed.” He described the “Program” as follows:

“1. An alcoholic must realize that he is an alcoholic, incurable from a medical viewpoint, and that he must never drink anything with alcohol in it.
“2. He must surrender himself absolutely to God, realizing that in himself there is no hope.
“3. Not only must he want to stop drinking permanently, he must remove from his life other sins such as hatred, adultery, and others which frequently accompany alcoholism. Unless he will do this absolutely, Smith and his associates refuse to work with him.
“4. He must have devotions every morning—a “quiet time” of prayer and some reading from the Bible and other religious literature. Unless this is faithfully followed, there is grave danger of backsliding
“5. He must be willing to help other alcoholics get straightened out. This throws up a protective barrier and strengthens his own willpower and convictions.
“6. It is important, but not vital, that he meet frequently with other reformed alcoholics and form both a social and a religious comradeship.
“7. Important, but not vital, that he attend some religious service at least once weekly.”

Mr. Amos said, “All the above is being carried out faithfully by the Akron group, and not a day passes when there is not one or more new victims to work on, with Smith as their leader by common consent.”
Stressing Dr. Bob's importance in the work at Akron, Frank Amos went on to note that even though there were other able men in the group, they all looked to Dr. Bob for leadership.

An Applause Message to Daily Reprieve Center, Inc., Oregon

Old fashioned A.A. – Your great, tremendous web presentation, Daily Reprieve Center Website, Oregon.

Allow me, please to heap congratulations on you for the strenuous, balanced, comprehensive approach you have taken to the A.A. early scene. You have included the views of both friend and foe. And you have made a point of producing “evidence” and specific citations.

Oddly, this was probably the dream of Bill Pittman when he convened an historians’ conference perhaps twenty years ago at Hazelden where he invited every stripe and shape of person making contributions to, researching, or possessed of direct knowledge of our history. Many seem to have forgotten that I passed around and secured the signatures of almost all present to a paper in which they agreed to continue their united quest. And much highly useful material could have been researched, amassed, and disseminated. But the conference was no sooner over than just the opposite occurred.

The result has been some very weird, close minded, and distracting groups of so-called history lovers. Very very few of them have been researchers or writers, and some have a very acerbic attitude toward the labors of others in the field. Either a police, censorship, or prohibition mode. The net result has been the furthering of idolatry, phony spirituality, name-calling, and contention. Not to mention trivia and distracting opinions.

What I see in your work is an attempt to balance a lot of hard-won disparate views and offer the viewer the websites that leads to them. A tremendous task—well done. We tried to do that in Archives 2000, but that too vanished into the dust.

I have serious doubts that the historians themselves with ever gather with unity of purpose, as opposed to axe-grinding and closed ears. On the other hand, there are lots of fine, hardworking, experienced, knowledgeable AA folks in the mix. Many are good friends of mine. I have quoted many. I use the materials of many. And it has been sad to see this much-needed gang of folks splinter away from doing a job that A.A. GSO itself is probably unable, unwilling, and ill-equipped to do. And that does not make for the progress that can be made when business folks, professionals, laborers, government people, social agencies, religious leaders, and even Generals, vets, and Boy Scouts convene, submit papers to peers, and learn learn learn from the work of others.

Anyhoo. Thank you. I shall personally widely cite your page and work. I think it sets a great example for those who want to join in fact-finding to the end of glorifying and serving God and helping newcomers who still suffer.

God bless,

Dick B.
Author, 42 titles & over 500 articles on A.A. History
Exec. Dir., International Christian Recovery Coalition
Christian Recovery Resource Centers - Worldwide
www.DickB.com
DickB@DickB.com
(808) 874-4876
PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837

Ps 118:17 (NJB):
I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.

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Don Hanback of Virginia becomes Coalition Participant

Don Hanback of Montpelier, Virginia is the latest person to become a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition. www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com.

His listing is Don Hanback, Recovered Christian A.A., 16290 Hennessy Way, Montpelier, Va. 23192, 804-883-5885, donhanback@aol.com