How AA Got Started In Arkansas

Alcoholism, the plague of modern man, cunning, baffling, powerful and deadly had afflicted Sterling C. and in 1934 at age 33 he was fired from his job as insurance salesman. He moved from Little Rock, along with his wife and two small children to New Orleans for a fresh start. Three months later he was drinking. The search for a solution to his problem began with various clergymen. He continued to drink. Psychiatric counseling also failed. Richard C. Peabody had written a book entitled “The Common Sense of Drinking”, which Sterling saw advertised in a magazine – he sent for it. This book was to have a profound effect on his life for the next six years. The book lacked the spiritual and fellowship approach to the problem; however, it did outline a program of action to retrain the mind, including continuous self-inventory.

Thinking he had a handle on his problem now, he re-applied for a job with his former company. They replied that if he could stay sober he could join the office in Memphis, but his dismissal would be automatic should he resume drinking.

In Memphis for six months, fighting liquor all the time, Sterling slipped again on his first trip out of town. On his return he sought the advice of clergy – again – and became acquainted with Dr. Blazel, rector of the Calvary Episcopal Church. Dr. Blazel agreed to try to help, and counseling sessions were set up twice a week. Business required Sterling to be out of town again – and soon, on July 22, 1935, he was drunk. Remorse, failure, defeat, and finally – the bottom.

Sterling had promised to resign his job should this happen, but before he could get to the office he learned that his boss, the man to whom the promise was made, had died during the night. Immediately he went to Dr. Blazel and told him what had happened. Dr. Blazel, recognizing a different man, said to him, “Sterling, I think something very important has happened in your life, and whatever it is I want you to cling to it. Say nothing to anyone, do a lot of praying and realize a very profound ‘something’ has happened in your life.” Sterling never found it necessary to take another drink.

The next few months, following his surrender, Sterling developed along more spiritual lines with Dr. Blazel and also continued to refer to Peabody’s book. Christmas, 1935, he returned to Little Rock for the express purpose of making amends and restitution.

Alcoholics Anonymous had begun to take root at this same period of time unknown to Sterling, but he stayed sober practicing his own version and began to work with others (with little success.)

Three and a half years passed when a call came from Harlan N.’s boss asking Sterling to help Harlan. With patience, tolerance, hope and despair the sponsor-prospect relationship continued into its seventh month. The two became aware of a magazine article in the September 30th issue of ‘Liberty Magazine’ by Morris Markey entitled “Alcoholics and God” and told a little of the new groups being formed in New York, Akron and Cleveland. On January 26, 1940, Harlan wrote for the book. When it arrived in Little Rock Harlan was drunk, and the book sent COD, was returned to New York.

Sterling’s new boss noted with interest an article in the February 19, 1940 issue of ‘Time’ concerning a dinner given by ‘the’ most outspoken teetotaler of the day, John C. Rockefeller, which culminated an investigation of two years. Mr. Rockefeller was expected to lead other philanthropists and endow AA with hospitals and centers throughout the country. Bill W., Dr. Bob and other AA people in attendance were very disillusioned when told that money might ruin the good thing they had started. The article mentioned the book and the beginnings of new groups nationwide. Foster Vineyard wrote, on insurance company stationery, the second request for the book. Dubious of the motives an insurance company might have for wanting a book about alcoholism, New York, by return mail, questioned the request. Finally, after Sterling wrote a third letter telling some of his story, the book arrived and was paid for in March, 1940.

Sterling read it eagerly. He called Harlan and said, “Boy, this is just what we have been waiting for. I’ve been trying to tell you some of these thing and now, here it is all in black and white.” It seems at that moment AA was born in Arkansas – when one sober alcoholic with the AA book contacted one sick alcoholic with a message of hope.

The next link in our Arkansas AA chain of recovered alcoholics was Glenn “Bud” G. He had committed himself for life in the “nut house” and had given up all hope of ever being able to live without alcohol. Harlan, informed of Bud’s condition, decided to pay him a visit. Bud was offered the book and read it three times the week he was allowed to keep it, which was the second week in May of 1940. State Psychiatrist, Dr. Nick Hollis, could see a remarkable change in Bud. He was so impressed with him that he ordered the second AA book for Arkansas.

Sterling, Harlan and Bud met in the home of Sterling’s folks in late May and this was the first AA meeting held in our state. The meeting was somewhat of a 12th step discussion on how to carry the message to others in the area. It was decided to run some blind ads in the newspaper and rent a post office box for replies. Responses were mostly from families and friends of problem drinkers. Sterling, Harlan and Bud kept busy answering the various inquiries. Non-alcoholics were also willing to help: Dr. Hollis, a supporter from the start; Rev. Oscar Egger, Harlan’s pastor; Gordon Campbell and Foster Vineyard, Sterling’s employers; along with the families of many alcoholics.

Bud brought T. D. A. from the hospital with him to the first meetings. Joe M., who hadn’t had a drink in a year, joined the group. Gerald M. had sobered up much the same as Sterling by studying Peabody’s book and wanted to help. Rev. Egger allowed the group to meet twice weekly in his church. Some of the church members were opposed, and subsequently Rev. Egger was fired as the result of his interest.

The original three were very promotionally minded due to Sterling’s and Harlan’s professions as salesmen and Bud’s as a newspaperman. They advertised an open meeting to be held in the YMCA. An assortment of people responded; ministers, exhausted wives, do-gooders, and some drunks who continued to sneak drinks during the meeting. After three such meetings at the “Y” the experiment with open meetings was discontinued.

Gordon Campbell offered a room in the insurance agency’s office in the Wallace Building at Markham and Main, and for several months the group met at this location. The content of the meetings consisted mainly of Sterling’s reading of the Big Book followed by Bud G’s “witnessing.” One night Sterling suggested they close the meeting by repeating the Lord’s prayer in unison. The practice was adopted and soon spread to other groups throughout the country. The meetings at this time were attended by fifteen to twenty alcoholics.

There was soon the need to “qualify” the prospects in order to devote more time to the more serious ones. The new man was asked four questions: 1. Are you convinced you cannot handle your alcohol problem? 2. Are you willing to let a group of fellows who had the same problem as you prescribe a course of action. 3. Will you do anything to eliminate alcohol from your life? 4. Do you believe in a power bigger than yourself? If the prospect could not answer all four in the affirmative, he was told to come back when and if he could. He also was asked if he was willing to go to the nut house (State Hospital) or Uncle Purl’s rescue Mission (often as only a test of his sincerity.) From the beginning there was some dissension among the membership regarding the merit of qualifying a prospect other than a desire to stop drinking.

Ed I. M., Attorney, advocated a very rigid plan for new prospects before they could be inducted into the group. Perfection was sought for the entire membership to remain sober. He was given the job of designing such a program using the AA book as a guide. This resulted in the creation of the Little Rock approach program. The prospect was required to: read the Big Book in three days; keep a twenty-eight day book; write a case history; make a time and money budget; take a two week leave of absence, if employed, in order to devote two weeks full time to the plan; and to accomplish other assignments. The plan provided for an individual sponsor for each new man and outlined for the sponsor the methods which had proven to be successful even though less than a year old. Sponsorship then, as now, varied from lily white to hard shell and was the reason for the first split of the group.

In June of 1942 Ed I. M., Newton F. and D. L. T. did not agree with the majority on the methods designed to accomplish certain objectives of the AA program and left, only to return one by one in the fall of 1942.

After the approach plan was approved by the small membership, the need for a more permanent home for the group was felt, and Harlan’s family offered a large cabin on Jennings Lake (several miles out Arch Street Pike from Little Rock) for a dormitory and meeting place. The house “dick” was Fred L. and one of his first clients was Mack H. followed by Max H.

Two non-alcoholics, Judge Harper Harb and Dr. Nick Hollis, were presented plaques as honorary members in recognition of their support. Others joining the group about that time were Bob M., Pat., Julian H., Henderson J. and Ladd M.

In 1942 as more and more new people associated themselves with AA another move was necessitated and a large room was acquired at 213 1/2 Louisiana. Macie H., a real “stemwinder,” approached the group and kept everyone busy for a while, but she didn’t really stick with the program until later. New prospects were not permitted to meet with the regular group until they had completed the approach plan to the satisfaction of their sponsors. Buddy K., Jack E., Lee H., Bert C., Bill M., George S and Andy S. were among the inductees. There were also a few out in the state who came, sobered up and returned to carry the message to their communities.

Phonies and floozies came to AA as they do to anything that is open. The phonies were soon gone, but one day in walks “Floozie” in tears, broke, hungry, alone, with a black eye, many bruises and, of course, a sad tale. Macie H. had moved from Little Rock, but three more women had joined the group. Two of the three were assigned to work with “Floozie,” but she preferred the male attention. A week passed and then the news spread, “Floozie” and six of the prospects were over in a hotel room naked and drunk. Then the full truth came out. In addition to the prospects, three “old timers” were in on the deal and were acting as errand boys to the liquor store. The new girl and one of the girls with some sobriety had joined the party. Great were the rumblings, head shaking and finger pointing. Meeting time finally came and the decision was made: NO WOMEN IN THE GROUP.

Bud G. had been appointed Director of the State Publicity Commission, and in the spring of 1943, on state business, he was in New York. He contacted Bill W. and was asked to be the guest of Bill and Lois at their home. The result of the visit was a continuing correspondence, culminating in their visit to Little Rock in January of 1944. Bud, returning to Little Rock found another move under way, this time to the Bathhurst Building on West 2nd. Three years had elapsed since Sterling and Harlan had received the AA book, and it was time for some recognition of the success. Twenty-four individuals were still active, with over a year in the program. There were others, but World War II had been disruptive to any records. Bud G., acting as chairman, gave a capsuled story of each of the twenty-four. Those who have not been previously mentioned were Sam K., Marvin W., Ed P., Hyder L. and Earl N.

The fall of 1943 Bill and Lois made a speaking tour from coast to coast that included Little Rock on their agenda for January 17 to 20, 1944. Plans made for their visit included sight-seeing trips, a dinner dance in the Skyway room atop the Lafayette Hotel, bull sessions at the club and ending with a speech by Bill at the Robinson Auditorium. For two weeks prior to their visit both Little Rock newspapers printed case-histories of some of the AA members. The publicity worked beautifully, and on Sunday the auditorium was filled with 1,500 guests. A local member, who had gone to hear Bill in Los Angles noted that there were only about 500 there.

Newspaper publicity not only attracted a lot of folks to the open meeting, but attracted a lot of drunks who wanted to get sober. Frances P. was among them. They told her in no uncertain terms that they did not accept _women_. Frances later stated, “They should have told me they didn’t want _me_! I could have understood that.” Three times the AA book was left for her to read in the prescribed three day period, but she continued to drink. Totally frustrated, she went to Chick W.’s office. “Chick, you have a woman member whether you like it or not,” she said. Chick replied, “You will have to do everything I tell you to do.” Frances answered, “I’ll walk down Main Street in a ‘G string’ if that will keep me sober.” Chick said, “Your hair’s not long enough. Go home and get sober.” Her desire for sobriety had not convinced the majority of voting members and she was still denied the right to attend the regular Thursday night meetings. However, squad meetings (usually one or two members meeting with several new prospects) were held weekly in her home. One day while cleaning house and still in shorts and halter and carrying a broom she impulsively set out to find Doyle W. Doyle gave her a list of members to call on and after seeing them all she finally was allowed to attend the group meetings on Thursday evenings.

Other women followed Frances, but Ruth P. was the only other constant recognized. Macie H. returned to Little Rock and Frances sponsored Vi D. and Myrtle T. A lot of problems lay ahead, but the successful challenge to the “no women” rule had been initiated.

Larger space was needed after Bill W.’s visit. Sterling located an ideal place at 120 1/2 Main Street at a nominal rent. All hands were put to work cleaning, painting, plumbing and wiring the new location. Furnishings were acquired whereby some of the new prospects could have sleeping quarters.

For the next thirteen years, 120 1/2 Main was the hub of AA activities in the state. The “Grapevine” characterized it as the “mother group of the southwest” because so many new groups could trace their origin to someone who had carried the message after finding sobriety at 120 1/2 Main. The building was sold for remodeling in 1957. The group moved to the Glover Building for a short time followed by moves to: 14th and Scott, 9th and Scott, 2619 West 13th and today functions as the 120 1/2 Club here at 2725 West Twelfth Street.

In 1961 the expanding need for dormitory facilities at 120 1/2 could be better administered by a separate foundation and the Twenty-four Hour Club was established to operate in that capacity. Soon thereafter a detoxification unit started operation in Benton at the State Mental Hospital.

Hundreds of AA meetings are available each week in Arkansas for the fellowship of the program. In addition, dormitory-type facilities are operating in all areas of the state for both men and women suffering from alcoholism. It started with Sterling, Harlan and Bud sharing the principles of AA with whomever would be honest, open-minded and willing forty three years ago.

We owe a lot to our predecessors who trudged their road to happy destiny, but Sterling put everything in the proper perspective when he said, “The most important person in Alcoholics Anonymous is the last one to come in.”

Thanks, Buddy S. July 25, 1983