American Weeklv, March 11. 1951

Dr. Bob plaque, butthe Thousands He Hetped Rescue From Alcoholism willNever His onty Monument ls a Forget Him.

By Booton Herndon

The kindlY faced man lYing in the courtship went. With the exception of two white hospital bed raised his hand to the hard working years as an intern, he was light, studied calmly and then remafed it seldom sober. Still, Anne, waiting for a to tfre nurse standing by his bed: “l think miracle, married no one else. this is it.” The miracle haPPened, apparently, after a year-long period of Thus Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith heavy drinking left him terrified and on the recently passed from the world’ So, wagon. ln 1915 when he was 35 Years finally, the story of “Dr. Bob, beloved by old and some 17 years after he had first 120,000 members of Alcoholics met her, he married Anne and brought Anonymous whom he had helped to find her to Akron with him as his bride. They the way back to resPectabilitY and were happy for several years – until the happiness, can be told. At the death of his Eighteenth Amendment was passed. wiie, Anne, a Year before, Dr. Smith’s The GraPevine, the official identity had been revealed, but the story magazine of Alcoholics AnonYmous, of the co-founder of A.A. remained a expiains in the weird logic of the alcoholic secret. what happened then. Dr. Bob figured that Dr. Bob was a boy in New since he’d soon be unable to get anY England, 72 Years ago, and his mother more alcohol, he might as well drink up sent him to bed at 5 o’clock every what there was. Despite prohibition, he evening. Just as regularly did he secretly never found it difficult to get more. From arise, dress, and slip out the back way to then on, he had a regular Pattern’ He continue the game with his boyhood pals’ began drinking every afternoon at four’ He learned earlY to revolt against Every morning he’d quite his tofiured authoritY. nerves with sedatives and, trembling, go When he went awaY to college he to work to make enough money to buY became a steadY drinker. alcohol for four o’clock. He had alwaYs wanted to be a That went on for 15 Years. doctor but his strong willed mother had ln the meantime, a New York always opposed it, and it was three years broker who had drunk himself out of prominence discovered that when he was after he giaduated from Dartmouth before he got up ttre courage to go to medical irying to talk drunks into going on the sch5ol. He drank so continuously he just wagon, he had less craving for liquor’ did manage to get his degree’ Once he Thii broker, known to A.A”s as Bill W’, went off on such a protracted binge that went to Akron on a business deal in 1935′ his fraternity brothers had to send for his The deal fell through and Bill found father to straighten him out’ himself once more a failure, with only 2$ All this time Bob was in his pocket. He knew right away that he corresponding with Anne, his high school had his choice: find a drunk to talk to, or sweetheart. That was as far as their get drunk himself’

FortunatelY, he found a drunk, Dr. convertible, might not be impossible after Bob. all. Bill moved in with Dr. Bob and Finally he made it. Last Year he straightened him out. When he and Dr. got a new Yellow convertible. The Bob wanted a drink, theY’d go out and Grapevine pictures him, at the age of 71, find a drunk to talk to. They sobered up a speeding through the streets of Akron in number of habitual drinkers in Akron that it….”the long slim lines made even more way and then their fame began reaching rakish with the top down. No hat, his face oui to other cities. Slowly, gradually, the to the sun, into the driveway he sped’ idea spread. Pebbles flying, tires screeching, he’d Almost before Dr. Bob and Bill, the swoosh to a stoP.” co-founders, were aware of it, Alcoholics And, just then, before he Put 150 Anonymous was a going concern’ miles on the gleaming yellow convertible, The book, Alcoholics AnonYmous, Dr. Bob’s malignant disease took a turn was written. lt is now in its 13th printing. for the worse and he had to give uP People began to write in from all over the driving. He died a few months later. world. Some were alcoholics themselves, Bill W. exPlained whY there will be some were mothers, fathers, sisters, no imposing monument to this man who brothers, husbands, wives or friends of saved so many people from alcoholism. alcoholics. They all got an answer. When it was once suggested last year, Dr. Bob, who had devoted half his Dr. Bob said: “Annie and I Plan to be life to drinking, still found himself a slave buried just like Plain folks.” to alcohol – only now it was on the other And so onlY a simPle Plaque in the fellow’s breath. He personally visited alcoholic ward of St. Thomas Hospital in some 5,000 alcoholics in Akron hospitals, Akron, where Dr. Bob did so much of his encouraging them. As his Period of work, commemorates his work as cosobriety increased, more and more founder of Alcoholics AnonYmous. patients came to him, and it looked as though one part of his ambition, to own a

Source: The American Weekly, March 11, 1951

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