Y O U R A R C H I V E S eN E W S L E T T E R ­Vol. 34 • No. 3 — Winter 2014/15

Harry Tiebout, M.D. This is the third and final article of Markings with profiles of At the 1955 International Convention in St. Louis, Dr. Tiebout psychologists and psychiatrists who were influential in the history spoke on the subject of A.A. and the Medical Profession, and he and development of A.A. Its subject is Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first was also present at the 1960 International Convention in Long psychiatrist to openly support A.A. and its effective program of Beach, California. recovery from alcoholism. At the same time, Dr. Tiebout remained active in his field, Harry Tiebout was born on January 2, 1896, in Brooklyn, New and continued to publish academic articles on A.A. and the York. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan treatment of alcoholism. His first such article, published in University in 1917 and earned his doctorate from Johns Hopkins 1944 in The American Journal of Psychiatry, was titled University School of Medicine. From 1922 “Therapeutic Mechanism of Alcoholics to 1924, he worked at the Westchester Anonymous.” This article served as an in- Division of New York Hospital. After this, troduction to the A.A. program of recovhe worked in child guidance clinics in New ery, and explained A.A. to the scientific York City, and starting in 1927 he joined and medical communities. It demonstrated the Institute for Child Guidance as a staff the importance of ego reduction to the alpsychiatrist. Also at this time, he was on coholic, and made it clear that a religious the staff of Cornell Medical School and awakening contributed to the recovery of the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic, and the early A.A. members. The concept of became the medical director of Blythewood “surrender” is repeatedly emphasized by Sanitarium in Greenwich, Connecticut. Dr. Tiebout in this and other articles, In 1935 it was in this capacity that Dr. meaning that the individual must become Tiebout was first exposed to Alcoholics totally willing to accept their own power- Anonymous. In early 1939 he received a lessness and the need for help from a prepublication copy of the book Alcoholics greater power. However, Tiebout is careful Anonymous for review. Reading it, he dis- to emphasize that the alcoholic must surcovered that it offered a thoroughly accu- render fully, rather than simply comply rate portrait of the character problems in with the wishes of a therapist. He believed an alcoholic patient under his care, Marty that there could be no compromise with M. In order to determine its value, he lent the ego, which could always reassert itself the manuscript to Marty. She initially rejected the book and its and lead to drinking once again. mention of God, but prompted by Dr. Tiebout, she continued to Tiebout credited A.A. with addressing alcoholism directly read it. Ultimately, this book helped Marty to achieve sobriety, as a problem in and of itself, rather than simply as an indicator which convinced Dr. Tiebout of its merit. After this, he sup- of a deeper disorder. This maintained focus on the immediate ported the A.A. program, becoming the first psychiatrist to en- problems that were experienced by the alcoholic, which could dorse A.A. and refer his patients to the Fellowship. then be addressed. He also believed that referring to alcoholism Dr. Tiebout would help and contribute to A.A. for the re- as a disease was helpful in getting an alcoholic patient to seek mainder of his life, and became a close friend and supporter of and accept treatment, which may be avoided if their condition Bill W. He purchased some stock in the Alcoholic Foundation to was only considered a personal or moral failing. It is important help finance the group when they were low on funds. When Bill to note that these assertions were largely made before A.A. was W. experienced difficulties with depression in the 1940s, he as well-known and accepted as it is today, and that Dr. Tiebout sought and received psychiatric treatment from Dr. Tiebout. put his professional reputation at risk by endorsing them. Additionally, Bill W. was able to talk before the New York State Because of this, Bill W. wrote a memorial article in the A.A. Medical Society in 1944 and the American Psychiatric Grapevine about Harry Tiebout in July of 1966, calling him a Association in 1949 in part because of the influence of Dr. “well-beloved friend,” and saying that, “his gifts of courageous Tiebout. He served as a Class A (nonalcoholic) trustee on the example, deep perception of our needs, and constant labor in General Service Board from 1957 until his death on April 2, our behalf have been —and always will be— values quite be- 1966, helping A.A. develop during a time of growth and change. yond our reckoning.”

Mail address: Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163 • (212) 870-3400 • www.aa.org

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 Happy Holidays The G.S.O. Archives Department would like to extend to you and yours best wishes for a wonderful and safe holiday season. The following holiday message was originally sent to the New York Intergroup for their December 1956 Bulletin. To all A.A. members in the Metropolitan Area: The Christmas season is with us once again and it is Workshop on preservation a time when we of A.A. especially count our many history buffs. They came from far and wide: California, Maine, blessings and offer our gratitude to God for what he Canada and Australia. has accomplished in each of our lives. For us, this is Another highlight was a visit to Stepping Stones, the home truly a season of rejoicing and thankfulness. of Bill W. and his wife Lois, in Bedford Hills, New York. Here Though Lois and I will be away when you read workshop members were greeted by Sally C., Stepping Stones’ these words, please know that our thoughts are with director, and shown items rarely on dis­play. Ron C., visiting you and that we join you in these expressions of the from Australia, told the group about his tour of Stepping Stones, Christmas spirit. shortly after Lois’s death, by Nell Wing, A.A.’s first archivist, And to each one we send our very best wishes for a and told personal stories of A.A. friends and pioneers whom he happy holiday and may the coming New Year prove had known over his 50 years of sobriety. to be among your very best. Throughout the four days tools and techniques used to pre- Devotedly, serve A.A.’s history were shared through workshops and pre- Bill and Lois sentations. Other activities included a Red Ball Meeting, Sobriety Countdown and Longtimers Panel 50+. G.S.O. archivist Michelle Mirza (nonalcoholic) gave a PowerPoint presentation on G.S.O.’s archives. Mitchell K., of Middletown, NY, gave the Keynote address. Mary R., wife of National A.A. Archives the first black Conference delegate, gave personal reflections on Lou R. Tony L., of Dublin, showed a video starring Conor F., Workshop who got sober in 1943 in Philadelphia, speaking of A.A.’s roots in Ireland and England. There were other presentations on A.A.’s early history in Philadelphia by Area 59’s “Shakey Mike,” Don H. and Chuck G. Philadelphia Intergroup’s Brian Q. shared on Jack Alexander’s Saturday Evening Post article on Alcoholics Anonymous. The 19th National A.A. Archives Workshop will be held in Cleveland in 2015. Anne Marie G. co-chair, NAAAW, 2014

75th Anniversary — South Orange Group. The South Orange Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, at one The 18th National A.A. Archives Workshop (NAAAW) met time called the Jersey Group and the “mother group” of New October 9-12, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Jersey, began as a meeting in Hank P.’s home in Montclair, New Philadelphia. This location, approximately 90 miles from New Jersey in the spring of 1939. Bill W. and Hank then established York, gave the attendees the opportunity to visit the General it as a public group that met at the South Orange Community Service Office Archives, many for the first time. Center starting in October 1939. The group meets every Sunday Perhaps it was no coincidence that this year the Workshop at 7:15 p.m. in the town center of South Orange and held a spefell in October, National Archives Month. cial weekend-long celebration of its 75th anniversary, November With a theme of “Love and Service” 250 A.A.s attended; ap- 28-30, 2014 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church (where regular proximately three quarters were area archivists or archives com- A.A. meetings and General Service events are held). The weekmittee members, others were either interested in service or A.A. end events, included 40 meetings, presentations and the show-

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ing of the newly revised video, Markings on the Journey. out of A.A. (which was something that could be done at the Sunday evening a buffet dinner was held) at 5:00 p.m., followed time). A nonalcoholic named Tom Borton had an alcoholic emby the regular speaker meeting at 7:15. Speakers were Susan U. ployee helped by A.A. and Mr. Borton was so impressed he ofof the 79th Street Workshop, New York City, and Billy N., fered his home for their meetings. The Borton Group first met Design for Living Group, in Neptune, N.J. on Nov. 16, 1939 and has moved several times before settling down at Forest Hill Church in Cleveland Heights, across the Celebrating 68 Years of A.A. street from the Rockefeller’s summer estate. This year it celebrates its 75th anniversary. in Muncie, Indiana Bob McK.

Muncie (Delaware County) was celebrating 68 years of New G.S.O. Archives Alcoholics Anonymous. The Traveling Exhibit event was held September 20 in Mansfield Park, which has some local history for us. The Park is operated by the Center Township Trustees, but it is named after Virgil M., the contact for the 1950 Inter- County Group, the first A.A. group in this county. We all pitched in to make this celebration a success. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs were provided by our districts. The Archive Display was the work of our committee and research of the New York G.S.O. Archives, the result of my 2006 visit. The PowerPoint information we got from our friend Arthur S. from Texas; we added the Indiana history to his timeline history of A.A. Our Area 22 delegate Bill R. was the main speaker. I gave a brief history of the local group before his talk. Bruce C. Area 22, Archives chairperson The G.S.O. Archives recently received the newly completed traveling exhibit. Composed of two banner-like displays, it shows the history of the A.A. Fellowship and explains the work Cleveland’s Borton Group — and value of archives. It will be available in the beginning of 75th Anniversary 2015. Get in touch with us if you would like this exhibit for your next A.A. event. Call (212) 870-3400, or email archives@aa.org. In May 1939 Clarence S., a Cleveland A.A. member, placed patent attorney Al “Abby” G. into rehab in Akron under the care of Dr. Bob S. He then approached Abby’s wife about starting a Revised Archives Workbook group in their Cleveland Heights home. How could she refuse? The newest edition of the Archives Workbook is now available. That fall Clarence smuggled freelance reporter Elrick Davis It features seven new Shared Experiences on the topic of Digital into meetings of that first Greater Cleveland group and Mr. Archives. It is currently available only in English; however, it Davis wrote a series of articles on A.A. which were published in is being translated into French and Spanish. The Workbook can the Cleveland Plain Dealer. This resulted in over 500 calls for be found online at A.A.’s website www.aa.org, or through the help to be tended by the only 13 active members. Order Entry Department. They can be reached at 212-870-3400 Shortly thereafter Clarence’s minister, Rev. Dilworth Lipton or email orders@aa.org. (M-44i; $2.50) of the First Unitarian Church, wrote and delivered a widely publicized sermon titled “Mr. X and Alcoholics Anonymous.” Clarence was Mr. X. The sermon detailed the principles of Don’t miss an issue of Markings. Sign up to have it dig- A.A., pointing out that they have much in common with all re- itally delivered to your email inbox. You can register your email address by visiting G.S.O’s A.A. website at ligions, not just the Christian Oxford Group of our roots. www.aa.org. Markings is also available in French and Many members were upset by this workload and by the sur- Spanish. reptitious manner in which it was done. So they voted Clarence

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