The 14 Practices of "Old School A.A." - A Series

The 14 Practices of Early A.A. Will Work in Today's A.A. if Known and Applied. Dick B

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early A.A.'s Original Program--"Old School A.A." was summarized for John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in 1938. It consisted of seven points. They are published today in A.A. General Service Conference-approved Literature: DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers (NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1980), page 131.

These seven points, as summarized, can be applied in today's A.A. as much as they were applied with such great success in the original Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship program founded in June, 1935.

In fact, they fit exactly with the so-called abc's that AAs hear read at almost any and every meeting they attend.

But the summary needed to be fleshed out with the history of the actual principles and practices that were summarized. And there are 14 of them which are just as well documented as the seven points themselves. But these practices required homework, research, and investigation to be unearthed and presented.

Today, they are best documented in two of my books. The first is The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010--available on my main website: www.dickb.com. The backdrop for the practices is covered in my title, Real Twelve Step Fellowship History (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc.) www.dickb.com/realhistory.shtml.

Ensuing articles will specify, document, and flesh out each of these 14 practices of "old school" A.A. and show how they apply to recovery today.