Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Errata in A.A. History Preliminary Draft

As stated, the foregoing article is a preliminary draft of an intended, fully edited, more complete, final presentation. As such, it contains a number of typos that need correction and that will be corrected in the final presentation.
As stated, the final draft needs and will contain bibliographical information and footnotes which show, for example, the author, title, edition, city and state of publisher, publisher name, date of publication, and where appropriate the pertinent pages.
There is one glaring error, however. And since this particular preliminary article appears on several blogs, websites, forums, and other outlets, it is important at this early date and in this early communication to correct the error immediately here so that we can refer any readers to this lengthy discussion and correction.
The final presentation will correct the error. But we want this one acknowledged, and our apology made to the readers, author, and publisher for an erroneous date. And this constitutes the apology and correction.
The foregoing article states that Sister Ignatia got on board with the fledgling Alcoholics Anonymous Society in 1935. That, of course is incorrect. 1935 is not the correct date. 1939 is. For June 1935 was the date Akron A.A. was founded. There were no Big Books or Twelve Steps until spring 1939. According to author Mary Darrah, in her book Sister Ignatia, from which we acquired the Ignatia information, Sister Ignatia did not begin working with Dr. Bob in hospitalizing alcoholics with whom they both worked until about August of 1939. Thus the correct date was and should be 1939, not 1935.
The author Mary Darrah asserted that Sister Ignatia knew Dr. Bob prior to that date and apparently had professional contact with him as doctor and nurse. And we have no comment about that claim. However, prior to August of  1939, Akron drunks were hospitalized at Akron City Hospital. Then Dr. Bob requested Sister Ignatia's help in his work, and that cooperative work began in August of 1939. It was not, however, until after January of 1940, that patients were admitted properly to St. Thomas Hospital where Dr. Bob and Sister worked together with initially hospitalized alcoholics for the five or seven day period before they were discharged to the fellowship of A.A.
Dick B. dickb@dickb.com

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