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AA
Local and Traditional History
Let me start with this. I've
heard different stories on Shelby, Kings Mountain, Statesville and
Charlotte pertaining to the oldest groups/members in North Carolina. So
when briefly looking in the matter of Local AA History, as it pertains to
Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland & Rutherford Counties. I can't over look
the fact that not only is the early groups established in this area the
first for these counties, one must point out that these same groups were
some of the earliest in the state of North Carolina.
November 14, 1940 -
In an AA Bulletin from this date as posted in an online form by
Bill N., it states some NC info. It has Shelby and Greensboro as
having members who have recovered either through the book alone
or through brief contact with established centers. (Also, Aiken,
SC).
December
1941, There was only the Shelby Group in North Carolina listed. It
list Dr. T. B. Mitchell as the sec. and the group size of 20. It also list
Charlotte, NC with isolated members (but not groups).
September
1942. There is the Shelby Group, Dr. T.B. Mitchell, 40 members and
contributed $20.00. Also Charlotte is listed with David Rae as the sec.
and 7 members. Also list Lone A.A. Members in Fayettesville and
Greensboro.. This is the earliest date I've seen the term "Lone"
used for members.
September
1946 Grapevine stated that a recent Inter-group meeting for all
of the Carolinas was held in Shelby, NC
October
1946 Grapevine List Greensboro,
Greenville and Statesville as having new groups. Also, in news
for the Carolinas it noted Shelby as being the Oldest group of
the Carolinas.
Excerpts
from November 1947, AA Grapevine
North Carolina Groups Solid--From Kings Mountain, N. C.. The.
Grapevine's
correspondent reports that not only his own Group with 12 members, but
others, are "solid." The Kings Mountain Group was started some
years ago by Paul M., a non-alcoholic, who provided transportation to
Shelby for anyone wishing to try the A.A. way. The group reports a gain of
about a member each week. . . The Shelby Group is over six years old and
has been aiding men from all over the South. . .Lincolnton is growing and
has a fine clubroom open all the time, while Hickory, too, has a growing
Group and good quarters. . . The Gastonia Group has started for the third
time, with new determination to succeed.
In the Clip Sheet which has excerpts from the public press is the
following:
Gastonia, N. C., "Gazette" -- "A small but growing group of
Gastonia men assembles in a room in uptown Gastonia each Thursday in the
interest of self help. It is a sober group, pursuing a sane and sober
objective. It is a unit of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization of those
suffering from the disease of alcoholism or near-alcoholism, and to
reclaiming their lives for wholesome and productive living. That it is a
stride forward in the interest of both the individual and society is
evident from the thousands of lives reclaimed from stagnation and turned
to constructive pursuits by A.A. already."
Also, I will add that Bill
Wilson visited the Shelby Group in the early 40's. I don't know the dates
of the exact visit, I do know that he had talked of his visit to a lecture
given at the Yale Summer School of Alcohol Studies in this lecture is
printed in a book titled Alcohol Science and Society. I'll try and
find a link to the full text soon.
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