It is now one week later, and Philadelphia’s Alcoholics Anonymous have opened up their meetings. This first open meeting was held at George S.’s house on Thursday, March 6th, 1940. The meeting consisted of eleven people, seven of whom were wives of alcoholics attending for moral support. Much like a church service, the members shared coffee and donuts, said the Lord’s Prayer, and made a collection of $17.50 (the equivalent of $291.50 today).
Just one month later, the members were ready to open their AA gatherings to the City of Philadelphia at large. The city’s alcoholics had never experienced a support group of this caliber. This was the fifth meeting, and was held on April 3rd, 1940, at St. Luke’s hospital. Thirty attended, including families of the alcoholics. As the group grew and changed, order needed to be established, and a Committee of three was selected to oversee operations. This Committee would change monthly to handle activities, but not to hold any form of power over other members.
On April 1st, Philadelphia’s Alcoholics Anonymous appeared in the Philadelphia Record; this was their first publicity. One week later, the group made their first visit to Philadelphia’s Psychopathic Ward. These visits to Philadelphia General Hospital continued every Saturday, and in September, the Philadelphia Alcoholics Anonymous group made their first trip to the House of Correction at Holmesburg.
This is only the beginning of what would soon flourish into a large, multi-faceted, thriving organization in the ‘40’s, helping more people than the founding members could have imagined, and continuing to grow under the principles they set forth.
Interested in where we go from here? We’ll be back Saturday (March 7th) to introduce you to the first women members of Alcoholics Anonymous Philadelphia, the many buildings that became home to the meetings, the first Board of Directors, and more, as we continue our countdown to the 75th Anniversary!