Wouldn't too rapid growth be bad,
both for the new alcoholics and for
Alcoholics Anonymous itself?
Answer
Some of us used to think so, but several
experiences of quick expansion have largely
dissipated that fear. We had a striking
example at Cleveland, Ohio. In the fall of
1939 Cleveland had, perhaps, 30 members.
Most of them had become Alcoholics Anonymous
by traveling to the nearby city of Akron
where our first group had taken root in the
summer of 1935. At this juncture the
Cleveland Plain Dealer published a striking
and forceful series of articles about us.
Placed on the editorial page, these pieces
told the people of Cleveland that Alcoholics
Anonymous worked; that it cost nothing; that
it stood ready to help any alcoholic in town
who really wanted to get well. Cleveland
quickly became Alcoholics Anonymous
conscious. Hundreds of inquiries by phone
and mail descended upon the Plain Dealer and
the expectant but nervous members of
Alcoholics Anonymous. The rush was so great
that new members sober themselves but a week
or two, had to be used to instruct the still
newer arrivals. Several private hospitals
threw open their doors to cope with the
emergency and were so pleased with the
result that they have cooperated with us
ever since. To the great surprise of
everyone, this rapid growth, hectic though
it was, did prove very successful. Within 90
days the original group of 30 had expanded
to 300; in six months we had about 500; and
within two years we had mushroomed to 1200
members distributed among a score of groups
in the Cleveland area. Although we have no
precise figures, it is probably fair to say
that 3 out of 4 who came during that period,
and who have since remained with the groups,
have recovered from their alcoholism.
(Quart. 3. Stud. Alc., Vol.6(2), September
1945)
