A Bit of Our History

[dalin]

NA HISTORY first 30yrs




-The Fallacy - There's a fallacy about us out there. A lot of people think that addicts are suicidal and that we use drugs to die. And it's the biggest fallacy in life. Addicts want a better life so very, very bad, that they go seeking it where there is none in addiction. And it wasn't that we wanted to die. We wanted to live better and have the pain go away. And all of a sudden somebody gave us a place where that could happen.
N.A. began when the first two addicts seeking recovery got together and found they could stay clean through their common desire. God only knows where and when this occurred.
"If N.A. didn't exist, someone would have to invent it." This is what happened again and again. Some had ties with other efforts, some did not. All deserve our respect and gratitude. For these people truly became the fishers of men.
Writing any history is in some ways a form of speculative fiction. There will always be the problem of sketchy and uncertain facts. Interpretation will limit the perception of historical events for people who didn't live the experience. Even among actual participants, honest disagreements of recollection and viewpoint will occur. Those involved in such a wonderfully complicated process as the evolution from using to regaining health and being more fully human, will have different views on the same event. If this were to be simply an evolution of events it would be simple to write and quickly accomplish. There is here, however, a story that is more demanding to pass along. It is hopeful that we have in some way captured some of the difficulty and some of the excitement of the growth of the largest source of help for the drug addict on the planet today.
What may be of importance to many of us is that the long hard struggle for addicts to be able to live clean lives, began some time ago and many good people have paid a part of the price which has resulted in our being able to live clean today. More than anything else, we are grateful to these men and women. They endured struggles we can only imagine. A handful may still be alive today. Most have probably died feeling that their contribution was in vain! They had problems like being arrested walking out the door after a meeting, strong support from a few but indifference from the many. Surely they each made a contribution which encouraged others to carry on and helped them do so.
The ideas were not new. We are learning how to use the methods available to us and apply them in new ways to help those like us. What changed was the chance to identify the underlying behaviors.
Let the reader understand that this is many addicts attempt to chronicle the history of N.A. The effort at doing this has been around for a long time and much has been accomplished. We have learned a lot, read a lot and talked a lot about the history over the last seven years. We come to this point knowing that the we must write the things we know and have learned. Hopefully this work will begin the effort anew and bring those talents forward that can make this a fellowship project that is and has been needed for some time. As friends have said about this effort.....
"If we look closely enough at our past, we will see our future."

In New York, Chicago, Virginia, Lexington, Texas and California, individual groups named Addicts Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and HFD (Habit Forming Drugs) were happening. Most of these groups were independent of each other. These were groups, not fellowships. The only common link appears to have been the Salvation Army in New York and Chicago. A newsletter called the Key circulated around Lorton, Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky; Texas and Los Angeles, California.
The need for recovery had set the stage for the beginnings of a movement in southern California. The late forties saw a group called HYPAL [Hypes and alcoholics] that turned into Tender Loving Care, later to become SYNANON a treatment program. It met at the American Legion Hall Venice Bea-ch, Ca. Habit Forming Drugs formed in Santa Monica, Ca. and others like Addicts Anonymous and Drugs Anonymous started in East Los Angeles, beginning into the early fifties. The awareness of the need was there and the stage was set. The players were available to one another and the willingness to help was present. Something had to come out of these efforts and rise it did....... As one of these Twelve Step programs, Narcotics Anonymous has from the beginning been frustrated in it's desire to carry its message to more addicts. Barriers of disbelief, ignorance and legal issues stood in the way of sharing the idea that addicts could learn to live spiritually without the use of drugs. Addicts were sensibly reluctant to admit their addiction in the forties, fifties and sixties. In many places, all the police needed to hear was that there were addicts assembled and they moved in for arrests. Criminality was the aspect seized on by a society thunderstruck by war and progress. Even though alcoholism was a recognized addiction, it was another thing entirely to refer to alcoholics as --addicts. Differences did exist between those addicted to alcohol and addicts of other sorts. These differences were held to be definitive and the underlying fact of addiction was set aside to be dealt with another day.
One of our hardiest, most dedicated members, {JK} had a dream [vision] one night in 1952. He saw at the foot of his bed a large argent (spelling) disc, like hammered copper, a set of steps and a large caduceus (the medical symbol of a snake wrapped on a staff) He was told what he had to do to end the para-lyzing fear he was having. When he said he couldn't do what the voice was asking him to do, the voice called him a shyster. Part of what the voice told him to do, became N.A. as we know it today. During that same year he contacted N.Y. and through the Salvation Army found N.A.
In the late spring of 1953 the Los Angles Police Department, through Captain Hamilton, contacted a member of A.A. who was involved in A.A.'s Institutional committee. He asked about start-ing a recovery group for addicts. The L.A.P.D. sent a number of people to these first meetings. The person asked was not an addict and soon found that he did`t understand them. He didn't understand why the attendees were falling asleep. He asked them if he was that boring and they told him that they were just "on the nod." Since he knew nothing of being on the nod, he knew that he had done as much as he knew how to do and was ready to quit. After the third meeting he asked other members of A.A. for help. Sy M. had been at the first two meetings, Jimmy K. attended the third.
As in many gatherings of people to help addicts, there was a difference of opinion between Jimmy and Sy from the beginning of their involve-ment. Sy wanted to open the meetings up to people with all types of problems, Jimmy didn't. Jimmy suggested seeking guidance from A.A. As far as we can tell, these first three members were not as involved with illegal drugs as the addicts whom they would be carrying the message to.
This group continued to meet for about another month. A meeting was held to form a group and committee. The summary of their minutes follows:
August 17, Frank Carnahan, Doris Carnahan, Guilda Krause, Paul Rosenbluth, Steve Ryan and Jimmy Kinnon met "for the purpose of organizing an AANA Group." Name to be "San Fernando Valley Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous." Meeting held at Frank Carnahan"s house. The by-laws of this new group were begun at the first meet-ing. Officers were elected. The first meeting saw the first major effect of traditions on this new fellowship. The new name was voted in 5 to 1. The suggestion was made to contact A.A. world services to seek permission to use the steps and advice about the name.
August 19, General Committee meeting at Stagg Street house. Basic service offices defined. "Group conscience" sort of addressed. "Any committee member who is in continual disagreement with the majority voice in committee affairs to the point of departure from the traditional and accepted welfare of the Group may be asked to resign from such committee. A (sic) refusal to resign, such member may be removed by a majority committee vote. The by-laws were finished and a description of duties written.
The meeting Aug. 24th was about meeting time and seventh tradition.
August 26. H&I guidelines. "For Twelve Step work in institution and hospitals the recovered Narcotic Addict should have one year or more abstinence from narcotics, alcohol & barbiturates and will be screened to protect ANA ["A" WRITTEN ORIGINALLY, -N- WRITTEN OVER] AS A WHOLE."
September 14. The response from A.A. World Services was that yes they were granted use of the steps and no they shouldn't use the A.A./N.A. name "S.F. Valley AANA" changed to "Narcotics Anonymous." They also discussed looking for a facility. The group then wrote a purpose taken in large part from The Key, a newslet-ter from the hospital at Lexington.
September 21, 1953. The need for public informa-tion was seen and an announcement of the first meeting to be held on October 5 at the corner of Cantara & Clybourn in Sun Valley behind Sunland Lumber was made and posters distributed. First mention of literature and P.I. "Gilda Krouse voted and accepted to print Our Purpose and contact all newspapers. Doris Canahan to contact all heads of Narcotics Div. of the Police Depts. Tommy Moore to have signs made up."
October 5. Date for first regular N.A. meeting. From flyer, "Starting Monday night Oct. 5, 1953, Each Monday night thereafter at 8:30 P.M., corner of Cantara & Clybourn, Sun Valley, Calif. Directly behind the Sunland Lumber Company. Seventeen people sign in. This meeting was held at the Salvation Army`s Dads Club. Once again the Salvation Army was one of the very few places willing to take a chance on addicts. Little is known about these first meetings.
December 16. Jimmy Kinnon, Doris and Frank Carnahan all resign.
Sometime in this period the Steps were adapted as we know today. This was reportedly done by Jimmy. This was to have a major effect on addicts all over the world. The changes were addition of the word "we" in all the steps and what has been called the ten-strike of N.A., changing the word alcohol to addiction in the first step. The changing of the word alcohol to addiction changed the approach from one of substance focus to one of behavior awareness.
We have an idea that these first meetings were sporadic. The police were watching the meetings and the group addressed this directly with them. {there is a good recounting about this in the 20th anniversary talk given by Jimmy} They were told that there would be no surveillance and meetings were held. Yet there was the feeling of distrust and fear and few came and fewer stayed clean. The meetings moved around a lot and became known as the Rabbit Meetings. As with the earlier attempts, it was very word of mouth, almost a secret where the next meeting would be. A coffee pot and depression glass cups were carried from meeting to meeting. Meetings were held in members homes. Addicts would cruise the meeting places and check for surveillance.
The need for a message in print was identified and the work began. By late 1954 this was completed. Those involved disagreed on its content but the work was printed with a yellow cover and thus the first literature for N.A. was available (see yellow book) {see Proust article, Greg P. says this happened in 1956, Ron H. says late 1953}
Little Yellow Booklet first published. Contents included: 20 questions, 12 N.A. Steps and the Just for Today prayer. It was different from HFD's booklet.
Two addresses were shown on the cover:
Narcotics Anonymous
P.O. Box 1043
Studio City, California


Narcotics Anonymous
P.O. Box 13023
So. Eastern Station
San Diego, California

There are few surviving copies of this booklet. The practice was to just send one to the printer. The printer would typeset and print. Rubber stamps were used a lot. The San Diego address could have been a rubber stamp on a booklet that was actually copied in the 60's.
The need to reach out to addicts in prison was a theme that was carried on. {At this time it has been said that Jimmy K. also went to Lexington, Kentucky. Nothing is know at this time about those trips.}
In 1956 several members had lunch with Bill Wilson. He was glad that N.A. was able to use the 12 step philosophy.
Meetings were being held at an alcoholic recovery center called Shires Sanitarium, also known as "Shires Dryer", and at a place on Moorpark in North Hollywood. It was difficult to find meeting places that would allow addicts use of their facilities. At some meetings a show of hands took place and if there were more addicts in attendance then it was an N.A. meeting. Jimmy did not like nor attend this meeting a lot because it did not follow Traditions. Big personality conflict arose between Jimmy and Sy.
In 1959, there was a week or two when no known meetings took place. This is actually one of the most significant things in our entire history because it triggered basic change. No more could anyone say it would work out on its own. A few members took personal responsibility and the results have been continuous meetings since then. Personal responsibility, sharing our experience in recovering from our disease and the willingness to do our part to help make it better for others are probably the three big building blocks for our entire Fellowship.
{there are several time frames found for this period, Jimmy K. tape 20th Anniversary and other ref. like Pepe A. tape that says Sy called Jimmy and asked him to take over} Sy was to pass away in 1966 of a heart attack pounding on the table during a first step meeting in North Hollywood A.A. clubhouse.
After a month, four members gathered to once again dedicate themselves to the carrying of the message. {these have so far been identified as Jimmy, Sylvia W, Scott C, and maybe Peggy K.} They agreed that if over the next two years at least one addict could be reached, then their efforts would have been worthwhile. Several new hard working members joined what was known as the "Mother Group" and the effort began anew. Even in this time of rebirth the message was there. THIRST FOR FREEDOM by David Stewart says, "Drug addicts who develop real insight will follow up their freedom in N.A."
1960 1 meeting. First N.A. answering service established. Regular meetings at Moorepark on Fridays. Also, rabbit meetings at peoples houses on Tuesdays.
Additional writings were done over the next two years and in 1962 the next piece of literature was done. This new literature was titled simply NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS. It was to become known as the little WHITE BOOK. It was a size that easily fit in the pocket, thus NA was referred to as hip-pocket recovery. It was first printed without stories. The traditions first appear in print in N.A. By this time there was a post office box for communications. In addition a phone number was made available during this period of time that increased the availability of the message.
In 1963 a letter was written from the Mother Group to the other meetings being held. The request was for all groups to send representatives. Soon after, in order to insure unity of purpose, the gen-eral membership in California established a Board of Trustees. A literature sub-committee was established as part of the service arm of the Board of Trustees. The main purpose was to see that N.A. doesn't die again. Remember, in 1960 Jimmy said they'd stick to the Traditions! The role of our Trustees being the guardians of the Traditions comes from this early era: The early experience that if we didn't stick to the Traditions we'd disappear. [there still isn't a clear idea of who was on this Board. It looks like a group of 4 to 6 and it may have included Dr. Q. a psychiatrist, and a probation social worker named Dorothy G., who were not addicts.]
Meetings in San Diego. Don't know if this was a restart or beginning.
"Another Look" IP written by JK
1965 Northern California N.A. begins. In 1965 or 1966, a group of addicts from the L.A. area moved north to the San Francisco area. They went to work at a place called Ad (addiction) Center. This was a drug program out of U.C. Berkeley.
At this time with the White Book to represent our message in print things started to grow. There were meeting lists avail-able. Literature could be purchased. Other meetings started in other states and the fellowship grew as a result of all of these things. The stories of personal recovery were added to the White Book. There were now 10 known meetings.
2nd Little White Book Who is an Addict Jimmy K. 1960What is the N.A. Program Jimmy K. & Silvia W. 1960Why are we Here? Jimmy K. &
Silvia W. 1960How It Works (paragraphs) Jimmy K. 1960 What can I do? Jimmy K. 1960Recovery and Relapse Jimmy K.'s Story 1960We do Recover Jimmy K. 1961Stories added One Third of my Life Phil P. 1962I Can't do any more Time Penny K. 1962The Vicious Circle Gene 1962Something Meaningful Bob B. (So. Cal.) 1962
February 1968: The program's first newsletter The Voice appears. JK designed the N.A. symbol. He was in the hospital fighting off tuberculosis.
During 67-68, the Parent General Service Organization formed. Began in Bill B.'s barber shop. Much like a Regional Service Commit-tee. Board of Trustees met with GSR's each month. This was a repre-sentative service committee.
In 1969 a two page Service Structure Ideal approved. Later this same year the Parent GSO completed their own bylaws. New Board of Trustees of 4 members for life. {these were Jimmy, Bill B, Bob B. and Jack W.} There was also the commitment to elect additional Trustees. So we had the beginnings of the first committee that has continued until today.
In Northern California the group had retyped the Big Book of A.A. and were about to use this as our book substituting the word drugs for alcohol. The Ad Center in S.F. had three different pieces of literature one called THIS IS N.A. that was a direct plagiarism of A.A.`s WHAT IS A.A. By 1970 there were 20 meetings per week.
The fellowship was experiencing a new type of challenge. Our continued growth in both numbers and geography made it difficult for the Board of Trustees to coordinate a unified "world" effort and frequent geographical conflicts. To address this need, a decision was made by the Board of Trustees and the general membership to establish a central office. This central office was to function as a clearing house, rather than a legis-lative body. As a result, the Parent Service Committee of Narcotics Anonymous was created.
By 1970, there were 20 meetings in the world. One page Steps, Traditions, and Third paragraph of We Do Recover was the standard group readings.
1970-1971: The name, Parent Service Committee of Nar-cotics Anonymous, was changed to Narcotics Anonymous Central Office Committee.
The Board of Trustees authorized a central office on July 23, 1971:
There was also a call to gather for a conference of all existing meetings in the fellowship to be held November 5-7. Sylvia M. was the main speaker. Trustees pitched in $25 each. Groups were to send their representatives to discuss the opening of a service office and other matters of concern. The BOT had expanded and was meeting regularly. This first conference became known as the first world convention of N.A. It has been held every year since.
The opening of an office was the major item of discussion. It was agreed that this should happen and that the groups would support it financially. This never happened. Donations to the Office were received from Ca., Ne., Co., Id., and Ga.
November 6, 1971: At a business meeting during the world con-vention, the general membership voted to elect a Narcotics Anonymous business manager with a "formal" office. Various problems followed the establishment of a business manager and business office--primarily money. There were inadequate resources to pay the manager and he was unable to serve without pay.
There were approxi-mately 150 to 200 members in attendance at a time when there were only about 40 known groups.
This year was the start of a very rapid growth period. By the late sixties and early seventies, the stage was set as members of N.A. in California deepened their personal commitment to the Fellowship and intensified their efforts to the point where unprecedented results began to occur. It is this aspect of personal commitment that has preceded every positive event in N.A.'s history. The courage to change has always come after a period of difficulty during which pain and confusion seemed to win out. Finally, when enough members see the general need clearly, they take action.
Thus the foundation was set. In the early days, N.A. was mainly concerned with recovery from heroin addiction. As our 3rd tradition became more estab-lished, NA grew as never before. The only requirement for membership was the desire to stop using. Addiction was now an epidemic. As our message of recovery became more available so did the need for the message. The first office location was a yellow building near I-10 and Crenshaw at 2335 Crenshaw Boulevard. Bob B. lived in an apartment in the building and the store front was WSO.
November 15, 1971: The financial statement for the general ser-vice office for January 15, 1971 through November 15, 1971, reported income received from groups in Georgia, Nevada, Colorado and Idaho, as well as California.
December 13, 1971: The Narcotics Anonymous Central Office Com-mittee announced by letter the firm decision to open a "world central office" in January 1972. January 1972 the first GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE of N.A. was opened at 2335 Crenshaw Blvd in L.A. with Jimmy K. as office manager. This was to be the first of several locations over the next few years. Now there was a place to write, telephone and a central place for our fellowship's materials. The second World Convention was held at the Elks Club, Studio City, No. Hollywood.
1972 70 N.A. meetings world wide. 3 foreign countries, 19 states. Germany - Australia - Bermuda - California - 57 Pennsylvania - 6 Minnesota - 3 New Jersey - 2 New York State - 2 Washington, D.C. 2
February 15, 1972: The Board of Trustees authorized by letter the publication in hardback of an N.A. book on recovery--not yet written.
AA tells Jimmy not to use adaptation of "I am Responsible" Prayer. Jimmy writes our N.A. Gratitude Prayer.
October 23, 1973 San Fernando Valley Area Service Committee forms. Jimmy speaks about a representative service structure. Jimmy reads N.A. Principles of Service from the 2 page Service Structure Ideal of four years previous.
1. Each N.A. Group has but one primary purpose: To carry this message to the addict who still suffers.
2. Every N.A. Group ought to be fully self-supporting.
3. N.A. should remain forever non-professional.
4. Although N.A. as such ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
5. Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.
6. We try to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Service office relocated to Highland Ave. in Hollywood. The name was changed to The World Service Office of Narcotics Anonymous.
November 1974: Following moves to 1346 Highland Ave., Los Angeles; a room in the Suicide Prevention Center, Los Angeles
Northern California becomes a region. The first Area service committee was formed, on the 23rd of Oct., the San Fernando Valley Area Service Committee. The third Convention was held in San Jose. On August 18th the 20th anniversary Banquet was held at the Islander Restaurant on La Cienega
Perhaps, the best record of the early Years of N.A. in California exists in recorded talks given by Jimmy Kinnon about the history of N.A. on several occasions, most significantly at the 20th and the 23rd (actually 22nd) Anniversary Celebrations of Narcotics Anonymous which were held in Southern California in 1973 and 1975.
1974 saw the beginnings of the writing of the N.A. Tree. This was the start of the development of a service structure for the fellowship. Most of the work was done by one trustee. This allowed members to gain knowledge and a personal involvement with the processes of their Fellowship. It increased identification with, and commitment to, the general Fellowship. After careful consideration, the first N.A. service structure was approved in the form of a booklet entitled The N.A. TREE. It allowed for the World Service Board of Trustees and the World Service Office to continue to exist much as they had before. It added the representative body, the World Service Conference, without which the Fellowship had been unable to grow at a significant rate. All recovering addicts have to safeguard against their egos getting out of hand, and only elected, formally correct service positions would allow members to get involved without the threat of egotism in their personal programs.
The WCNA-4 was held on --------in Anaheim, Ca.
The first General Service Office was opened at 101 Santa Fe St. in L.A. This was much like a regional office of today. New printing Little White Book. Bootleg N.A. "White" booklets printed in Northern California. Covers were green or grey.
In 1975 the N.A. Tree was first approved and published. This was the first guide to our service structure.
WCNA-5 Santa Rosa, California
November 15, 1975: Following the move to Sun Valley, it was discovered that several boxes of records and other historical data had been lost.
January 7, 1976: At the California Service Conference, Arroyo Grande, CA, the first "N.A. Tree" was accepted for publication. In addition, the California Service conference authorized publication of a World Directory.
Elective positions of service became available in the middle seventies with the advent of the World Service Conference. As commitment and identification among members deepened, relapse became less commonplace in N.A. Basic issues became the subject of heated debate. The learning from these discussions deepened the growing knowledge and wisdom of the Fellowship.
Many of these interactions were informal and undirected. They grew out of the natural processes of recovery. Member meets members and further introductions expand the circle to include members from all over. Some items of discussion have universal interest and application value and many do not. Where members from all over agree on something, it is significant and it is from these types of agreement that formed the original material in the Basic Text.
Jan., 1976 - The Board of Trustees approves the Tree. Planning for the conference started. Guidelines for the trustees were begun 8/28.
1976 WCNA-6 was held in Ventura, California on the weekend of 11/12.
First World Service Conference held in Ventura Ca. 11/13. WSO moves to above a bail bond office on Van Nuys Blvd. and then to JK`s home.
1976 200 meetings worldwide: California - 83, Arizona - 12 Georgia - 5, Minnesota - 11, Pennsylvania - 16, Texas - 11
The order form from the WSO includes: - the White Book - a Spanish translation of the White Book - This is N.A. - the N.A. Tree - a group starter kit - monthly record form - complete group kit - Who what how and why - the Group - So you love an addict - We made a decision - Another look - Recovery and relapse - Como trabaja la programa - Power and principles - A friend indeed -sponsorship - Symbol of service - Sayings and slogans - Turning the wreckage into building blocks - Carrying the message -- not the illness - Relationships - the World Directory of meetings and contacts.
1976 "This is N.A." printed in Northern California. One chapter, "Came to Believe" is republished as IP #4. AA notifies Jimmy that the booklet is plagiarized from an AA pamphlet. IP #4 is pulled from circulation and Northern California stops printing the booklet.
1976 WSO incorporated.
WCNA - 7 was held at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco, California. 1977 The attendance was around fifteen hundred with many of these coming in from large treatment centers.
Oct 21st Second WSC meets. Held in conjunction with convention. No representative showed from Northern California. Southern California RSR, present. 4 trustees 2 delegates. Conference was postponed till 3-26-78.
Paper strike in the US makes printing difficult and availability of materials slows for a time. Materials printed all over the fellowship.
WSC-3 April 1st & 2nd 1978 at Los Angeles Valley College. First time separate from WCNA. Representatives from, South California, Midwest Regional Area, Northern California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Boulder Co., Victoria B.C., Minneapolis Area, Atlanta. GA 30 Trusted Servants in all. Board of Trustees Elected - Voting Procedures - conference committees were established: Administrative - Policy - Finance - Literature - Institutions -Public Relations
1978 WCNA-8 Houston, Texas. The Eighth World Convention was held in Houston, Texas at the Shamrock Hilton. Less than three hundred attended, though many came from up and down the east coast where meetings of Narcotics Anonymous were sprouting up. Around a hundred members came from California. The World Convention was a great strain on the Houston N.A. community but it really helped the members who attended and took home the message that N.A. was real. Many new meetings were started.
1979 WSC 4 April 28th to April 29th at Los Angeles Valley College. RSR's present --South California, Northern California Houston, New Jersey, Nebraska ----(Pages Missing from World Conference Report)
Any Trustee, RSR, ASR, Delegate, Spokesman from outside California , WSC Officers (Executive. Chair) and Subcommittees Chairs, were eligible to vote. Only qualifications for Administrative Committee was to be in attendance. Subcommittee Chairs could not be delegates. New WSC Guidelines accepted.
Information Pamphlets: "We made a Decision"--"Another Look" "4th Step Guide"--"So You Love an Addict". Blue version service Guide. (3rd edition tree). Quarterlies --1st W.S.C.L.C. in Wichita, KA was funded by WSC
WCNA-9 1979 The Ninth World Convention was held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Sheraton Hotel. 1979. While there were terrific difficulties, over two hundred meetings started in the six months following the Atlanta World Convention from Detroit to Miami.
The issue of the use of the big book at the tables of NA is a large issue. Many who have been around for awhile are very opposed to this change. Very large problem with many resentments generated. These carry forward until today.
The first World Literature Conference was held at Wichita, Kansas in a Community Room of the Chamber of Commerce. Material was gathered and chapter outlines were written by the twenty five attending members. By spring, a thousand copies of the Handbook for N.A. Literature Committees were printed for Committee use. The Handbook was approved by the 1980 WSC and added to the WSO inventory.
Work on the Basic Text grew out of the WSC and the general interest from the growing Fellowship. The new service structure allowed a "correct" way for members to get involved without risking relapse which sometimes follows excessive personal involvement with projects. The first World Literature Conference was held in Wichita, Kansas. It produced the Handbook for NA Literature Committees which was approved by the 1980 WSC. Input was collected and processed in open participatory Literature Conferences. The sites of these conferences were: Wichita, Kansas; Lincoln, Nebraska; Memphis, Tennessee; Santa Monica, California; Warren, Ohio; Miami, Florida; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Monthly letters went to a list of participants which grew to include two thousand NA members. These members who wrote the Basic Text also founded thousands of meetings all over the Fellowship. They backed up the structure and the structure backed them up. The book was approved in 1982 in support of a motion to approve from the RSR from Las Vegas, Nevada. It was published as a hardback in 1983 and presented at the WSC.
WSC - 5 1980 ran from May 2nd to May 4th at the Los Angeles Valley College. ___ RSR's present from Southern California, Northern California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Texas, Mid America, Wisconsin, South East, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Decided to rewrite the service manual. These drafts are first separation of Board of Trustees and WSO Board of Directors. Service Manual has light blue cover. Literature Handbook proposed and approved by WSC. H&I cans approved to be passed around for second collection at meetings for H&I to collect and hold in a separate bank account. Any meeting carrying outside literature be dropped off every meeting list. Lincoln, Nebraska chosen as 2nd World Service Conference Literature Conference site.
Information Pamphlets: "Another Look" approved. -- 2nd WSCLC. to be held at Lincoln Nebraska on September 8th to 14th 1980.
WCNA-10 September, in Wichita, Kansas.
1980 September 8 - 14, Second World Literature Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska. Produced topic outline and cut and pasted input into the outline.
1980 - First Northern California convention held in Santa Rosa.
1981 February Third World Literature Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee. This nine day conference ran twenty four hours a day. It produced the Grey Review form mailed free of charge to every known group in the world. Funds for this raised strictly within N.A. Fellowship.
1981 April Fourth World Literature Conference in Santa Monica, California. Processed input to the Grey Book. The draft that is generated here never shows up again. Does anyone know where it is? Some say this was the best edit of the book.
Some time in the spring a meeting between Jimmy K. and Chuck S. takes place. There was two others at this meeting. The topic was the Basic Text. In short form the disagreement was something like this...
Chuck S. believed that the text was the needed to be printed and released as soon as possible, that the book would save a lot of lives and delay would only kill people.
Jimmy K. believed that the book would take additional work and would be printed when the work was finished...
This begins a new and major separation in the fellowship. Chuck S. began to make phone calls all over explaining that Jimmy K. had told him that "I'm the president of NA and the book won't be printed until I say it's ready". Chuck asked that groups withhold funds from WSO until the Conference time in May. Members involved in the work are very upset. Funds to the WSO decrease, Fellowship printed literature increases again.
Thus begins a bitter time in NA. No discussion seems to take place between sides and the problems get worse.
1981 WSC-6 May 1st to May 3rd at the Los Angeles Valley College. RSR's present from: Southern California, Northern California, Ohio, Illinois, Oregon, Mid America, Nevada, Texas, Mid Atlantic, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Victoria B.C. and Louisiana.
The procedure calling for the Conference Agenda report to be distributed 60 days prior to the World Service Conference was tabled to help the WSC get started.
Information Pamphlets: "We made a Decision" withdrawn.
1981 July Fifth World Literature Conference held in Warren, Ohio. Week long conference held in local school house. First chapters finalized.
1981 September WCNA-11 Miami, Florida
1981 September Sixth World Literature Conference held in Miami, Florida. Basic Text approved by the World Literature Committee to go out for approval.
1981 October - Mid-South Regional Service Conference mails out White Approval forms to every group in the world free of charge. Several members stay over to take Service Structure through five drafts published as review form in green cover. First half approved at next WSC.
1981 1100 meetings in world : Australia - 18 Canada - 26 England - 4 Germany - Guam - Ireland - Scotland -
1982 February Seventh World Literature Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to prepare stories for review to be added to Basic Text already out for approval.
1982 WSC-7 approves Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous for hardback publication.
1983 WSC-8 First Edition Basic Text passed out at Conference. Decision to replace office manager.
WSC-8 May 4, 1983 to May 8,,-1983 at the Santa Monica Retail Clerks Union Hall 1410 Second Street in Santa Monica, California. RSR's present: Alaska, Tri-State, Iowa, Alabama, NW Florida, Georgia, S. California, N. California, Mid-Coast, Ohio, Mid-Amer-ica, Chesapeake-Potomac, S. Nevada, Upper Midwest, Carolinas, Greater Philadelphia, Mississippi, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-Coast, Louisiana, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas, Colorado, N. Nevada, West Virginia, New York, Central Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, and Tennessee (28 in all) Nine Trustees present
Amended 1982 Minutes to send to policy committee to set fixed terms for the World Service Board of Trustees.
Motion tabled calling for the World service conference resignation of all present Board members, office manager, and employees of WSO, Inc. and the conference immediately elect a new Board to reorganize the World Service Office.
Motion that only RSR's and State Representatives be voting participants; motion was referred to an Ad-Hoc Committee and was later defeated.
Motion for the World Service Office to take whatever steps necessary to hire a full-time office Manager.
Informational Pamphlets numbers One through Eleven passed as approved literature.
Motion that the literature review period be one year.
Motion that approval literature be sold by the World Service Office
MOTION that our book be completely returned to its original approved form before any more are printed. (motion carried)
H & I Handbook was approved.
Informational Pamphlets One through Eleven - Physician's Viewpoint dropped. Board of Trustees Guidelines Election of Trustees. Modification of the Literature review process.
JK resigns from Trustees and the conference decides to free him from the work at the office. A non-addict who has been serving the fellowship as it's WSC parliamentarian, Bob Stone, is hired to manage the office. A letter to JK expressing the WSC's views seems to never have been sent. A meeting between the WSO BOD chairman, JK and the new office manager takes place in early June. JK states that he will work with Bob Stone in any way. Shortly after, he finds that the locks have been changed at the office.
The publication of our Basic Text allowed for a revolution of immense importance to our young Fellowship. Suddenly there was money in World Services, a lot of money. This put pressure on those entrusted to serve us at the world level in two ways. There was more to do and more to do it with. Yet the scale was balanced by the problems of money, property and prestige that were no longer a matter of program rhetoric. An office that grossed less than ten thousand dollars the year before the literature movement begun in 1979, was now bearing the strain of millions of dollars. The strain alone created problems. They say there is a blessing in every difficulty and a curse in every blessing. Certainly our radical, accelerated growth resulted in some painful disillusion-ment and personalities pushed aside principles to get in on the action. The emptiness of these apparent victories is vivid in hindsight. Those who did not give way to the fear and justifica-tions of the moment are still with us today. Others fell by the wayside. If you ever feel these strains, start talking about them with your sponsor and home group. The fresh air of discussion usually kills the fungus of self-will when it starts to make us believe we run the show!
Hiring people to replace the volunteer worker at strategic points set up potential for conflicts not foreseen or viewed as possible by the leadership of the times.
WSC-9 April 23- , 1984 at the Retail Clerks Union Hall, Santa Monica CA.
RSR's present Alabama, Northwest Florida, Alaska, Arizona Southern California, Central Great Lakes, Chesapeake Potomac Colorado, Florida, Mid America, Hawaii, Georgia, Greater Philadelphia, Washington, Louisiana, Mid Atlantic, Mid-Coast, Ireland, Mississippi, Maine, North Nevada.
To accept the proposed standing rules of WSC which defines 2/3 majority vote as 2/3 of all participating voting members.
WSO manager allowed to address conference make reports, answer questions, and discuss matters of his responsibility when requested by the conference. WSO goes into merchandising (tee-shirts, bumper stickers, tags, tokens, etc.)
NA Way limited to articles on recovery and upcoming-events.
Stories: I Can't do Anymore Time, Fat Addict, Early Services, I Felt Hopeless, I Kept Coming Back, It Won't Get Any Worse, My Gratitude Speaks, No Excuse for Loneliness, Relapse and Return, Sick and Tired at 18, The War is Over, and Up From Down Under.
Works In Progress: Staying Clean in Isolation, Revised White Booklet, Clean and Serene, Welcome to NA, The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of NA, It Works... How and Why, The Twelve Traditions, NA History,
Motion that IP "Am I An Addict?" be removed and sent back to WSCLC failed
Motion that the functions assigned to 1984 - 85 WSC select committee on the service structure, be reassigned to the WSC Policy committee. Failed.
Several addicts asked that the IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be removed from the list of approved literature because the word "homosexuality" appeared in the section on sex. They felt the pamphlet implied that homosexuality was a character defect. Others disagreed, saying the pamphlet instructed, "If you have strong feelings about any of the following, write about it." There was much heated debate over the need for NA to have its own 4th Step Guide (before 1982 approval, members had been using treatment center and AA guides) and whether the conference participants had the authority to remove literature that had been approved by the entire fellowship. Many felt the question had to go out for Group Conscience. In the end, the majority of voting WSC participants acted to remove the 4th Step Guide from the approved literature list.
Interestingly enough, a similar debate took place on the "missing words" from the 4th and 9th Traditions of the first edition Basic Text that had been restored after Fellowship uproar and incorporated into the 2nd Edition of our Basic Text. A motion was made to delete the words from the text making it similar to the first edition. On this issue, the WSC did not feel it had the power to act without the fellowship voting on the issue, so RSR's were instructed to go back and take a Group Conscience on the question and report the results by a set date. Even this "solution" to take a Fellowship-wide Conscience, violated established WSC Guidelines which required notifying the fellowship well in advance of the conference. The results of that poll removed the words in question and no serious challenge to that issue has been raised since.
Motion that IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be approved after the removal of words Homosexual-ity, Animal Sex, and Abortion, from page 5 and the words Asshole, *****, *****, Bastard, from page 4. Failed.
Motion that IP "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory" be approved with adding the word Heterosexuality to page 5. Failed.
Motion that the procedural guidelines for the WSCLC be approved and replace the procedural guidelines for the creation and development of new literature.
Motion that the WSC International Affairs Committee be eliminated with its duties being carried on by the WSO. Failed.
Motion to hold Quarterly WSC Workshops and rotate to other areas.
IP "Another Look" - Approved -- IP "The Use of Medication in Recovery" - Was removed.
Priority list for WSCLC revised "A Guide to 4th Step Inventory""Just for Today", Daily Meditation Guide IP "To the Medical Profession"Revised "Handbook for NA Literature Committees"Revised "Recovery and Relapse"Booklet "Resource Guide for the Trusted Servant"Booklet or IP "The First Three Steps"Revised "Am I An Addict?"Revised "The Group""H & I and You" - to be sent out for approval.Convention Guidelines adoptedTreasurer's Handbook adopted:"Convention Committee" -

1. To establish a relationship with WCNA-15 to begin the transition of the new world convention guidelines.

2. To research and formulate corporate and legal guidelines so as to satisfy the needs of a world convention,

3. To redesign the intra-committee guidelines so as to satisfy the needs of our new world convention guidelines,

4. To assist the WCNA-16 in the management of the next world convention.

5. To assist and provide information to all conventions.

"Policy Committee" -

1. To draft a set of rules of order to be recommended for use at future WSC's

2. To draft guidelines for policy committee

3. To establish guidelines for new literature handbooks and establish guidelines and written materials generated by committees other than the literature committee

4. To gather input for and draft Chapter 3 of "A Guide to Service in NA"

5. To review existing procedures of the WSC

6. To produce input to the select committee on "A Guide to Service in NA".

"Financial Committee" -

1. Creation of committee guidelines

2. Further work regarding H & I accounting and fund flows in cooperation with the H & I cooperation

3. Development of report formats for use by World Service bodies

4. Consideration of any input submitted to us by components of the service structure regarding matters of finance


Motion to take the word "recovered" and replace it with "recovering" wherever it appears in print. This was passed at the 1985 WSC held in Van Nuys.
ROUGH AGENDA ITEMS:
"International Committee":

1. Representatives form the NA fellowship outside the USA.

2. Members with previous participation on any WSC Subcommittee.

3. A written request through the chairperson stating NA service experience and/or relevant experiences which would create an asset to the International Committee.

WSCLC: The White Book, The Group, WSO Order Form, Recovery and Relapse.
Hospitals & Institutions Committee:
A survey be sent out, revise H & I Handbook, mailings to institutions, probation and judicial services, to hold workshops, close working relations with any level H & I, bimonthly newsletter, to support H & I in financially undeveloped regions, to collect H & I stories, to add to the Handbook, internal education programs, writing guidelines, financial guidelines, a literature review process for H & I literature, editorial guidelines for H & i newsletter.
"Public Information": PSA videos, radio PSA'S, PI packets
Our Fellowship has grown along similar lines in each community. Sometimes the meetings were started more than once by the same people. Their desire for recovery the N.A. way led them to give it one more try. One of our advantages today is in being able to find out how N.A. has gotten started in other communities. Not all their experience will apply to us, but we can get a feel for the way to get past the problems and into the solutions.
The founding members in each area have been sincere, willing and open to the needs of others. On the surface they may have appeared crazy, stubborn, self-willed and revolutionary. Still, we know that their desire for recovery and their love for other suffering addicts has to have been behind their every act. Even their mistakes worked out well when they were sincere and willing to admit fault. None were perfect, but the miracle of N.A. is the way we can rise out of our own ashes. They went to great lengths to find or latch on to even one more newcomer. Their personal services backed up the entire service effort in their area! The opportunity to see others recovering helped encourage them, but the real miracle was that they stayed clean. Their lives steadily, if shakily, got better. They established our basic unity of identity, concern and effort. One of their great strengths was the ability to get along with one another in favor of the Fellowship. This lesson was hard won. Many members today have paid this price. Most agreeing that it is a priceless reward.
It may sound like a lot of work, and in ways it is. This is what it takes for us to have our own Fellowship. It is also enormous fun and has a lot of real life excitement rather than alternatives. We get to spend our time with people who enjoy our company and frequently appear amused by our worst problems. But they have been there - and they have simple answers and suggestions that might work for us.
These clean addicts are constantly growing in number and are available in countries all over the world. We will continue to learn and to share the NA Way, carrying our message to every corner of the globe.
We in NA, today, are grateful to all those who have made our program and our recovery possible. Many people have loved us and wished us well when we were difficult and undeserving. Our life clean, gives us some idea of how hard it is to love us. The lessons we learn from helping others teaches us we have to give a lot to get a little. Fortunately, it is quantity we are giving and quality we are getting