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Bill Wilson wanted to write about the A.A. wayof life in his later years, but he spent most of hiswriting time answering “fan mail.” He answeredevery piece of mail with a personal response(with the help of Nell and other A.A. staff mem-bers), and regularly apologized for the delay ingetting back to people.
Some of the more common tag lines that heused included “…I am highly over rated...” whencomplimented; or he might refer to the develop-ment of A.A. as “Pilgrim’s Progress.” To excusehimself for writing short answers he would say,“My desk is piled high, I must fly now.” He regu-larly signed his letters “Devotedly yours, Bill.”
Some of these letters are now on display at“Wit’s End,” Bill’s writing studio on the hillbehind his house. We are pleased that people stillcommunicate with us. Here are some of the let-ters we received this year:
“Thanks for forwarding the newsletter. I amLoner AA from India and presently by the Grace ofGod we are successful to start new AA groupnamed AA Dapoli Group. As this region is interi-or and transport facility is not adequate it is hardto attend outsiders for regular meetings. Butsuch emails are great advantages so that we canknow what is going on in AA. as a Whole. Withregards in AA Service, Prasad O.”
“I just learned of Nell Wings death while read-ing your newsletter. Nell was a friend, neighborand mentor to me when I was appointed Archivistfor Al-Anon Family Groups in 1978. I enjoy thenewsletter. Thank you for sending it to me.Sincerely, Margaret O.”
“Thank you for the lovely tour of SteppingStones. There is something so comforting to seehow Bill and Lois’ life
© Stepping Stones Foundation 2008
Last year we reported on three maps (and onepiece of art) belonging to Bill and Lois Wilsonthat were sent to the Northeast DocumentConservation Center for preservation and repro-duction.
The results were dramatic and can be seen onthe web at www.steppingstones.org. The originalpins were carefully removed and remapped on adummy map, while the original map was cleaned.The pins were replaced exactly where Bill and theearly A.A. office staff put them and sent back toStepping Stones preserved and packed for safekeeping. Preservationists recommend that themap never be on permanent display in Bill’s writ-ing studio, because the environment will not sup-port it. It will be viewed on special exhibit in theproposed Orientation Center.
This map was used by Bill and the early A.A.staff used to document groups as they grewacross the country. Stepping Stones recentlycame across a video clip that we believe shows
this map being pinned by an actor in a PublicService Announcement in the early 1940’s. To seethe clip, and others, go to: www.hboarchives.comand enter Alcoholics Anonymous into the searchbar.
Before and after photos of the map and otheritems that have been preserved this year can befound on the Stepping Stones website atwww.steppingstones.org. A copy is on displaywhere Bill had it in his writing studio, and theoriginal is stored away for safekeeping.
Additional historic preservation projects thisyear have included:
l The preparation of a housekeeping plan andprofessional on-site training about how to prop-erly clean a historic house.
l Six pieces of the collection were replicated,with the originals being housed in the archives orrestored and placed back in their original home.
l Based on recommendations in the MasterConservation Plan, a major electrical upgrade is
taking place now. The project includes removingall fire hazards (including those innocently creat-ed by Bill Wilson himself). Lighting will also beinstalled, which will light art and textiles at theproper levels.
l UV Filters were installed on all of the win-dows at Stepping Stones and Wit’s End, keepingout 99% of UV light and reducing the long termdamage to the collection.
l Cataloging the Bill and Lois Wilson collec-tion. Suzanne Prabucki, Collections Manager, iscreating a master catalog of every item inside Billand Lois’ house and Wit’s End. This Catalog willassign each and every item an accession number,and a permanent home. Items are also beingphotographed and assessed for condition andother historical information.
SteppingStones News
The
AA PPuubblliiccaattiioonn ooff tthhee SStteeppppiinngg SSttoonneess FFoouunnddaattiioonn SSpprriinngg 22000088P.O. BOX 452 l BEDFORD HILLS, NY 10507 l 914-232-4822 l [email protected] l www.steppingstones.org
Historic Preservation Updates
The Tradition of Letter Writing
IInn MMeemmoorriiaammHarriet Severino, the Wilsons’ beloved cookand companion for 35 years, passed away inOctober, 2007. She visited Stepping Stonesbefore she died, and there was a wonderfultwinkle in her eye when asked what Bill waslike. She giggled and said, “He was so lazy,”and recalled many lovely memories of her timewith the Wilson’s at Stepping Stones.
Above: Bill with his two dates, Harriet (left),and Lois, at the Bill W. Dinner in NYC, 1960.
(continued on page 3)
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Stepping Stoneslisted on the NYS Women’sHeritage Trail
Determining that the life of LoisWilson is important to the history ofNew York State and the nation, HeritageNew York has added Stepping Stones tothe New York Women’s Heritage Trail.
With this designation, SteppingStones is included among other historicsites and museums that celebrate theachievements and history of women inNew York State. These sites enhanceour understanding of the daily life andculture of women, as well as their con-tributions in the struggle for equalrights, and the success they attained insocial reform, business, politics and thearts.
To learn more about Heritage NewYork and the other women whosehomes are on this list, visit www.herita-genewyork.gov/women.
What a year this has been! And whata pleasure to get to meet so many newvisitors, and work with the many talent-ed historic preservation and museumconsultants who are helping make surethat Stepping Stones lasts forever.
In the fall we took part in an interpre-tive planning process that showed howStepping Stones contains so much morethat simply Bill and Lois’“stuff.” We arelearning how to tell their story as anexample of two people who worked theprinciples of A.A. and Al-Anon through-out their sober lives. Recent researchhas shown more about Bill and Lois aspeople with tremendous compassion,commitment and flaws, and I nowappreciate their legacy more than ever.As a result of this project, we have madeavailable letters,diaries and photographsand to offsite visitors on the archivespage at www.steppingstones.org.
We have hosted more visitors thanever, and have traveled to a dozen con-
ventions sharing “The Story of Bill andLois Wilson and the A.A.Way of Life”withpeople who might never get to visit.More and more people are learning thatStepping Stones is here for them, thanksto a story in the New York Times and anAssociated Press article that reachedpapers around the country (to readthese articles go to our website andclick on “in the news”).
Your response to the OrientationCenter Campaign is awe inspiring.While there is a way to go to raise thefunds necessary for the project,each gifthas touched us more than can beexpressed here. In the words of BillWilson “may the upcoming year becounted among your best ever.”
Very truly yours,
Annah PerchExecutive Director
Dear Friends of Stepping Stones
Bill and Lois standing by the man made goldfishpond in their back-yard in 1959. Thisyear the fountain was restored by a specialist at theGraymoor ChristianUnity Center inGarrison, NY, so that it may be backon display one daysoon.
Oral HistoryContinues
Last year several people who knewBill and Lois shared their memories, ontape, for the Stepping Stones OralHistory Project.
Stephanie O remembered findingLois on her hands and knees gardeningwhen she came to call on her. WhenStephanie asked if she could do any-thing to help, Lois replied,“you can helpme weed.” Danny, the son of Lois’ cookand companion Harriet, shared hours ofmemories about the days and summersthat he spent at Stepping Stones as aboy. Danny remembers his mothertelling him “don’t you tell anyone whoyou saw here” and he recalls hidingbehind bushes and watching celebri-ties, coming to visit Bill and Lois.
If you or anyone you know remem-bers Bill or Lois Wilson, or spent time atStepping Stones while the Wilson’swere alive, please get in touch with us,so that we may tape your story.
In 2008 Stepping Stones is open forvisits Monday-Saturday at 1pm with areservation and all other times byappointment. The guided tour incorpo-rates stories of how the Wilson’s livedthe A.A. way of life while at SteppingStones, and life at Stepping Stones today.It offers insight into how Bill and Loishelped millions of people. Reservations
are accepted for groups of 1-100+.Recent improvements to the tour
include audios of Bill and Lois. An audiotour will be available in time for the June7, 2008 picnic and throughout the year.
To make your reservation call (914)232-4822 or visit the website atwww.steppingstones.org.
Stepping Stones Continues toImprove Visitor’s Experience
Stepping Stones seeks five volun-teer tour guides to host visitors at
Stepping Stones. Commitments range from one weekend day a monthto one day a week, plus special events, year round. Experience witheducation, volunteerism, museums, and history is a plus. Chance tomeet people from around the world. If you would like to be consid-ered, please send an email to [email protected], or call 914-232-4822 indicating why you think you would be a good candidate forthis important and rewarding commitment.
Stepping Stones seeks community members to help create a per-manent catalog of the items in the historic house and mark a portionof the site’s 10,000 object collection. Experience handling objects,ability to work cooperatively under the direction of the cataloguer andstay on task would be helpful for this position. Your participation inthis project will be of service to Stepping Stones visitors andresearchers today. Send email of interest to [email protected].
The Stepping Stones Auxiliary Group seeks members. If youwould like to do more to help spread the word of Stepping Stones inyour community, you might be a perfect candidate for the AuxiliaryGroup. Current members include Michael B. in NYC, Linda V. in RedHook, Mark and Pam W. in Kansas, and Gail and Al H. in New Jersey.To request an Auxiliary Group brochure, please call (914) 232-4822or email [email protected] with your request.
Archival Fun
To reduce the riskof infestation, moldand other deteriora-tion hazards, we regu-larly move items noton display from thehouse to the archives.When we emptiedthe drawers in “Nell’sRoom” we founditems that help usimagine a typicalevening at SteppingStones.
In 1941 Bill and Lois thought they were going to be livingaway from the hustle and bustle of New York City and, as Billonce said to Dr. Bob,“all that A.A. business.” But that wasn’tto be the case. Because of their A.A. practice and their devo-tion to friends and family, their home at Stepping Stonesended up more like a refuge for everyone else than for them-selves.
But, they absolutely insisted on having fun! In the drawersof the guest bedroom, also known as Nell’s Room, were thefollowing games: Words and Sentences by Milton Bradley, apitch pipe, Quip Cubes, Canasta, Bridge score pads, an abun-dance of playing cards, a ping pong set, Hi-Q, golf tees andgolf balls, and word-and-number games that Lois used toentertain her guests.
Above is one number game that was found. If you try thegame you will see that Lois made an error in calculations, butthat it appears as though her age was 52, which would havemeant this game sat in the drawer since 1943. We tried it fol-lowing the instructions and it works.
The items in the drawers have been catalogued, treatedand placed in the archives.
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Classifieds
out of the public eye was lived. It justseems fitting that two such humanbeings that worked so hard to maintaintheir physical, spiritual and emotionalsobriety, by sacrificing so much of theirown personal lives, should have hadsuch a lovely place to retreat. There wasso much demand on the beginningmembers and their families, in fact thereis still a great demand on our member-ship and our friends and family, that thesacrifice can sometimes seem over-whelming. However, having had peoplesuch as Bill, Lois,Dr.Bob and Anne leavesus a tremendous legacy of how it is tolive One Day at a Time. Robin L.”
Theresa D. wrote to relay an experi-
ence that she had at Stepping Stoneswhile Bill and Lois were still alive. In the1960’s she needed Bill and Lois’ adviceand drove from her home in Mt.Vernonup to Stepping Stones, hardly giving it asecond thought.“The strange thing I hadno compunction about driving aroundlooking for a sign near the entrance –the famous Stepping Stones! I hadscarcely driven up the big hill ahead anddrove along when suddenly, unbeliev-able – there it was right in the spot sooften described – on the lawn near thedriveway.
As in a dream, I knocked at the door, itswung open, and there was Bill himselfin the doorway. He blinked and offered“come on in” and held the door for me.Bill W. turned off the TV and Lois herself,who brought about the marvelousbeginning of Al-Anon, was polishing her
nails, but abandoned all equipment andjoined us.”
Theresa goes on to describe the 45minutes that Bill and Lois spent with herhearing her woes about an issue in herhome group.
“My name is Louie P. and I have beensober by the Grace of God sinceOctober 1986. I have had many beauti-ful experiences in my life especiallysince being sober. I firmly believe thatlife is made up by accumulated spiritualmoments everyday and to appreciateeven the smallest ones at that. Last sum-mer I and a few friends visited SteppingStones and it was truly a spiritual expe-rience for myself and the others. Theenergy was so inspiring and positivethat it stays with me to this day.”
Tradition of Letter Writing(continued from page 1)
Lois, left, and Bill, relaxing with friends on the back porch.
Friends of Stepping StonesThe following are the generous donors to the Stepping Stones Foundation from
April 1, 2007-April 1, 2008. We are enormously grateful for this show of support.Thanks to these friends we have made great strides toward preserving the historichome of Bill and Lois Wilson, forever.
This page has been left blank intentionally. For a list of Stepping Stones donors, please put your request in writing to [email protected].
The construction of the Stepping Stones OrientationCenter is now at the top of our priorities. This is based onrecommendations from historic preservation professionalswho wished to see the wear and tear on the main house alle-viated before irreparable damage is done.
The need is based on visitors’ requests. They have had touse outhouses in the warm months and the actual historicbathrooms in the winter months. The lack of indoor spacefor visitors to congregate and relax together is also a constantproblem. And visitors currently have no access to thearchives, which include the original copy of the Big Bookwith Bill’s notes and Lois’ poems and letters.
The Stepping Stones Orientation Center will:l Welcome visitors from far and wide while preserving thehistoric site.
l Preserve the garage that Bill built in 1951, while creatinga visitor-friendly space.
l Offer a safe place to exhibit valuable archives currentlystored away for safekeeping.
We need your help to make this project a success.To con-tribute,visit the website at www.steppingstones.org/supportor mail the pledge card below.
Page 5
Report on Orientation Center
From the ArchivesThis note from our archives shows that Bill decided to go
to the hospital, for the last time, to seek help for his alco-holism. Lois, who knew we would likely see this, added anote to the top.
Bill writes (December11, 1934), “Dear Lois – Ithink I said that if mattersapproached a crisis, theinevitable result of thefirst drink, I should go toTowns. I am going there –I also said that under nocondition would I go toTown’s. I shall not try toresolve these inconsisten-cies. On the one hand isthe great pressure, on theother a glimpse of a newfine life – I shall not delaya moment. Yours you donot know how dearly.Bill”
Lois' note at the top-says, "(very importantnote) I found this when I
returned home fromwork and was hurtand sore as he hadn'tconsulted me and Iwas paying more ofthebills and he hadbeen there just a fewmonths before."
Orientation Center Pledge of Support((iinnddiivviidduuaall oorr ggrroouupp))
Name: _______________________ Tel.:_________________
Address: ___________________________________________
City:______________________ State:_____ Zip:____________
Email: ____________________________________________
As part of my commitment to building the Stepping Stones OrientationCenter, I am pleased to make a gift as follows:
One time gift, in the amount of________________________ (check payable to The Stepping Stones Foundation)Thank you gifts are sent for $300 and above
I wish to pledge $_____monthly/quarterly/semi-annually /annually
My gift will be matched by: _______________________________
I wish to pay by: ___credit card ____MC ____Visa
Name _____________________________________________(as it appears on card)
Card #________________________________ Exp date:______
Signature:__________________________________________
___ my check is enclosed ___ Please recognize my gift anonymouslyMail to: The Stepping Stones Foundation
62 Oak Road, Katonah, NY 10536914-232-4822, [email protected]
Stepping Stones staff and volunteers are available to pres-ent this special talk at your next gathering, which includes adiscussion of Bill and Lois’ childhoods, how they fell in love,their battle with alcoholism, recovery and the founding andnurturing of A.A. and Al-Anon. A rare and touching photo his-tory accompanies the presentation.
Stepping Stones made this presentation to over one dozenplaces in 2007,from Staten Island NY to Bermuda. To the bestof its ability Stepping Stones makes this presentation at cost,which includes only airfare and hotel at great distances. If youwould like to learn more about this presentation and ouravailability, or to sample a recording of the presentation,please call (914) 232-4822,or email [email protected].
“Bill and Lois Wilsonand the A.A. Way of Life”
Stepping Stones has a new an improved website. To see this year’s calendar
of events, gift shop, virtual tour and more, visit www.steppingstones.org today.
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Text and photographs property of Stepping Stones Foundation. No reproduction or transmission without permission.
l Institute of Museum and Library Services – a grant of aConservation Bookshelf; a treasure trove of books aboutpreservation.
l Upstate History Alliance - $2,500 toward the development ofa housekeeping plan and training.
l New York Council for the Humanities - $2,500 toward theparticipation of a scholar in creating an Interpretive Plan.
l New York State Council for the Arts - $9,800 toward thedesign of the Orientation Center.
l New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse,spearheaded by New York State Senator Vinnie Leibell – Inrecognition of the important contribution that SteppingStones makes toward the understanding of alcoholism -$10,000 toward salary for the Stepping Stones Catalogingproject.
l Institute of Museum and Library Services - $49,000 for theStepping Stones Cataloging project.
Grants We Have ReceivedThis Year
Thanks To This Year’sVolunteers
Stepping Stones thanks those volunteers who devote theirtime, energy and resources to serve all our guests:
Tour guides were Kate and John,Claes,Ken,Robert, Sharon,Ricardo, Jim, and Steve. They served our visitors and kept theJune picnic running strong. Many other volunteers helped onpicnic day. We especially thank Frank who has helped parkcars for many years. It will be sad to say goodbye to himwhen he embarks on a new adventure in St.Thomas.
Bill, who travels to Stepping Stones without hesitationwhen we request another performance of “Moments…AnEvening with Bill W.” Cadbury Schweppes and PepsiCo.donat-ed soft drinks for the picnic. Linda, who donated raffle itemsfor the picnic. Marilyn for her baked goods.The River Group,Ken, and Tom provided invaluable gardening assistance. Kevindonated a print of Bill and Lois, that hangs in “the spookroom.” Mitch gave his time and film expertise, and Glenn hisenthusiasm and support.
Mon-Sat at 1pm with a reservation and all othertimes by appointment. For visiting informationor this year’s calendar of events, visit www.steppingstones.org or call (914) 232-4822.
Stepping Stones is open for tours Stepping Stones has a new animproved website. To see this year’scalendar of events, gift shop, virtual tour andmore, visit www.steppingstones.org today.
