Clarence Snyder A.A. Papers (Ms. 2008.008)

Series 1. Albums
Box 1-3

Album A, 1938-1941
Box 1, Folder 1-4
Album A covers the period of 1938-1941 and focuses on Cleveland. Many of the letters are personal requests for Snyder's help with an alcohol problem. Many are written by friends and relatives of alcoholics and most mention the newness of the treatment and the hope it offers.

Album B, 1942-1943
Box 1, Folder 5-7
Album B covers 1942-1943 and includes papers dealing with a special testimonial dinner for Dr. Bob, Clarence's stint in the army, letters from Clarence's first wife, Dorothy, and his second wife, Selma, and a twelve page speech given by Snyder in Chicago.

Album C, 1944-1951
Box 1, Folder 8-9
Album C covers 1944-1951 and includes Snyder's written drafts of several of the biographies in the early editions of "The Big Book", some early A. A. history in Cleveland and materials on various conferences including the fifth general service conference, the 20th anniversary A. A. International Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, and a 1951 conference in Belfast, Ireland.

Album D, 1945-1950
Box 1, Folder 10-11
Album D covers 1945-1950 and contains information on the first major A. A. convention in Cleveland in 1945 including a 20 page register of A. A. members all over the country, and letters from Henry Parkhurst, who was Bill W.'s first convert and instrumental in the publication of "The Big Book".

Album E, 1940-1944
Box 1, Folder 12-13
Album E contains papers from the Cleveland A. A. Central Committee from 1940-1944 including early minutes, bulletins and about 20 pages of Clarence's notes on the committee.

Album F
Box 1, Folder 14
Album F consists of miscellaneous early A. A. material on Cleveland, including letters from many of the important people of the era : Henry Parkhurst, Ruth Hock, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob.

Album G, 1938-1950
Box 1, Folder 15
Album G also contains miscellaneous early A. A. material from 1938-1950, including the Unhappy Drinker article that inspired Clarence to seek help from Dr. Bob and the hand-out from the first International A. A. Conference, a 64 page cartoon booklet by Virgil F. Partch called "Bottle Fatigue". Also includes the proposal made in the late 1940's by Bill W. and Dr. Bob to turn the leadership of A. A. over to the General Service Conference.

Album H
Box 1, Folder 16
Album H contains more miscellaneous early A. A. material and includes approximately 20 pamphlets and a paper called "One Wife's Story" inscribed by Lois Wilson, Bill W.'s wife.

Albums I and J
Box 1, Folder 17-18
Albums I and J contain materials from the 1940's including some important letters from Henry Parkhurst.

Album K, 1939-1941
Box 1, Folder 19
Album K contains material from the same period including a pamphlet on A.A. by Snyder, Jimmy Burwell's "Evolution of A.A. 1939-1941", and approximately 30 newspaper articles.

Album L
Box 1, Folder 20
Album L contains 34 A. A. pamphlets including the first pamphlet on sponsorship which Snyder wrote, a booklet on "The Problem Drinker in Industry" and material from the first International Conference of A. A. in Cleveland in 1950. Also includes brief biographies of Dr. Bob and Bill W. by Nell Wing.

Album M, 1940-1960
Box 2, Folder 1
Album M consists of 60 rosters from A.A. meeting covering the dates 1940-1960, all from the Cleveland area. These rosters are a "who's who" of early A. A. and clarify the rapid expansion of A. A. in the Cleveland area.

Album N, 1940-1970
Box 2, Folder 2
Album N contains letters and miscellaneous materials from the 1940-1950's and the 1970's. The most important materials are several letters from Henry Parkhurst and material from the 40th International Convention in Colorado in 1975.

Album O, 1940-1945
Box 2, Folder 3
Album O contains early 1940's Cleveland A. A. group histories most of which were compiled by Norman C. Ebert, the recording statistician for the Cleveland Central Committee. These are the only complete manuscript histories of Cleveland's original A. A. development.

Album P
Box 2, Folder 4A
Album P consists of a short unbound run of Cleveland Central Bulletins and several letters related to their publication. Snyder considered the bound volumes of Cleveland Central Bulletin, Cleveland, Ohio and The Road Back, Dublin Groups, Dublin, Ireland to be part of this series. These bound volumes have now been cataloged separately.

Album Q, 1941-1988
Box 2, Folder 4B-4D
Album Q consists of newspaper clippings relating to A. A. from a variety of newspapers.

Album R
Box 2, Folder 5-6
Album R contains miscellaneous A. A. memorabilia from conventions and retreats, certificates of appreciation for Snyder's guest speaker appearances and information on various anniversary celebrations of numerous Cleveland groups.

Album S, 1960-1980
Box 2, Folder 7-11
Album S contains flyers and programs for retreats and conventions from the 1960's into the early 1980's for which Clarence Snyder was often the keynote speaker.

Album T
Box 2, Folder 12
Album T consists of ephemera not all of which is A. A. related. There are papers on Snyder's car, photos of several early members of A. A. and obituaries of others as well as newspaper articles on Snyder.

Album U, 1940-1970
Box 2, Folder 13
Album U contains important A. A. letters some of which concern the finances of the organization. The letters cover the period from the early 1940's to the early 1970's. There are also several letters from Grace, Snyder's third wife.

Album V, 1940-1980
Box 2, Folder 14
Album V contains letters and postcards dating from the 1940's into the 1980's to Clarence Snyder from A. A. members and from his first wife, Dorothy.

Album W
Box 2, Folder 15
Album W consists of Clarence Snyder's notes for talks he frequently gave at A. A. meetings and speeches he gave at conventions. These notes offer insights into his philosophy on important topics like sponsorship and the twelve steps.

Album X
Box 3, Folder 1
Album X consists of photocopies of letters at least some of which are found elsewhere in the collection.

Album Y, 1939-1993
Box 3, Folder 2-6
Album Y includes several small address booklets as well as scribbled names and numbers which probably represent people A. A. had been asked to contact. There are notes for speeches, a list of highlights from Snyder's life which are not in chronological order, and an incomplete World War II savings stamp booklet, as well as church bulletins, letters and photocopies of letters with dates ranging from 1939 to 1955 and memorabilia from several Founders' Day celebrations notably 1987 and 1993.

Series 2. Periodicals
Box 3 and Oversize folder

Series 3. Illustrations
Box 4X

Series 4. Audiocassettes, 1946-1997
This series is cataloged as Hay Star HV5278 .C53x and housed separately from the other series and consists of the audiocassette collection of Clarence Snyder. 139 of the audio tapes are an oral history by Snyder, including his talks on sponsorship, the 12-steps, and the four absolutes. Other strengths of the collection are speeches, interviews and personal audiotapes by Bill Wilson, Duke Puddock and Warren Chrisholm, and oral histories of A.A. founders including Claude Fullerton, Fay Chase, Catherine Werling, Al Marineux, Gene Edmiston, Roy Yeargen and Ernest McKenzie. Most tapes are personally recorded and unpublished; some are issued by the A.A. Grapevine and the A.A. Roots Revival Group.