A.A's Country-wide News Circuit

Boston, Mass., isn't known as "The Hub" for nothing--at least if A.A. activities mean anything. Meeting places in the metropolitan area are rapidly expanding. According to the Central Service Committee, the newest offspring are at Waltham, with sessions every Thursday night at the USO hall, and at Medford, where meetings are Tuesday nights at Colonial hall, while another group is getting under way in Wakefield. . . The Salem (Mass.) Group reports that 44 members chartered a bus to attend a Braves game in Boston while on another occasion two chartered busses and many private cars took members and guests to Canobie Lake Park, Salem, N. H., where there was a softball game between old-timers and new members and other entertainment. . . September affairs included a clambake sponsored by the South Shore Groups at the Braintree Rod and Gun Club and an outing sponsored by the Woburn, Mass., Group at Johnson's Grove, Burlington, where there was a catered dinner, with steamed clams and corn available all afternoon for the heavy eaters, a program of sports and entertainment for the members' children. . . An article written by Bill Cunningham, Boston Herald columnist, dealing with A.A., brought many inquiries and phone calls to the Boston Central Office at 30 Huntington Avenue with an average of 10 new persons a day coming into the office for the three weeks following publication, for literature and contact with the nearest group. . . A recent affair which sent many A.A.s away on an overnight trip was the establishment of a new group at North Conway, N. H., well-known resort. The opening session was at Mitchell's Ski Ranch, Kearsarge, N. H., with members from various groups in Massachusetts and New Hampshire lending support. . . The Portsmouth, N. H., Group had a gala picnic recently at Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Me. . . The Central Service Committee, which sponsors the All-Group meetings every Wednesday night at 30 Hunting-ton Avenue, Boston, has been trying out a program at which old-timers are chairmen and round up their own speakers. Previously individual groups ran these sessions, but the oldtimers have been doing a good job. . . The secretary of Central Service has had so many calls from the Boston City Hospital for A.A.s to visit, and for additional help in carrying out work with the Boston Psychopathic Hospital, that an appeal has been made for more volunteers from the Greater Boston groups. . . Two large open meetings, designed to inform the community of A.A. activities and directed at giving help to those wanting it, were held in Malden and Norwood during September. On Sept. 12 the Malden Group, on its first anniversary, held a big meeting at Rotary Hall in that city while the Norwood Group welcomed many visitors with special speakers at K. of C. Hall on Sept. 26. . . Some of the Greater Boston groups have moved to larger meeting places. The Arlington Group now meets at Spanish War Veterans hall, which is the old town hall, Arlington Center, on Friday nights. Worcester No. 2 Group has changed to CIO Hall, 74 Main Street, third floor, on Thursday nights. . . Another newcomer to the Greater Boston groups during the summer was East Milton, which holds sessions Sunday nights at Ellsworth hall. . . The Manchester, N. H., Group now meets at the Franklin Congregational Church on Tuesday nights, starting at 8 instead of 8:30. . . Record attendances were set at two unusual Wednesday night all-group meetings at 30 Huntington Avenue, one a "Women's Night" with the women taking over the whole affair, and another the "Mr. and Mrs. Alcoholic Night" with married couples as the speakers.