B.Y.M.W.

Better Young Men and Women's Club

 

History

 

The B.Y.M.W. was begun in the late 1930's by Alberta Daniels, a Seventh-day Adventist church school teacher. Sis. Daniels had been sent to the Parkstown Community by South Atlantic Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. She began the club to provide "something to do" for the young adults in the area. Samuel Jackson remembers being the youngest member when he joined at the age of 14 or 15. Throughout those early years, a few people joined the B.Y.M.W.; however, the only surviving members are Samuel Jackson, Julia Jackson, Sallie Body, Napoleon Lewis, Beulah Hill, and Julia King. At this date, Julia king is in a nursing facility and reportedly unable to participate.

In 1945, a small bit of land was secured from Walter Gardener for $15 by the B.Y.M.W. This club which stood on the principles of self-improvement and community development would now stand on a small plot of God's earth. A Club Building was later built upon the site. The B.Y.M.W. met in different homes prior to the building of their "Club House". Sis, Alberta Daniels would not live to see it.

Other community organizations and clubs were blessed with free use of the building. For over sixty years, the Club House was the home of the Parkstown Citizenship Club. It was formed in January of 1956. The first president was Winston Cox; the next president was Samuel Jackson.

During the 60's, Operation Headstart used the Club House. Beginning as a teacher's assistant, Julia Jackson became one of the teachers in Headstart. In 1963, the Parkstown Community Development Club was formed. It was this club and the Wayne Action group that first renovated the Club Building and added an inside restroom.

    During the Headstart years, the Parks town 4-H Club flourished, as well

          as, the Parkstown Youth Club.

    For nearly 30 years, the building was abandoned.

In 1990, J.W. Jackson Adventist Academy began a major renovation of the Club Building. Samuel Jackson had new windows installed and installed

ceiling fans. LaVern Jackson purchased a steel front door. Earl Rowe changed the restrooms and repaired the front of the building. A group purchased wall to wall carpet, patched the roof, and connected hot water.

 

Marshall Jackson was responsible for new wiring and his siblings had the interior and exterior of the building painted.

In 2000, the building was abandoned again.

    In November 2004, the B.Y.M.W. was given new energy by descendants

of the living charter members of the B.Y.M.W. Not willing to see the B.Y.M.W. die, Samuel Jackson and Julia Jackson passed "the baton of membership" to their descendants, and these new charter members extended invitations to all living charter members to do the same. The original living charter members were invited to serve as advisors or to continue as active members, as well as, to extend the "baton of membership" to their descendants.

Since most written records were lost, by-laws were written to reflect the integrity of the charter members. A history is being maintained and standards are being set to assure that the B.Y.M.W. will continue with the same principles of community development, personal improvement, and fellowship that inspired its beginnings.