OUR HISTORY - BRAZORIA COUNTY

JA Begins

The Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts hosts a conference of 300 agricultural and business leaders in August, 1916.  The goal of their meeting is to work on the general advancement of activities for boys and girls. Several committees, including the Boys’ and Girls’ Bureau, are formed to raise funds for implementing solutions.

Despite World War I, the Boys’ and Girls’ Bureau, headed by Theodore N. Vail, then President of AT & T, moves ahead.  By 1919, its 22 committee members raise a sum of $250,000 and hire a president.  On February 27, 1920 the committee changes its name to the Junior Achievement Bureau.

The Bureau determines that local foundations will be created in cities or counties where conditions warrant.  These foundations are to be autonomous and independent.  Most of the actual work with youth is to be done through these local foundations, supported by local funds.  The new area foundations are to be called Junior Achievement Companies.  The companies begin to form and multiply.

JA Goes International

In 1955, JA initiates the first successful non-U.S. locations in Windsor, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia.

A national JA conference is held in Washington D.C. on February 1, 1956 to bring together JA business leadership from the national and local levels.  This event helps fuel further interest in JA.

JA Brazosport begins

This spark lead Albert P. Beutel of Dow Chemical to gather a committee of local business leaders together to start a Junior Achievement Company for Brazoria County.  That original committee consisted of O.L. Bass, A. P. Beutel - Chairman, Ray Charron, D. V. Collins, J. F. Crews, Horace Owings, Vernon Richards, J.C. Sanders, B. O. Smith, V. A. Thorpe, Jack W. Waltrip and J. L. Wilson.  In January 1956 the committee officially began Junior Achievement of Brazosport.  On July 17, 1956 the IRS officially recognized JA of Brazosport as a 501c3 tax exempt organization operating exclusively for educational purposes.  In the 1956-57 school year, JA taught over 60 Brazosport ISD students with the basic JA company store program.  Student numbers began to increase.  On July 3rd 1958, Junior Achievement still under the tutelage of A. P. Beutel, filed articles of incorporation becoming Junior Achievement of Brazosport, Inc.

A New Home

JA began to thrive and gain recognition and students from Brazoria County’s southend.  During this phase, Dow Chemical donated land and a building at 100 Cedar in Lake Jackson to Junior Achievement. Other school districts came on board and  volunteers were added to reach a larger number of students.

A New Name

On July 1, 1968 the articles of Incorporation were changed to reflect the new name of Junior Achievement of Brazoria County, Inc.  Today JA is available to students in all school districts of the county.

A Central Home

In 1997 Junior Achievement of Brazoria County moves its main office to Angleton, the county seat, in order to more fully service county students.  The old Lake Jackson building continues to bring in rental funds for JA.

OUR HISTORY - NATIONWIDE

For a complete history of JA USA ...... click here.