Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas Celebrates 80 Years

Eighty years ago, the growing number of boys passing through the Juvenile Court System in Dallas County inspired the humble beginnings of the nation’s largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency.   Through the vision of few, thousands of lives were changed forever by the now leader in one-to-one youth mentoring.

In 1926, Ms. Jessie A. White, a young probation officer of the Dallas Juvenile Court, was distraught at the futures that awaited the boys filing through the court system.  “When a child is brought to us there are only two things to do with him,” she said. “We can send him to the reform school or we can send him back to the same conditions from which he came.”

What these boys need is “a friend that the boy can count on, who can give him the feeling that some one is especially interested in him.”  Upon this realization, Ms. White took a step which would forever change the futures of North Texas children.

She visited civic organizations, churches and clubs to recruit mentors and generate support for the “Big Brother” movement which began in New York City 23 years earlier.  Through the support Judge F.H. Alexander and the Dallas Rotary Club “Boys Committee” which began the process of recruiting businessmen to serve as mentors, the Dallas Big Brothers Club was ultimately born on February 24, 1927.  Mr. J.J. Burnett was named the first president of the Dallas Big Brothers Club and by 1929, 75 Dallas businessmen had stepped forward as Big Brothers to boys throughout the city.

Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, additional services to boys were offered through the Dallas Big Brothers Club. In 1932, the County Boys’ Parental Home and School was opened to provide a home to boys convicted through the Juvenile Courts but not meeting the requirements for reform school. In 1939, Camp Tammi Babi (Comanche words for Little Brother) opened in Cedar Hill to provide Little Brothers a structured summer environment away from the busy city.  The Melba Theatre on Elm Street hosted Saturday morning Big Brother programs which featured visits by Popeye the Sailor and Baby Rose Marie, and motion pictures including “Joe Palooka” featuring Jimmy Durante and “The Lone Cowboy” featuring Jackie Cooper.

It wasn’t until 1935 that the Dallas Big Brothers Club opened it first official headquarters at 1607 Main St. in what was then called the Praetorian Building (now called Stone Place Tower.) This neoclassical style building was dubbed the West’s first “skyscraper” at 15 stories tall.

The Melrose Hotel in Dallas also claims relevance in the early history of the organization. The hotel hosted more than a decade of Big Brother/Little Brother annual holiday banquets and Dallas Big Brother Club annual meetings.   At this banquet in 1945, Jimmy Smith was honored as being the first Little Brother to become a Big Brother in the program.

The program began to grow steadily until the numbers became difficult to track during WWII.  Of the 302 boys reported served by the organization in early 1942, approximately 100 Big Brothers and 64 Little Brothers were reported as on “active military duty” by the end of that year. 

As the Dallas agency continued to expand, other regions around the city launched their own agencies to serve the youth of their communities. Fort Worth initiated their Big Brothers program in 1939, followed by Big Brothers of Arlington in 1969.  Denton County followed suit with a Big Brothers program in 1975 while Paris and Grayson County opened their doors in 1978 and 1996 respectively.

As the agencies grew and the waiting list expanded, so did the need for increased funds and creative ways to acquire them. 1967 brought forth the first golf tournament for Big Brothers of Tarrant County, hosted at Ridglea Country Club.

In 1969, Arlington began the Big Brothers Celebrity Golf Tournament and over the years these events laid the foundation for what is still the longest standing and still active fundraiser for the organization.  Throughout their history, these events drew professional golfers, athletes and celebrities from across the nation including Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Tom Landry, Darrell Royal, Willie Nelson Mickey Mantle and many others.

By the 1970’s, the local agencies were gaining a national reputation as leaders among the Federation.  In 1976, E.C. Ransom was named National Big Brother of the Year after mentoring nine boys through the course of 22 years. In 1989, the accomplishment was realized once more when long-time supporter Dale Long was again awarded the honor.

As all of the North Texas agencies grew, and efficiencies were sought to take the program to the next level, the next step grew evident … merger.  In 2003, through the leadership of newly appointed CEO Charles Pierson and the separate Boards of Arlington & Mansfield, Dallas and Fort Worth, the creation of Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas was accomplished.

While many things have changed since Jessie White’s vision first touched the boys of Dallas 80 years ago, the core purpose of the organization has remained steadfast: to encourage children to reach their highest potential by providing friendship and guidance through one-to-one mentoring relationships.