Historical Contributions Experience of Elders

Thirty-one years of service rendered from Mr. Walter E. Bess to the field of boy guidance through the Boys' Clubs of America, has made his name a tradition in the Wilmington area.

Bess, a native of Cherryville, N.C., received his high school and college education from Livingston College. He taught school for eight years in his hometown. Also, while in Cherryville he was the first Boy Scout Camp Director for black boys in the nine counties which made up the Piedmont Council. In 1941, he married Lucille Franks and became the director of the John H. Shaw Boys Club. This Club was later named Community Boys Club of Wilmington, N.C., Inc.

"At that time," says Bess, "there was no building to house the program and we had to rent quarters from Gregory Congregational Church. We later moved into the former U.S.O. Building where we are located today."

Over the years, Mr. Bess worked very hard to build up the Boys Club. His work was recognized and honored by the Community in many ways. He received the Bronze Keystone for service. In 1971 he received the Distinguished Achievement Award for outstanding service in Boys Clubs of America work, 1958 he was Omega Man of the Year No. 159 and he was a one-time recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award given by the Wilmington Journal.

He worked both locally and out-of-town in the name of the Boys Club. He served on national committees including the National Region Program Committee. He was selected as one of the hundred Executives to study Boys Club in Chicago and helped organize Clubs of this type in the cities of Goldsboro, Gastonia and Mobile, Alabama. He also was a member of Concerned Professional Association which is a minority organization made up of members of the Boys Club of America. States Mr. Bess, "Our reason for organizing was to help see that minorities are recognized in the Boys Club field."

Mr. Bess had a sense of fairness and aggressiveness, which enabled him to be a natural leader. He was one of the first organizers of the Layman Council in the Western NC Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church and first president of the Layman Council Wilmington District. As a member of St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church he taught Sunday school, was in the Choral Club, was a member of the Trustee Board and a delegate to several General Conferences of the A.M.E. Zion Church.

Said Bess, "My wife has attributed very much to my success and has been enjoyable as a companion to many of the conferences I have attend."

As Executive Director of Community Boys Club, his duties were generally administrative. Even so, he added, "The Boys Club is a form of personalized guidance. In addition to recreation, I talk man to man with the boys. I have dealt with different generations and have learned to change with them!" Guidance was given on the subjects of marriage, drugs and education to all the boys. In order to better help the boys with different types of problems the Boys Club works in conjunction with Afro House and Store Front, community organizations which are equipped to be of service to the young.

Bess once stated, "My work is in my heart." Actually, his work was already on paper in the form of future plans to completely build a new Boys Club with facilities for boys and girls. It seems love, luck and good leadership runs this Club!