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Beth Jacobs is the widow of Dr. Lenworth Jacobs. Part of the Jacob legacy is that Dr. Len helped bring me into the world.
[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]
Now the serious part. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]Please read about Beth from this copy of Jean Lowrie-Chin`s article in todays Jamaica Observer:-
Beth Jacobs: farewell to an iconic pioneer
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, March 26, 2007
It was an exquisite afternoon - it always was when I enjoyed Beth Jacobs' matchless hospitality at her serene apartment looking out to the sea in Ocho Rios. Journalist Franklin McKnight rightly dubbed her "the most sophisticated lady in Jamaica" - astute and charming.
Jean Lowrie-Chin
So who is this Beth Jacobs, for whose extraordinary sojourn we will give thanks today at her beloved St Ann Parish Church? She was the first female member of the Legislative Council of Jamaica (the counterpart to our Senate) under the Norman Manley government of the late '50s, as well as the first woman board member of Barclays Bank.
She threw herself into outreach work, founding the St Ann Welfare Association in the early '50s, the forerunner to Famplan, now in its 50th year. It was as a result of the advocacy of Beth and her late husband Dr Lenworth Jacobs Sr, that the government developed the National Policy on Population, making Jamaica an international leader in this field. Dr Jacobs went on to become the first chairman of the National Family Planning Board.
Never parochial in her outlook, Beth Jacobs forged ties with the powerful International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and was elected chairman of their Western Hemisphere Region (WHR) from 1958 to 1961. She led a WHR delegation to IPPF's world conference in New Delhi, India, where both President Nehru and Margaret Sanger, United States family planning pioneer, were in attendance. It was there that she met and became a lifelong friend of Indira Gandhi who shared her belief in planned parenthood.
Time magazine wrote about Beth in February 1959:
"To convince Jamaica's good-time Charlies of the error of their ways and reduce the ranks of illegitimate 'pickneys' is the major concern of an articulate, honey-skinned feminist named Beth Jacobs. Born 41 years ago, and one of six children, she is now a member of the island's Legislative Council, the wife of a doctor popular among the island's US tourists, and the mother of two. Beth Jacobs is first of all in favour of marriage; secondly, she proposes to cut the rate of illegitimate births by contraception.
Family Planning pioneer Beth Jacobs - a lady of many 'firsts'
The ideals of Planned Parenthood, US-style ('Every child a wanted child') baffle many a Jamaican sire, but the Beth Jacobs Clinic does its best to spread the word. Last week Mrs Jacobs was on her way to the International Planned Parenthood Federation's sixth international conference in New Delhi to report on the results."
She has won some support. Says a pretty young seamstress: "What Beth wants is no more unwed mothers running around here, shoving pickneys off on old grandmothers to raise." But one island matron sniffed that "Beth Jacobs is just teaching single girls how to use contraceptives."
Those of us who heard Beth's wise counselling of young women know that she always encouraged discipline and abstention, but was clear-eyed and realistic about the challenges they faced.
The government of Jamaica repeatedly offered Beth national honours but she always refused, saying "I prefer to be just Beth Jacobs." Beth's genuine respect for her fellowmen created a rapport with people from all walks of life.
Last March I wrote in this column about her address at the rededication of the Lenworth Jacobs Clinic on East Street in Kingston, where she paid tribute to the late Mortimo Planno, Bob Marley's mentor:
"When Len and I started the family planning movement in the late '50s, the Rastafarians in St Ann gave us a hard time, even trying to block our path as we drove to the hospital. So we requested a meeting with Mr Planno and explained our work."
Beth said Mortimo Planno listened thoughtfully and said, "You won't have any more problems with my people." "And we didn't!" said Beth, remarking on the importance of communication and purposeful leadership.
As she preached the IPPF's mantra of "Every child, a wanted child", Beth and Len lived their belief by raising two exceptional children, Carol and Lenworth Jr, who have been making their own distinctive mark on the world.
Dr Carol Jacobs is chairman of the Board of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tubercolosis and malaria, in charge of a US$6-billion budget, as well as chairman of the Barbados National AIDS Commission.
Dr Lenworth Jacobs Jr is professor of surgery at the University of Connecticut, governor of the American College of Surgeons, and a director of the American Board of Surgery. Len recalls that his mother had a special relationship with her grandchildren. "She was a great listener.
She would encourage them to share their dreams and aspirations, then reason with them in a way they really appreciated. She knew how to connect with all ages."
I was one of the fortunate people who worked with Beth on the Famplan (Ja Family Planning Assn) Board and learned several good lessons. For example, make every effort to stay the course. If you plan an event do not postpone or worse, cancel. It makes you appear unreliable and unprofessional. She was a firm believer in contingency planning, but never quitting.
Beth learned cordon bleu cooking in London, much to the delight of her guests who looked forward to her wonderful cuisine and hospitality. Among them were National Hero Norman Manley, his famous artist wife Edna and Dame Nita Barrow of Barbados, all close friends of the Jacobs.
Beth chose to live on her own - only last year she renewed her driver's licence - and would answer any suggested alternative with, "I would rather burn out than rust out!" She kept that love for her people burning, forging strong links with the Famplan Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) in St Ann's Bay and ever graciously receiving her friends.
Beth's late sister-in-law Jeanne Wilson wrote a compelling biography of this great woman over a decade ago. When I offered to approach a publisher with the manuscript, Beth said, "No, not yet. They will only be interested when I am dead!" Give thanks for this book to immortalise the legacy of this iconic pioneer, our beloved Beth Jacobs.
[email protected]
[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]
Now the serious part. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]Please read about Beth from this copy of Jean Lowrie-Chin`s article in todays Jamaica Observer:-
Beth Jacobs: farewell to an iconic pioneer
Jean Lowrie-Chin
Monday, March 26, 2007
It was an exquisite afternoon - it always was when I enjoyed Beth Jacobs' matchless hospitality at her serene apartment looking out to the sea in Ocho Rios. Journalist Franklin McKnight rightly dubbed her "the most sophisticated lady in Jamaica" - astute and charming.
Jean Lowrie-Chin
So who is this Beth Jacobs, for whose extraordinary sojourn we will give thanks today at her beloved St Ann Parish Church? She was the first female member of the Legislative Council of Jamaica (the counterpart to our Senate) under the Norman Manley government of the late '50s, as well as the first woman board member of Barclays Bank.
She threw herself into outreach work, founding the St Ann Welfare Association in the early '50s, the forerunner to Famplan, now in its 50th year. It was as a result of the advocacy of Beth and her late husband Dr Lenworth Jacobs Sr, that the government developed the National Policy on Population, making Jamaica an international leader in this field. Dr Jacobs went on to become the first chairman of the National Family Planning Board.
Never parochial in her outlook, Beth Jacobs forged ties with the powerful International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and was elected chairman of their Western Hemisphere Region (WHR) from 1958 to 1961. She led a WHR delegation to IPPF's world conference in New Delhi, India, where both President Nehru and Margaret Sanger, United States family planning pioneer, were in attendance. It was there that she met and became a lifelong friend of Indira Gandhi who shared her belief in planned parenthood.
Time magazine wrote about Beth in February 1959:
"To convince Jamaica's good-time Charlies of the error of their ways and reduce the ranks of illegitimate 'pickneys' is the major concern of an articulate, honey-skinned feminist named Beth Jacobs. Born 41 years ago, and one of six children, she is now a member of the island's Legislative Council, the wife of a doctor popular among the island's US tourists, and the mother of two. Beth Jacobs is first of all in favour of marriage; secondly, she proposes to cut the rate of illegitimate births by contraception.
Family Planning pioneer Beth Jacobs - a lady of many 'firsts'
The ideals of Planned Parenthood, US-style ('Every child a wanted child') baffle many a Jamaican sire, but the Beth Jacobs Clinic does its best to spread the word. Last week Mrs Jacobs was on her way to the International Planned Parenthood Federation's sixth international conference in New Delhi to report on the results."
She has won some support. Says a pretty young seamstress: "What Beth wants is no more unwed mothers running around here, shoving pickneys off on old grandmothers to raise." But one island matron sniffed that "Beth Jacobs is just teaching single girls how to use contraceptives."
Those of us who heard Beth's wise counselling of young women know that she always encouraged discipline and abstention, but was clear-eyed and realistic about the challenges they faced.
The government of Jamaica repeatedly offered Beth national honours but she always refused, saying "I prefer to be just Beth Jacobs." Beth's genuine respect for her fellowmen created a rapport with people from all walks of life.
Last March I wrote in this column about her address at the rededication of the Lenworth Jacobs Clinic on East Street in Kingston, where she paid tribute to the late Mortimo Planno, Bob Marley's mentor:
"When Len and I started the family planning movement in the late '50s, the Rastafarians in St Ann gave us a hard time, even trying to block our path as we drove to the hospital. So we requested a meeting with Mr Planno and explained our work."
Beth said Mortimo Planno listened thoughtfully and said, "You won't have any more problems with my people." "And we didn't!" said Beth, remarking on the importance of communication and purposeful leadership.
As she preached the IPPF's mantra of "Every child, a wanted child", Beth and Len lived their belief by raising two exceptional children, Carol and Lenworth Jr, who have been making their own distinctive mark on the world.
Dr Carol Jacobs is chairman of the Board of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tubercolosis and malaria, in charge of a US$6-billion budget, as well as chairman of the Barbados National AIDS Commission.
Dr Lenworth Jacobs Jr is professor of surgery at the University of Connecticut, governor of the American College of Surgeons, and a director of the American Board of Surgery. Len recalls that his mother had a special relationship with her grandchildren. "She was a great listener.
She would encourage them to share their dreams and aspirations, then reason with them in a way they really appreciated. She knew how to connect with all ages."
I was one of the fortunate people who worked with Beth on the Famplan (Ja Family Planning Assn) Board and learned several good lessons. For example, make every effort to stay the course. If you plan an event do not postpone or worse, cancel. It makes you appear unreliable and unprofessional. She was a firm believer in contingency planning, but never quitting.
Beth learned cordon bleu cooking in London, much to the delight of her guests who looked forward to her wonderful cuisine and hospitality. Among them were National Hero Norman Manley, his famous artist wife Edna and Dame Nita Barrow of Barbados, all close friends of the Jacobs.
Beth chose to live on her own - only last year she renewed her driver's licence - and would answer any suggested alternative with, "I would rather burn out than rust out!" She kept that love for her people burning, forging strong links with the Famplan Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM) in St Ann's Bay and ever graciously receiving her friends.
Beth's late sister-in-law Jeanne Wilson wrote a compelling biography of this great woman over a decade ago. When I offered to approach a publisher with the manuscript, Beth said, "No, not yet. They will only be interested when I am dead!" Give thanks for this book to immortalise the legacy of this iconic pioneer, our beloved Beth Jacobs.
[email protected]
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