#Trinity60
Alan Youngs valete
D.T.A protocols and ADY Funpacks. Dave Crook remembers Alan Youngs.
Having spent twenty-three of Alan's twenty-seven years at Trinity under his patient tutelage, it is with genuine regret and sadness that I (along with many other colleagues inside and outside the English Department) say goodbye to him. I can remember the Department of 1971 vividly: Jack Griffin, Alan Clarke, Peter Smith, myself and Alan. He must have been about thirty-eight at the time. I can honestly say that he doesn't look very different today, and he has shown the same conscientious friendly concern for those joining the Department all the way through his long career as he did then.
Before coming to Trinity Alan was a Fenlander, educated in March and at Christ's College, Cambridge, before teaching in Chelmsford. He subsequently became Head of the English Department at Rickmansworth Grammar School before coming to Trinity in 1967. He was a Bombardier in the Royal Artillery during his National Service, which may explain some of his views about the CCF!
As Head of Department here he also ran the Library for many years, encouraging generations of School Librarians, many of whom have told me how appreciative they have been of Alan's concern. Many pupils owe their love of theatre to Alan's Arts Trips over the years. He has been a caring, sensitive, modest and diffident friend and teacher who has never valued himself as highly as others do. Boys and staff alike appreciate and admire his level of commitment; a recent (true!) story involves a member of the current Sixth Form who said that if an essay is not handed in on time, "Mr. Youngs looks really hurt." This small anecdote is indicative of Alan's commitment to his work, and others' awareness of this. Alan's love of his subject, his enthusiasm to communicate the values of our literary heritage, his concern for the maintenance of standards and his unrepentantly Leavisite attitude that literature has a humanising moral power are all aspects of this principled man. Alan's sense of duty is also considerable. The number of periods of cover that I have had to do for him is still in single figures after all these years, though I suppose he must be as mortal as the rest of us! His efficiency, too, is legendary, and agendas, syllabuses, instructions, schemes of work, etc., flowed from his typewriter. Occasionally, our efficiency did not match up to his, with the result that the 'D.T.A.' was born. This is a request for whatever Alan has already provided and which has been lost; the initials D.T.A. at the bottom of the page stand for Don't Tell Alan!
It is perhaps Alan's generosity of spirit that will be the overriding memory. I have memories of Alan speaking about colleagues who are leaving in such glowing terms that I have hardly recognised the departing member of staff concerned. I don't think this demonstrates any lack of perception in Alan, but sheer generosity, disguised at times by his deteriorationist philosophy about the world outside BUT never applied to any fellow labourer in education's vineyard. He has an ability to see the best in everyone, staff and boy alike. My memories of Alan will be of support generously given, of unstintingly positive help and advice; of scarcely a moment's angry criticism even when deserved; of the gentle reproaches that were often more effective be cause one was anxious to deserve Alan's good opinion; of Alan's trusty typing; of his Luddite distrust of more sophisticated technology; of worksheets, guides and summaries designed to help boys and staff; of the sheer hard work that went into what
we jocularly called ADY FUNPACKS.
Alan has always worked for others: he has scanned the ceaseless changes of the National Curriculum and has endeavoured to make them as manageable and user-friendly as he can. He has cushioned us from change; unfortunately, there is little to cushion us from his own departure. The Department has been very sociable under Alan's direction, inspired by his hospitality, warmth and niceness, and he will undoubtedly be sorely missed.
D. M. CROOK