On February 18, 2023, Blue Ridge School celebrated the dedication of John B. Young IV Library in honor of Mr. Young’s dedication and service to his students and to the community. Mr. Young taught English and history for 51 years at Blue Ridge School and was influential in the lives of thousands of young men.
“Few people have had such a profound influence on Blue Ridge as John Young,” said Head of School Trip Darrin. “When you meet John, you quickly realize how much he has enjoyed teaching and supporting the mission of this school. It is a great personal pleasure to recognize John in this way for a lifetime of dedication and service to the development of boys into young men of character.”
During his 51 years of teaching at Blue Ridge School, John Young stepped out of the classroom many times to assist the administrative side. He was Dean of the Faculty for many years and recruited scores of students as Director of Admissions. He lived in the dorms and served as a dorm parent for decades, as well as Head Dormitory Master and chair of the Disciplinary Committee. His talents did not stop there. Mr. Young also coached soccer, golf, and lacrosse.
Arguably, John Young’s greatest influence at Blue Ridge School has been on the students. Alumni John Buckey ‘88 and Parker Douglass ‘98 each gave heartwarming remarks at the dedication recounting how Young’s calm guidance had profound effects on their lives. Buckey went so far as to call John Young his second father.
Many of Mr. Young’s closest friends and colleagues turned out to join him for this special occasion. Jim Niederberger has taught alongside John Young for many decades. He says, “It’s appropriate that the library be dedicated to John. He has worn so many different hats here at Blue Ridge, but I have always thought that John’s top priority was teaching. For a long, long time we were colleagues in the history department. John also chaired the English department. He took great pleasure and, I think, great pride in what he was doing in the classroom.”
Carl Frye, retired Blue Ridge School teacher and coach, has long been a close friend of John Young and was influential in his early teaching career. He says Mr. Young embraced the lifestyle of being a boarding school teacher: “John did a wonderful job of making sure the boys felt safe and comfortable away from home and from their parents. He took the extra time to listen to the boys if they were having difficulties; he was always there for them. It’s hard to find people like that, people who immerse themselves in being a good advisor and caretaker of the kids.”
The John B. Young IV Library was part of a $2.7 million campaign that reconfigured essential facilities and created both the new library and a new dining hall for Blue Ridge School.
