"Walter D. Young, Professor of Political Science at the University of Victoria, died March 10, 1984 at the age of 51. A gifted teacher, scholar, and administrator, Professor Young served on the faculty of The University of British Columbia for 11 years. Walter Young was born in Winnipeg in 1933, moving to Victoria at an early age. He received his B.A. in honours English and History from UBC in 1955 and as a Rhodes Scholar, an M.A. degree from Oxford in 1957. Upon his return to Canada, he took teaching positions at the Canadian Services College, Royal Roads, United College in Winnipeg, and in 1959-1960 in the Department of Political Science at the University of Manitoba. He continued his graduate studies at the University of Toronto, receiving a doctorate in 1965. Professor Young came to UBC in 1962 and served as Head of the Department of Political Science from October 1969 until his resignation in June 1973, when he took a position at the University of Victoria. Walter Young contributed numerous talents to a variety of departmental, faculty and university enterprises. He was one of the organizers of the Arts I programme and, with Margaret Prang, launched the major academic journal dealing with the history, politics and society of British Columbia, B.C. Studies. He was elected to the committee on long-range prospects of the University, and served on the Board of Directors of the UBC Press. In 1969 he was elected to the Senate by the Joint Faculties. Professor Young's research interests focussed on the CCF party, on which he wrote the definitive history. He devoted a life-long interest to the NDP party in this province and in the country. Never a narrow specialist, he personified the scholar whose concerns bridge the divisions between the humanities, history, and the social sciences. He was an active participant in NDP party affairs, and in 1974 chaired the University Government Committee whose report to the Minister of Education led to the creation of the Universities Council. Walter Young was a superb teacher, not only as a lecturer, but in his devotion of time to the intellectual development of his students. He was acknowledged as one of Canada's outstanding political scientists. He served as president of the Canadian Political Science Association in 1980-81 and in many other ways contributed to the development of the discipline in this country. The Walter D. Young Prize for the outstanding student in the area of Canadian politics has been established in his honour." [UBC SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ARCHIVES]

Review of the author's work by BC Studies:
The Anatomy of a Party
The Reins of Power: Governing British Columbia

BOOKS

The Anatomy of a Party: The National C.C.F., 1932-1961 (University of Toronto Press, 1969 328 p.)

Democracy and Discontent: Progressivism, Socialism and Social Credit in the Canadian West (Frontenac Library, Ryerson Press, 1969 122 p.)

The Reins of Power (D & M, 1983); co-author

[BCBW 2003] "Politics"

Photo from BC Studies