My biggest complaint about the historical treatment of LRY is that, in the oral history of LRY, few success stories are circulating. In order to find LRY
success stories, I have had to ask people who were either (a) deeply involved with LRY or (b) involved with UU youth programming across the LRY-YRUU transition
or (c) (like Wayne Arnason) both. Few YRUUers, even the ones who have heard of LRY, have any positive impressions of it at all. As an ex-YRUUer who tread on
some toes before finding out how important LRY was to the people involved, and how many sides there are to the stories, I think this is a shame. LRY had and has
a lot to offer, and not just in terms of lessons learned.
| LRY created a sense of community and magic for many, many participants in its various programs. |
| LRY provided an environment where true youth leadership and youth responsibility were possible. Youth really did make things happen in a way that other youth saw and found encouraging. |
| LRY's sense of community often led to a "safe space" where youth could examine and explore ideas, feelings, and thoughts not welcome outside LRY circles. |
| LRY created traditions. LRY's predecessors also had traditions, but there are a number of things that appeared or were strengthened through LRY. Conferences as |
| YRUU knows them, many favorite YRUU songs, circle worships, safe spaces, hugs all seem to have taken root during Joe Taco's tenure. |
| For a long time, the youth had adults supporting their independence and guiding their forays into new experiences. |
Spencer Lavan, who was involved in the mid-1950's, said,
"We were learning about religion and about liberal religion in particular, and the issues that liberal religion was dealing with, that Unitarian
Universalism was dealing with, but we were also getting a sense of personal spiritual growth in the context of doing these various conference activities."
Jim Sechrest wrote:
"LRY has got to be one of the most important experiences I've had in my life. Mostly, this was because it provided a huge sense of inclusiveness while
fostering an atmosphere of adventure and growth.
"...My early experiences of LRY were filled with a sense of awe. I remember beautiful young women rushing up to hug me for no apparent reason. (This can be
seen as a sexual experience or a spiritual experience - or both). I remember mystical worship services that made my spine tingle and my heart warm. I remember
youth leading worships, business meetings and elections. "
An Eastcoast LRYer of 69-72:
"I was in LRY at age 13, 14 and 15 (I was an underage interloper) because I had seen my older sister go through it, and how empowering and fun it was
for her. "
I quoted Ed Inman as saying the LRY made a real effort to address the legitimate concerns of the UUA. At least in terms of printed program resources, the
materials absolutely existed. In 1972 and 1975, the Executive Committee publicized the LRY Theater Games Workshop Packet and the LRY Recycled Programs
Packet, respectively. In 1976 a new packet, creatively titled A Packet of LRY Programs, combined the 1972 and 1975 packets with more resources. In
1978, they published the how to...leadership packet which directly addresses some of the concerns that were raised by LRY Executives and SCOYP. They also
published the Local Group and Conference Planning Handbook and an informational pamphlet . In 1979, LRY published the Leadership
Development Conferences Planning Committee Handbook.
My opinion, as a current advisor and former YRUUer, is that this material is great. I wish I had had access to it as a youth leader learning to plan conferences
and work with a group in constant flux. This is not to say that the YRUU youth office materials are not useful, but we could certainly draw on resources
developed by LRY. Even the Adviser's Handbook (sic) published in 1955 has a lot of valuable information.
