This article is a personal view of the career of Sir Alec Clegg. It outlines some of Clegg's achievements in the West Riding, and why he was so influential on those that he worked with. Finally, it retells one of Alec Clegg's favourite stories "The fable of Fred".

In 1972, the Nottinghamshire Education Committee surveyed all primary schools to identify those in areas of multiple social and educational disadvantage. A program, including increased funding, parent education, and in-service, was developed for these schools, to meet the Plowden Report's goal of "positive discrimination" for the…