'He appears self-contained and is apt to be solitary, ' commented O'Hanlon.16 'This is not due to moroseness, but simply I think to a shy disposition.' Alan had no friend, and at least once in this year he was trapped underneath some loose floorboards in the house day-room by the other boys. He tried to continue chemistry experiments there, but this was doubly hated, as showing a swottish mentality, and producing nasty smells. 'Slightly less dirty and untidy in his habits, ' wrote O'Hanlon at the end of 1926, 'rather more conscious of a duty to mend his ways. He has his own furrow to plough, and may not meet with general sympathy: he seems cheerful, though I'm not always certain he really is so.'

「他显得沉默寡言，有点孤僻，并非因为不高兴，我想只是因为害羞」，奥汉兰评论说。艾伦没有朋友，这一年，他被其他男孩捉弄了至少一回，他们把休息室一些松散的地板做成陷阱，用来捉弄艾伦。艾伦只是默默地继续着化学实验，但这另他们更加反感了，因为这展示了艾伦的智力，而且会产生刺鼻的味道。「他的生活习惯有点脏、邋遢」，奥汉兰在1926年末写道，「他不觉得需要改变自己的生活方式，他总是有自己的事情要做，但是这并不能得到别人的同情：他看起来总是很开心，但我不知道他是不是真开心。」

'His ways sometimes tempt persecution: though I don't think he is unhappy. Undeniably he is not a “normal” boy: not the worse for that, but probably less happy, ' he wrote somewhat inconsistently at the end of the spring term of 1927. The headmaster commented more briskly:

「他的生活方式，会给他引来伤害，尽管我还看不出，他有什么不开心。但不可否认，他不是一般的男孩，这不是坏事，但可能会让他有点不开心。」他在1927年春季学期的最后，有点语无伦次地写下了这些。相比之下，校长对艾伦的评伦则比较轻快：

He should do very well when he finds his métier; but meanwhile he would do much better if he would try to do his best as a member of this school – he should have more esprit de corps.

他找到自己的职业后，一定会做得很好，但如果他在学校里愿意尽最大的努力，他就会做得更好――他得学会合群。