I would be greatly surprised if I am the first or the last to respond to Samir Sheth's recent letter regarding Brunswick residents' alleged intolerance of students ("Brunswick community intolerant of students," November 5).
Brunswick was settled more than 165 years before Bowdoin College was founded, and it had a viable cultural population and thriving seaport by the early 1700s. Its history, architecture, climate and location could easily foster a thriving community without the College. Luckily for the local residents, faculty, students and the interested population of southern Maine—who also enjoy the offerings of the community and the school—there has been a generally symbiotic relationship between the town and the college.
Good citizenship requires an attempt at peaceful coexistence. From my personal observations via the press and a reasonable working knowledge of the campus social life from multiple informal visits, I believe that the town and the Brunswick Police Department—in conjunction with Bowdoin Security—have been reasonably tolerant of what has been deemed excessive noise and public debauchery—not infrequently by under-aged drinkers. But that is an entirely different topic for which I empathize with college students nationwide.
Most towns and cities in which I have lived have had ordinances regulating noise, disorderly conduct and drinking in public. But to encourage a blanket boycott of local businesses and ostracize community members because they want a good night's sleep (and would prefer not to have their bicycles stolen or vandalized and their flower beds trampled or watered by the urinary tracts of inebriated students) is just plain sophomoric.
As a parent of three college students, one bit of nearsightedness that I often encounter is that students sometimes fail to consider the fact that their parents, neighbors and the members of the business community at large were—by a vast majority—college students once. In the 1970s, I partied as hard as any current Bowdoin student, arguably harder than most—and predominantly off campus. Yet, I was never present at a party that was busted for noise or public drunkenness, nor do I recall any alcohol-related hospitalizations in my nine years of college or medical school.
As hard as it may be for some students to imagine, I strongly believe that the locals, police, campus security and the administration all have the students' best interests at heart. Along with most parents, we collectively want all of you to get a good education and to revel responsibly. We also want you to remain healthy so that you all can prosper, contribute meaningfully to society and comfortably reside in some future community should you so choose.
Maine is a large, rural state—there are effectively innumerable places where students can disturb the peace, if they feel so inclined, without disturbing one's neighbors.
Thomas B. Tupper P'11, M.D. is a resident of Kennebunk, ME.