29 Garden Asked To Quiet

In response to a neighbor's complaint, all first-year residents of 29 Garden St. were sent a letter warning them to "behave in a more thoughtful and considerate manner in the future."

In the letter, which was received by 166 first years last Tuesday, Associate Dean of Freshmen W.C. Burriss Young '55 wrote that University officials had received a phone call complaining generally of "loud noise coming from the building."

The exact source of the noise, which apparently aroused the neighbor at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, was not known. Young said last night that all Garden Street residents had received the letter because the source of the noise could not be pinpointed.

Hathaway H. Green, director of the University's office of community relations, received the phone call. Green could not be reached for comment last night.

Some first-years living at 29 Garden St. said last week that they believe the letter, sent just three days after manystudents arrived on campus, represented a move bysome administrators to crack down on parties inthe temporary dorm.

First-year residents of Garden St. exiled fromthe Yard while Weld and Matthews Halls arerenovated, said proctors have been shutting downsome parties minutes after they start.

"I don't know if it's because the neighbors areso near here, but proctors are very strict," saidSeth Weintrob '96.

But Young, who is the senior adviser in chargeof 29 Garden St. said his letter simply expressedhis concern about neighbors on Chauncy, Garden andFollen Streets. He said his letter was not meantto discourage first year students from holdingparties.

"If you read [the letter], it doesn't saythat," said Young. "When I write letters, I'mextremely careful about what I write."

Many first-years said they would no longerbother to organize gatherings in Garden St.,opting instead for parties in the Yard. Somesuggested that this shift in social activity willnot be healthy for residents of 29 Garden St.,located half a mile from the nearest first-yeardorm.

"The whole thing here was that people weresupposed to bond--that hasn't happened," saidJulie Zikherman '96.

Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans said lastnight that the warning for 29 Garden St. residentswas similar to those that have been received byUnion dorm residents in past years.

She said Young's letter was intended to makenew residents of the Garden St. building think ofthemselves as a community within a communityrather than to deter socializing.

"I don't think it's any more the case than atthe [Union dorms] or Mass Hall above thePresident's office," said Nathans. "Whereveranybody lives, you simply have to think about theimpact your stereo has on the surroundingcommunity.

First-year residents of Garden St. exiled fromthe Yard while Weld and Matthews Halls arerenovated, said proctors have been shutting downsome parties minutes after they start.

"I don't know if it's because the neighbors areso near here, but proctors are very strict," saidSeth Weintrob '96.

But Young, who is the senior adviser in chargeof 29 Garden St. said his letter simply expressedhis concern about neighbors on Chauncy, Garden andFollen Streets. He said his letter was not meantto discourage first year students from holdingparties.

"If you read [the letter], it doesn't saythat," said Young. "When I write letters, I'mextremely careful about what I write."

Many first-years said they would no longerbother to organize gatherings in Garden St.,opting instead for parties in the Yard. Somesuggested that this shift in social activity willnot be healthy for residents of 29 Garden St.,located half a mile from the nearest first-yeardorm.

"The whole thing here was that people weresupposed to bond--that hasn't happened," saidJulie Zikherman '96.

Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans said lastnight that the warning for 29 Garden St. residentswas similar to those that have been received byUnion dorm residents in past years.

She said Young's letter was intended to makenew residents of the Garden St. building think ofthemselves as a community within a communityrather than to deter socializing.

"I don't think it's any more the case than atthe [Union dorms] or Mass Hall above thePresident's office," said Nathans. "Whereveranybody lives, you simply have to think about theimpact your stereo has on the surroundingcommunity.