To the editor:

There have been many vociferous objections and much hand-wringing about the administration’s decision to limit the amount of water activity the seniors can indulge in on campus next Friday.  I understand that this year’s class has been looking forward to their last day of school as an unassailable tradition that they were somehow entitled to, and that a certain percentage, though not all, of underclassmen enjoy being chased around, but I believe the administration made a very wise decision, and here’s why.

Those who cherish traditions, whether good or bad, are always outraged when the traditions are curtailed.  As progressive as we think we are, at heart, humans dislike change.  It makes us uncomfortable and challenges our assumptions about acceptable behavior.

Some traditions that were in effect when I arrived on campus in 1985 were that boys had to wear dress shirts with ties and jackets, girls had to wear closed-toe shoes, and shorts were prohibited for everyone.  I am sure most of you would agree that these “traditions” outwore their usefulness years ago.  With the water guns, what started as a few people fooling around eventually grew to an afternoon of sanctioned mayhem, with 700 people, students and adults, held hostage to the whims of the seniors who could basically do whatever they pleased.  Gradually, more and more, because these things always escalate, the behavior grew out of hand and at odds with everything the school stands for.

First of all, the “harmless fun” is not harmless.  Property can be and has been damaged: backpacks, which now hold expensive laptops, have been inundated with water; classrooms have been invaded and classes interrupted; carpeting has been soaked.  Furthermore, there is great potential for serious physical harm, with slippery floors and people chasing each other without regard to what they or their victims might be running into.  Classes in session have been invaded and teachers inadvertently hurt.  Sometimes the playfulness spills over into passive-aggressive behavior, with people settling scores with teachers they really should be thanking instead.  Very few institutions allow this kind of thing to go on; only the indulgence of the administration has permitted it until now.

Mr. Herron’s letter to the faculty mentioned “damaged relationships,” and it is this point that I believe is more serious than even the threat to life or property.  Over the years, we come to believe that our students are serious scholars who contribute positively to their community and will ultimately be the leaders of tomorrow.  We emphasize character development and are proud of our students and their accomplishments; we admire them and wish them the best.  How disappointing to have our last day with them poisoned by unseemly behavior.  None of us on the faculty want to remember them howling like savages, running around half-naked, emulating the mob savagery in “Lord of the Flies, ”no matter how much fun they are having–and then be expected to spend the next two weeks congratulating them on their successes and applauding them at every juncture.

Seniors: when you reach adulthood, some unpleasant truths may be revealed, and one unpleasant truth is that you are not the center of the universe.  Trinity gives you many opportunities to be the most important people in the world for the next few weeks, and your parents will always love you unconditionally and indulge you, but very few other people will.  Every day of your life from now on, your actions will have consequences in the way other people perceive you.  There will always be behavioral expectations.  And you will learn that what may be appropriate in one place may not be appropriate in another.

No one is trying to spoil your fun.  They are just trying to move it elsewhere, and they are well within their rights to protect the rest of the school community, school property, and the other students, faculty, and staff from damage, potential lawsuits, or threats to personal safety.

While May 17 is your last day, it is not the last day for anyone else.  The rights of the minority—in America, at least—always have transcended the whim of others and must continue to do so here.

Congratulations, seniors!  Have fun, at the beach, in the park, at your homes.  Your behavior will ensure that you’re always welcome back.

Susan W. Speicher