Neighbors try to get to know students

BY JOHN MCCANN jmccann@heraldsun.com

DURHAM -- Classes have resumed at what we might call the University of Trinity Park.

"Professor" Jo Darby is teaching Welcome Wagon 101. It's a hands-on course exploring the dynamics of neighborliness.

She theorizes that if Trinity Park residents simply treated Duke University students like decent folks, then they'd act mature.

John Dagenhart, president of the Trinity Park Neighborhood Association, is steeped in, shall we say, the anthropology of his community, tuned in to the push-pull that seemingly pits the grownups against the kids.

Elevated aggravation

Like nomads, Duke students return to the area every year around this time. And they bring their kegs of beer. The young'uns swill and crank up that fuss they call music, rousting the old bears in Trinity Park.

The quiet hibernation of summer is over.

The aggravation reached new levels during the spring semester that just passed. That's when police busted up a raucous party at 508 N. Buchanan Blvd. And there wasn't just beer. There was an inflatable baby pool. Filled with baby oil. And when the fuzz raided the joint, a bunch of slicked-down women wearing bikinis darted out of the basement like Tar Heels in a Blue Devil's den.

But a new semester's dawned, and the slate's been wiped clean. The old bears are welcoming the young nomads with open arms.

"We're just continuing to try to be proactive," Dagenhart said.

Students can join

To stop stuff before it starts, the neighborhood association plans to offer student memberships at a discounted fee, Dagenhart said. Just a way to reach out to the kids, show them that renters are just as vital to the community as those hunkered down with mortgages in one of the Triangle's oldest neighborhoods.

Homes in Trinity Park date back to the late 19th century. The neighborhood was emerging around the same time as Trinity College, now Duke University.

Some of the professors lived in Trinity Park. When they moved away or died, the community declined.

Then the neighborhood association formed in 1974, and the place got rejuvenated.

Now, to keep it that way.

"A lot of us were students at one point in time, and they need to blow off a little steam," Dagenhart said. But there is such a thing as going too far, he added.

Seeking a dialogue

To help students understand their limits, the neighborhood association will continue opening its meetings to student representatives from Duke, Darby said.

The effort has proved fruitful, she said. Students showed up at a past meeting and asked Trinity Park residents why they were so opposed to college kids. It was a chance to set the record straight.

"Getting rid of students is not the idea at all," Darby said. It's just a matter of respect, she said.

Darby's not the type to call the police unless it's absolutely necessary. Instead, she tells students to let her know when they'll be partying so a dialogue about limits and boundaries can ensue.

"I find that being friendly and direct really works," Darby said.

Last year, Trinity Park residents gave students bags containing essential information such as local maps and important phone numbers. More of the same is on tap (no beer pun intended) for this year.

To further foster relationships, a community cleanup day will be organized once the students are moved in, Darby said.

Asked if he dreaded the return of the Duke students, Dagenhart said, "I don't know if you call it 'dread.' It's just the coming of the seasons."

"In Your Neighborhood" appears every Monday. If you know of someone or something interesting in your neighborhood, call (919) 419-6630 or e-mail news@heraldsun.com.

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