LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OF THE FALMOUTH FORECASTER
FROM SHIRLEY BURGESS:
To the editor:
In rebuttal to Rand Perry of Cousins Island's letter in April 24th issue, I quote, "If you choose to live on an island, you must recognize and accept the cost and inconvenience associated with island living."
I find the reasoning in the following letter by Mr. Perry very contradictory to this statement.
Chebeague has long been an established, year-round community, and our summer cottages, many have generations of established history on Chebeague.
Ninety years ago, documented by old town reports, there were more children enrolled in Chebeague's two grammar schools than in the entire town of Cumberland.
I can remember, about 50 years ago, two year-round families on Cousins, Edith Yaffee, and the Talbots. Miss Yaffee rowed to Chebeague for groceries.
I am a descendant of Ambrose Hamilton, and was actually born on Chebeague as were many of the older island residents. My family roots are here, and two of my children live here, and the other has property on Chebeague. Randy Perry "chose" to live on Cousins and he is privileged to use the Cousins Island bridge donated by CMP that attracted him to the island. Well, we pay electric bills to CMP also, and have as much right to use state roads as Johnny-come-latelies to Maine.
Expecting Chebeaguers to abandon established over-water access to the mainland shows a lack of historical background and illogical reasoning.