It has come to my attention that the Biddeford City Council has placed a moratorium on allowing the University of New England (UNE) to purchase the convent of the Good Shepherd Sisters. The convent sits near the Saco River. 

Members of that order first came to Biddeford in 1882 to teach the children of French Canadian immigrants at the new school on Birch Street. The sale will allow the sisters, who taught without a salary and consequently are not eligible for Social Security, to meet the living expenses of an aging, religious community. 

The issue rests on the claim of a few homeowners on the river that UNE will construct buildings, wharves, etc., on the purchased land, disturbing their views of the river and its tranquility. The university is not planning to construct a steel mill or run a mining operation on the land. The city should welcome UNE expansion, which, I assume, is its largest employer. 

This situation gives the appearance that the people of Biddeford do not care about the sisters. I find that hard to believe. Last summer I attended my 60th high school reunion. I was amazed at the socioeconomic mobility of my classmates. I remember fondly the nuns who taught me in grammar school and have written about my fourth-grade teacher. I trust the citizens of Biddeford will urge their councilors to approve this sale.

Michael Guignard
Alexandria, Va.