1952. No wait 1960. Didn't Connie Francis sing a song about this? Where the boys are... da dee..dum...

1961 as it turns out. I never associate mad drunken beach parties with folk now in their late 60s and 70s.

Probably the year of the first really big riot; same year that "Where the Boys Are" came out --- 1961. I wrote about it for the beer book, but that section ended up on the cutting room floor. (I posted it on my blog as part of my First Draft Follies series).

But if it's no '61, then it may have been early 1950s, bec. there were a few lesser "riots" and escapades earlier than 1961. But they were fairly minor.

Ha! Didn't see your own response, Alan, until after I posted mine.

http://maureenogle.com/2009/02/first-draft-follies-kids-beer-and-the-1960s-part-1

Did you catch <http://"http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/08/28/college_drinking_interview">this?</a> There is, apparently, this crazy notion that learning how to handle alcohol responsibly (and how to take care of others who have not ) might be an important part of socialization! Imagine!

Also, by the current definition or operationalization of "binge drinking," I might have some issues. The nerve of them!

Thanks Maureen! It is interesting to me that the article speaks about troubles going back to the 30s. So much for those high school hygiene movies that attributed all evil to the hippies.

Ethan, only take your binge definition standards from Finnish and Czech studies. Life is better that way.

The 1960 film "Where the Boys Are" is based on a novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout. Its characters were students at Michigan State University, who have a reputation around the Big Ten for partying.

Can't hold the past accountable for their actions when we differentiate our self's from the past by learning from it and attempting to avoid it from happening again. Wish this was the case in all situations however like to keep it on a positive note.