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Internationa I House of Ch Icago a Short History

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Internationa I House of Ch Icago a Short History Published by the Hyde Park Historical Society J~~ f/~l-.JA l u~~ 1C1iJ o Internationa I House of Ch icago A Short History This is the introductory portion ofa talk given by Claude weeks and this is the first time anyone has said hello Wei! to the Hyde Park Historical Society, on March 6, to me. " This struck Mr. Edmonds forcefully and 2002. Claude was the former Resident and Associate suggested to him that there were probably many Director ofBusiness Affairs ofInternational Home. foreign students who had come to a strange land and International Home celebrates its 75th year in 2007. This felt very isolated. report will continue in future iJSttes ofthe Newsletter. At the time of the above encounter, Edmonds was an official at the YMCA. After talki ng to his wife, he Note: International Hottse will hold a number ofimportant started inviting foreign students to tea at his home lef:tltres, mmical events, and special presentations in 2007­and not too long thereafter started the tradition of 2008, including talks by authors Richard Dawkins (October Sunday Candlelight Suppers which are now held from 4) andJames D. Watson (October 8). Visit the website, time to time at m any International Houses. However, [ http;llihottse.ttchicago.edtt for details. these suppers soon outgrew his house and over the next several years more and more space was needed t sounds like an apocryphal story but Harry Edmonds for them and for other functions organized for foreign Irelates in his memoirs how he got the idea for students. Eventually the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan International H ouses. O ne day in 1909, when he was Club was formed, funded in part by the Dodge family, walking up the steps to the Columbia University one of the leaders in the copper industry. In 1920, library, he said hello to a young Chinese who stopped John D. Rockefeller, Jr. , was invited to be a Sunday and said to him, "I've been in New York for three Supper speaker. As a result of this event, he and >. ~.~ 2 ~~ ~O his wife became interested in Edmonds' work with would be cut off from participation in those activities foreign students and agreed to fund the building of if the building was south of the Midway. At the the first International House on the upper West Side time, it also appeared that the University was going of New York. At a Sunday Supper in November, 1922, to use that area for the development of its College. Rockefeller expressed the thought that has become the In Edmonds' view, the Chicago International House mission of International Houses: That Brotherhood should not be a skyscraper. He suggested that the May Prevail. The words "throughout the world" were rooms should be 9 feet by 12 feet, a foot wider than added later. He said that peace was the thing most New York's. In August, 1929, the architectural firm, craved for in the world, but that it depended on certain Holabird and Root was approached to draw up plans. factors such as even-handed justice, universal good will Tentative sketches were ready by February, 1930, and implying kindness, tolerance, generosity, and many quickly had Rockefeller's approval. Edmonds, who other qualities, not the least, brotherhood. The New continuously provided suggestions for the House, York International House opened in 1924. made a particular point that the building should have Even then, thought was being given to other places separate entrances for men and women to reassure where International Houses. Berkeley, California, foreign students that their cultural and social concerns and Chicago were among these potential sites. The were being taken into account. Building contracts were Berkeley House came first and was opened, in 1930. finalized in December, 1930, and work was begun on After the Chicago House was built, other Rockefeller­ January 12, 1931. The cornerstone was laid June 24, funded houses were built later in Paris and, after 1931. As part of the construction, steel trusses were World War II, in Tokyo. erected. Various kinds of materials were used for the By 1927, a feasibility study was underway for an building: Indiana limestone, Minnesota granite for the International House in Chicago. In May of that year, steps, Tennessee marble, and te rrazzo flooring. Roofing in a letter to John D . Rockefeller, Edmonds suggested was slate, which was also used in the courtyard. that a building with some five-hundred rooms should Retractable bronze gates were installed at various be built. H e provided an estimate of $1,650,000 as the co rridor intersections on the main floor. Cork lined the cost of the structure. He also offered some thoughts on ice room and root cellar. The day-by-day progress and what kind of staffing the House should have, and what problems were recorded by daily reports indicating their salary levels might be. By 1929, the prospective how many workers were-on the site and what had been costs had risen to $1,800,000 and possibly as high as accomp lished . They also gave a daily weather report. $1,975,000, still less than the cost to build the New While the building was being erected, Holabird and York House. In addition, a figure of $240,000 was Root made a furniture proposal, and the University's given for furnishings. Purchasing Agent made up lists of prospective Given the go-ahead, a site was picked on 59th Street suppliers. It was thought that the University, because between Dorchester and Blackstone Avenues. At the of its considerable purchasing power, could obtain time, this site was occupied by the Del Prado Hotel, the furniture more cheaply by buying directly. Bids built for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. for furniture were put out in December, 1931. It was A recently published book about Hyde Park (1) shows estimated that each room would cost $230 to furnish. the hotel as a five-story brick building occupying the Inspectors were sent out to each prospective supplier to entire block with a one-story fore-building (or sun inspect their premises and the quality of their goods. porch) extending to the sidewalk. At the end of the In February, 1931, suggestions had been made for 1920s, it was the home for some university faculty a fountain to be installed in the courtyard and fo r members, including Nobel Prize winner Albert decorating the buildings entryways. J. M. Jonson, Michelson. University guests also stayed there. But, a prominent Midwestern sculptor, was selected according to Max Grinnell, the author of the book, the and suggested the motifs for the various sides. hotel was meant to be somewhat "temporary," and had The first sketch for the fountain was submitted in "only one refectory and a small entertainment room." February,1932, and it was finalized by July. At first, a The University acquired the site, and by May, 1930, basin made entirely of marble was considered, but that it had been cleared. In the process of tearing down was changed to marble and tile. The fountain was cast the building, it was found that an artesian well (sic) by the Coleman Bronze Company. A gentleman named was located under it and some thought was given to Ernst von Amman, with offices at 8 East Huron Street, whether it could be made use of but eventually it was was hired in January, 1932, to advise about furnishing capped. the common rooms. It was suggested that the Carnegie The reasons cited for choosing the site were that the Foundation be approached to fund a library in the University's social and intellectual life were found amount of $10,000, which was done and a grant was north of the Midway. Also, since most foreign students received. Also, in January, 1932, Ruth Bush offered to were graduate students, it was thought that they loan to the House a dozen antique maps which, until ~.~ A u u III II o 0 7 J ~~ recently, could still be seen in the main corridor. They are now in a room adjacent to the front entryway. A Board of Governors was selected. Its president 'was Charles Dewey; the Chairman of the House Committee was the fa ther of our present Supreme COutt Justice Stevens. The appointment of a Director was discussed and centered on Bruce Dickson. Dickson had come to the University campus as the YMCA advisor, a parallel to Edmonds, and in 1919 had been appointed Advisor to Foreign Students. He started havi ng Sunday Suppers, as in New York, in his home. In 1927 they were moved to Ida Noyes Hall when Julius Rosenwald began providing financial support. There is some suggestion that Mrs. Dickson was to be considered a co-director. Mr. Dickson was given an 18-month Black wi llowtree in Washington Park appointment. One of the amusing discussions in the Board minures related to the existence of a Live Fish and Bait Shop at 6352 South Stony Island Avenue, Arch itectu ra l Photography where all day and all night drinking was in evidence and it was thought to be a menace to women. Exh ibit, August 17 ­ It is amazing to think that the massive structure was completed by April 1, 1932, only a little more September 15 , 2007 than fourteen months after construction started. In September, 1932, operation of the building was For four weeks, from August 17 until September turned over to its newly appointed staff. As an 15, 2007 , H yde Parkers were able to view some aside, in 1933 , the year of the Century of Progress remarkable photographs at the Society'S Headquarters .
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