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 >.
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~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
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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 . Exposition, the existence of International H ouse seems T he photographs were part of a program entitled, to have raised some concern among area hotels that "Buildings Brought to Film '07: Docwnentary it was competing unfairly with them. Except for its Architectural Photography," and were taken by first year of operation, during the next several years students in the swnmer, 2007, Docwnentary the House apparently generated sufficient funds to Architectural Photography class at the School of the start a building maintenance fund. But in some of Art Institute of Chicago. The class was taught by Kirk the minutes of the Board of Governors meetings, Gittings and Timothy Wittman. concern was expressed that, in the effort to provide the Although the title indicated a major focus on maintenance funds, the House was shortchanging its buildings, viewers were pleased to see images of social and intellectual activities. parks, trees, even railroad tracks and vacant lots. The intellectual life of the House during its early Eunice Kwan detailed the artistry of brick walls and years seems to have been quite rich. The House had a ironwork. Ben Roberts photographed magnificent di rector for cultural programs and another for social trees, including the black willow shown above. He activities. Speakers included Clarence Darrow, Lorado also exhibited shots of notable buildings, including Taft, Mortimer Adler, Arthur H . Compton, Kenneth the Wrigley Building. Boulding, Clifton Utley, T. V. Smith, Fay Cooper-Cole, Soo Yeon Lee was enchanted by statue of George and Melchior Palyi. Gerald Nye talked about war profits; Washington on horseback at the northwes t approach Gertrude Stein gave a lecture. Lin Yutang and Hu Shi to Washington Park. Christine Bang demonstrated were guest speakers. Under the sponsorship of Elizabeth her talents in capturing the essence of old and new Sprague Coolidge, a chamber music series was organized buildings. Robbie Shyrnanski showed skill in in 1937. Foreign movies were shown. There were poetry p hotographing the atypical-an abandoned electrical recitals, plays, language classes, bridge classes, student substation on Prairie Ave nue and a south side talks, ethnic carnivals, and trips to performances and vacant lot. other places of interest. Teas, Sunday ~ ers, and dances Visitors to the Society's headquarters were fortunate offered opportunities for socializing. m to have these works available for an extended period at the end of the swnmer. l. Grinnell, Max. Hyde Park, Illinois. Chicago, Arcadia Press, 2002.
Future articles will trace the history of International House from 1932 until present.
~~ i\ u umll 2 007 4 ~!~ Cornell and Despres The Russian s com e to Award Nominations due Chicago-in 1893 November 15, 2007 Frances S. Vande'rvoort Members of the Hyde Park H is torical Society are Recently, during a visi t my husband and I made to invited to submit nominations for the 2007 Paul northern Russia as part of an expedition to the North Cornell Awards and the Leon and Miriam Despres Atlantic, we chanced to visi t Archangelsk, once an Awards, which will be presented at the annual important industrial and shipping ce nter where the d inner of the Society in early 2008. The Cornell Dvina River empties into the W hite Sea. A tour of Awards, named after Hyde Park's fo under, recognize this city of 350,000 took us to an art museum where individuals and organizations whose work exemplify a particular painting caught our eye. The painting the values and objectives of the Society. This was a bleak scene of a small group of Siberian exiles includes recording H yde Park's history, preserving clustered around the window of a house in a wintry Hyde Park artifacts and documents, and promoting forest. Illuminated only by a candle on the windowsill public interest in H yde Park history, and ~ducation. and starlight reflected from the snow, the men were Despres Awards are g iven for preserving the built furtively eating bits of bread and sipping water left environment, including renovation and reconstruction for them by the homeowner, who obviously had more of homes, historical buildings, and other architectural sympathy for them than the autocratic regime that structures. had sent them on their long journey. Please send names and addresses of nominees The museum's g uide told us that the painting had fo r Cornell Awards to the H yde Park Historical, left Archangelsk only once, in 1893. That year the 5529 S. Lake Park Ave nue, Chicago, IL 60615, painting was in Chi cago, gracing the walls of the wwwhydeparkh istory.org, or to Frances Vandervoort, Palace of Fine Arts in Jackson Park. Fair visitors saw 5471 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60615, Tel: (773) it in Chicago in 1893; these Hyde Parkers saw it in 752-8374, or bye-mail: [email protected]. Russia this summer. Send Despres--Award-n ominations to-the Hyde Park Historical Society or to Jack Spicer, 5536 S. K imbark Ave ., Chicago, IL 60637, Tel: (773) 324-5476, or e mail: [email protected]. All nominations must be received by November 15, 2007. Society Seeks Program Committee EIizabeth Borst, Chairman, 1912-2007 Th e Hyde Park Histori ca l Society is seeking Longtime Hyde Parker and H istorical Society a new chairma n for t he Program Committee. member Elizabeth Ann Jones Borst died last month The pr imary f unction of this committee is to at age 93. A 1929 graduate of the University of develop new programs for presentat ion at the Chicago Laboratory School, Ms. Borst g raduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor's degree Soc iety's headquarters or other local venues. in 1933. She began but never co mpleted a master's This includes arranging programs for speakers, degree from the University's School of Social Service school grou ps, and local art ists whose work Administration, instead going direc tly to wo rk for is of loca l historica l interest, and pl ann ing Chicago Relief Administration and H yde Park's tours of loca l historic sites. Chicago Child Care Society. Ms. Borst loved music and regulary played her The Program Comm ittee also hopes to Yamaha upright piano fo r fr iends and fellow residents in crease its mem bershi p. at Montgomery Place, where she lived until her death. Her family donated her piano to the H yde Park More information is ava ilab le through the Neighborhood Club. Society's we bsite, www.hydeparkhistory.org . A memorial service fo r Ms. Borst was held at Montgomery Place on September 15.
~.~ f\ u u m 007 5 ~~ Local History Fair \Vi nners Present at the Society's Headq uarters
On J uly 28, 2007, Society members had the opportunity to see prize-winning history projects of local high school students. Students representing their proj ects were Stephen Beemsterboer of Walter Payton High School, whose project was entitled, H. H. Holmes: Tragedy of the World's Fair Fiend. Stephen's project was prepared for a compact disc. Loren Alohan's project, Daniel Hale Williams, and Brienne Lacoste's project, Trumbull Park Riots, were also available for viewers' interest.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KATHY HUFF Loren Alohan
Brie nne Lacoste
Ste phen Beemsterboer
~~ A " IJ III n 2 00 7 6 ~!~ •••• • ••••••••••• Tribute to Frederick • • Douglass proposed fo r • Society Welcomes • Jackson Park • New Archivist • Ifall goes as planned, a collaborative effort between the • • School of Leadership of South Shore High School and the • Michal Safar, Hyde Park resident since • Chicago Park District will result in a commemorative • 1984, has assumed the role of Archivi st for • marker honoring abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. the Hyde Park Historical Society. Michal Plans call for an engraved boulder to be installed near • has a degree in English literature from • the present Lawn Bowling Court in Jackson Park just • Butler Unive rsity, Indianapolis, and received • north of the 59th Street harbor, the precise location of her Master of Arts in Library Science from the Haitian Pavilion of the 1893 Columbian World • • Exposition. This project, which began more than • Rosary College (now Dominican Un iversity) • two years ago, credits Douglass for his leadership and in River Forest. commitment to the quest for knowledge,and will give • • She has pursued various professional Chicagoans a more inclusive historical perspective about • • the activities of this great leader. • interests including wo rk as a university • Douglass, appointed the Minister-in-Charge of the librarian, consultant to the Defense Logistics Haitian Pavilion, gave the dedication address on January • Agency Reseach and Development Division, • 2, 1893, Haitian Independence Day. • and editor of a newsletter for the Industrial • HPHS members are encouraged to express support for • Tec hnology and Ma nagement Department • this project by writing to Adrian Guerrero, Department • of the Il linois Institute of Tech nology. She • of External Affairs, Chicago Park District, 541 Fairbanks is married to Mazin Safar, a graduate Court, Chicago, IL 60611. FAX: (312) 742-6098. • of the Graduate School of Business of • IMPORTANT: Mr. Guerrero stresses that all letters • the University of Chicago and Industrial • should be received by late September, when the review Professor at liT. committee will meet. • • • Steve Treffman, who previously served as • • the Society's Archivist and has spoken with • • Michal at length, describes her as , "an • HPHS Board's Position on • unusually competent person and I thi nk • • people on the Board and members of the • the Illinois Centra l Hospita l Society will be very pleased to have her In late June H PHS President Bradford sent a letter • involved with the work of the Society." • to Fifth Ward Alderman Hairston spelling out the • • Society's position on preserving the Illinois Central • She has made the followi ng statement • Hospital building, designed by architect Richard regarding this pos ition: Schmidt and built in 1916. • • In the letter she points out that, "The building was • The Archives Committee is in the process • a pioneer effort in the evolution of the 'progressive • of locating, organizing and archiving HPHS • hospital design movement,' and is a strong visual records including meeting minutes, financial feature of Hyde Park .. . (It) is in good condition and • records, bylaws and any other documents • does not pose a threat to public safety." In conclusion, • generated by the Society. This process would • she writes that the Society" ... wOltld not object to a • be much easier if we could get digital files • reasonable redevelopment of the site that includes the • (Word documents, spreadsheets, pdf files, • reuse of the historic hospital building, but (requests) PowerPoint files) of these records. If you that any new building be of a high architectural • have any of these types of records, please • quality in keeping wi th the standards already set by • email them to the Chair of the Archives • Hyde Park's historic and modern architecture." • Committee, Michal Safar, at msafar@ • • ameritech.net. • ••••••••••••••••• •
~~ A u 11 nl n o 0 7 7 ~~ Paul Cornell, 89 Paul Cornell, grandson of Paul Cornell, the "Father of Hyde Park," died May 24, 2007, in Naples, Florida. He was born in Chicago, was a veteran of World War II, ~ ~ graduated from Duke University, and made a career in w Z or o economics, oil shale technology, gold, property (in Hyde u :> Park), and electrical technology and manufacturing. -' :::J Numerous patents were registered in his name. if. He spent many years living in California, o~ ~ Switzerland, and Ireland, where he and his wife, ::E ~ Patricia, restored an historic Irish house in County o~ Waterford before settling in Naples in 1996. He was § orf a keen sportsman, and was known as an expert sailor, :::Jo U shot, and fly fisherman. o to :r: He will be remembered for his re markable intellect, " his courtesy, charm, and unfailing optimism. He is survived by his son, Paul V. Cornell, his daughter attended Paul Cornell's burial service in Oak Woods Lauren Mitchell , his son-in-law Adrian Mitchell, and Cemetery on July 23 , 2007. three grandchildren. His wife preceded him in death. (This artide is excerpted from the obituary that appeared Approximately thirty friends and family members in a recent Hyde Park Herald. ) UPCOMING iVfNIS anniversary. (See the article, "International House SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2007 of Chicago: A Short History," in this newsletter.) The film, You Are Here, produced by the University of Chicago Civic Knowledge Project These events will include Author Nights, with of the Division of Humanities, will be shown at Richard Dawkins on October 4, speaking about his the H yde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 South latest book, The God Delusion, and J ames Watson, Kenwood Avenue, between 2:00 until 4 :00 PM. discoverer of the genetic code, speaking on October 8 Wallace Goode, Associate Dean of Students about his book, Avoid Boring People: Lessons froma and representative of the University's Office of Life in Science. Other events include conferences about Community Service will preside. migration and human rights (October 12-13), a"China Symposium" Q"anuary 26, 2008), and various musical You Are Here is a fascinating account of events events. For further information, check International during the past 60 years that produced the House's web site: http://ihouse.uchicago.edu. Hyde Park familiar to us all. The film shows the tumultuous years of the 50s and before, the beginnings of urban renewal and ensuing HPNC: SAVE THE DATE! tensions, and the rapid changes of the 60s. The Mark your calendars for Hyde Park Neighborhood film shows how H yde Park struggled for stability Club's First Annual Health & Wellness Fair, Healthy while at the same time recognizing the need for Mind + Healthy Body = Healthy You!, October 27. change. The result, of course, is the dynamic This will be a debut event for community members, community we know today. health professionals, & civic & senior-focused organizations interested in proactive health. The day will include a brain health plenary with leading AUTUMN QUARTE R, INTERNATI ONAL HOUSE experts from the field, lunch (available by request), 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION hearing, diabetes, and muscle maintenance breakout The world-famous International House of the workshops, & a closing panel about a Lifetime of U niversi ty of Chicago will hold a series oflectures Health. For more inform ation, contact: J essica Blake and other events to commemorate its 75th (77 3) 643-4062, xIS or [email protected].
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This Newsletter is published by the IIyJe Park lIislorical Sodelg Hyde Pa rk Historical Society, a not-for COLLECTI NG AND PRESERVING HYDE PARK'S H ISTORY profit organization founded in 1975 to Time f or you to join up or renew? record, preserve, and promote public Fill out the f orm below and return it to: interest in the history of Hyde Park . The IlgJe Park lIislod cal Sodely Its headquarters, located in an 1893 5529 S. Lake Park Avenue • Chicago, IL 60637 restored cable car station at 5529 S. ~...... Lake Park Avenue, houses local exhibits. Enclosed is my --new --renewal membership in the Hyde Park Historical Society. It is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 until 4pm. __ Student $15 __Sponsor $50 __ Member $25 __ Benefactor $100 Web site: hydeparkhistory.org Telephone: HY3-1 893 'TIe President: Carol Bradford Aodress ______Editor: Fran ces S. Va ndelVoort Contributing Ed itor: Stephen Treffma n Zip Designer: Ni ck ie Sa ge