Traditional

Japanese Bunraku

Puppet Theater

World Beyond

the Headlines

Wangari Maathai

2004 Nobel Peace

Prize Laureate

I-HOUSELIFEA U T U M N 2 0 0 7

The University

of Chicago

International

Forum

I N T E R N A T I O N A L H O U S E N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N

On October 5th 1932 InternationalHouse opened its doors to the world,housing individuals from vastlydifferent cultures under one roof andhosting a roster of programs and activities designed to foster greaterinternational understanding and com-munication. It was a bold and innovative experiment in cross-culturalexchange, prescient in its anticipationof the globalization to come by thebeginning of the millennium. To cele-brate this 75th year milestone, a year-long series of programs and activitiesis planned. The University-wide Kick-off Celebration on October 5th isfollowed by an elegant Open House on October 17th, designed to expandthe visibility of International House forguests from throughout the University

of Chicago, as well as Chicago busi-nesses, foundations, organizationsand private parties. Throughout theyear, lectures by distinguished inter-national guests, traditional SundaySuppers, conferences on world events,and numerous cultural performanceswill provide a rich experience for residents and the general public.Capping the year will be the AlumniReunion with International HousesWorldwide, hosted by the AustrianEmbassy in Washington, DC, on May 27th as well as a festive OpenHouse during Alumni Weekend inChicago, May 29th–June 1st. Comeand join the celebration! Eventswill be listed in the autumn, winter andspring newsletters and can be viewedonline at http://ihouse.uchicago.edu.

The traditional Sunday Supper is celebrated in the Assembly Hall in 1932

Author Night with

Nobel Laureate

James D. Watson,

PhB’46, SB’47

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One morning in1909, Harry Edmonds,a YMCA official,greeted a Chinesestudent on the stepsof the ColumbiaUniversity library andwas stunned bythe student’s reply:“I have been in New York three weeksand you are the first person who has spoken to me!” From that chanceencounter, the International Houseidea was born.

Edmonds and his wife Florencebegan inviting students to their homefor Sunday Suppers and convinced of the need to create a place whereforeign and U.S. students could live together and thereby promoteinternational understanding,Edmonds solicited the help of John D.Rockefeller, Jr. who agreed to fund

the idea. “Here, indeed,” Edmondsrecalled, “was a beginning bywhich the end is made.” The NewYork International House openedin 1924 followed by the BerkeleyHouse in 1930, the Chicago House in1932 and the Paris House in 1935. In Rockefeller’s view, “InternationalHouse is a laboratory for a new kind of experiment—the day-to-daypractice of international fellowshipamong men and women.” To date,the International House idea has expanded from the originalRockefeller Houses to over 17InternationalHouses around theglobe. A more for-mal organizationof InternationalHouses Worldwidewill be establishedin the coming year.

The Beginning by which the End is Made. . .

Celebrating 75 Yearsof Hosting the World

Harry Edmonds

John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

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Doc Films at 75

From the Deskof the Director—Autumn 2007

This past June, sixteen directors fromInternational Houses from around the world came together in Edmonton,Canada at the University of Alberta todiscuss our common goals, aspirationsand mission. It was exciting to sharewith my counterparts snapshots ofrecent developments at InternationalHouse Chicago…and we have hadmany this past year. The program calen-dar was an engaging one, featuringprominent speakers, performing artsand traditional programs for our residents and members of the com-munity. Annual Fund giving toInternational House was at an all timehigh this past year and we are, asever, eternally thankful for your supportof our important mission. Our short-term guest program has taken flightbeyond our initial imagination as weprovided over 18,000 nights of short-term housing to visiting faculty, staff,researchers, prospective students andtheir families and the families ofcurrent students visiting Hyde Parkand the University of Chicago. Thisvaluable service has helped to introduceInternational House to a much wideraudience.

As we enter our 75th anniversaryyear, it is a special time for those ofus associated with International House.The building has been restored, the program is alive and full of excitingofferings and our residential popu-lation is increasing. We invite you toreturn and see for yourself that theInternational House experience continues to have a lasting impacton all who have the opportunityto participate in it.

William L. McCartney, Director

When International House opened in the Fall of 1932, residents organized a film societyto show documentary films—rather thanHollywood fiction—to more accurately portraytheir countries and issues of internationalimportance. These “Foreign Film Talkies” wereshown to residents and friends at theUniversity as well as to neighbors in the HydePark community. By 1940, residents Robert E.Lewis, SB’39, his future wife Mary (Woolsey)Lewis, AB’44 and John S. Atlee, AB’41 appliedfor student organization status, officiallycreating the International House DocumentaryFilm Group. The group continued to evolve,shortening its name to the Documentary FilmGroup and then to Doc Films as the groupmoved its screenings to Social Sciences 122and then to Cobb Hall to accommodateincreased programming. Foreign films con-tinued to be screened at I-House and in

1977 Law School Films was established to screen classic American films of the 1930s,’40s, and ’50s. In 1986 Doc Films moved into its permanent location—the state-of-the-art Max Palevsky Cinema—and was able toabsorb all film programming needs on campus.With intelligent, innovative and eclecticprogramming every night of the academicyear, Doc Films remains a highly respectedfilm society and is on record with theMuseum of Modern Art in New York as theoldest continuously-running student filmassociation in the United States.

This past summer, two International HouseFellows, Jean A. Monfort, AM’07 and Ian JamesRomain, AB’07, began work to greatly improvethe state of the archives—records of the individuals who have resided in the House.Helen Samuels, a professional archivist, isproviding advice and guidance. The goals of theproject are to provide improved access through a detailed index as well as greater physicalprotection for the collection by re-housing thematerials in archival quality conditions.

The I-House Archives include applicationforms, photos, correspondence and essays sub-mitted by those who then became residentsof the House. Assembled initially for administra-tive purposes, the files now provide glimpsesinto the young lives of former residents. Jeandiscovered the file of Hastings Banda, a residentin 1933, who fought for and eventually won the rights of his native Nyasaland (now Malawi)from the British. Banda was President of Malawiuntil 1993. Ian’s favorite find to date was authorJohn Bellairs, a resident from 1959–61 (see fea-tured article in Alumni News), who wrote youngadult novels that Ian enjoyed reading as a child.

The 75th Anniversary will provide an opportu-nity to draw from these records as we celebratethe House through the lives of individualswho lived in these rooms and walked thesehalls. Their stories are waiting to be discovered in the International House Archives.

Uncovering Our Hidden Past

Ian Romain, Helen Samuels, and Jean Monfort archiving the historyof the House

InternationalHouse Archives

International House will show-case the best of internationalmusic at the 9th AnnualWorld Music Festival fromSeptember 14–20. Featuredamong other events: the DHOADGypsies of Rajasthan, Sunday,September 16th and Grammy-award winner Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on Indianslide guitar on Tuesday September 18th. Ticketsfor each concert are $10 for the general publicand $5 for students with ID and are only availableat the door one hour prior to the concert. Thisevent is co-sponsored by University of ChicagoPresents, International House Global Voice’sPerforming Arts Series and the City of Chicago.

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World Music Festival

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I N M E M O R I A M

Tsu Sheng Ma, PhD’38 began a life-longrelationship with International House when,in August of 1934, he wrote from China tosay that he was setting sail from Shanghaion the S.S. President Taft and would arrive in Chicago in late September. While a resident,he earned his PhD in Chemistry from theUniversity of Chicago and met his future wifeGioh Fang Dju, who earned her PhD in Social Service administration in 1946. T.S. Mapassed away May 29, 2007 but his legacywill live on through his generous support ofour Global Fellowship Initiative.

Ole Kleppa arrived at International House inthe Autumn of 1947 after escaping the Nazioccupation of Norway during World War II. Asa student government leader in occupiedNorway, he helped to organize resistanceactivities. Sought for questioning by theGestapo, he escaped over the mountains toSweden, thus beginning a long journeythat would take him from wartime Europe tothe laboratories of the University of Chicago,where he became a world-renowned expert on space-age metals and materials.Ole Kleppa passed away May 27, 2007.

Violet “Vi” Fogel Uretz, SB’39 lived atInternational House for only one quarter in1939 but the experience left an indelibleimpact on her. Nearly seven decades later,when the future of the House was threat-ened, Vi’s belief in the values of internationalexchange inspired her to become an integralpart of the “Save I-House” movement. Viworked tirelessly, passing out flyers, gettingpetitions signed, and rallying with residentsseveral generations her junior to save theHouse. Vi passed away May 18, 2007 but leftus these words of vitality and optimism that marked her energetic approach to life: “I encourage you to breathe deeply and enjoy life and love. The future is bright.”

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An orphaned boy sentto live with relatives, akindly wizard, and anevil force that must bestopped before it takesover the world—allsound like the charactersin the wildly popularHarry Potter series of

children’s books. But long before the adventuresof British author J.K. Rowlings’ bespectacledboy wizard took the world by storm, the booksby American author John Bellairs were the talk of young adult fiction in the 1970s.

21-year-old John Bellairs arrived atInternational House in the fall of 1959. Heearned his Master’s degree in English from theUniversity of Chicago in 1960 before embarkingon a career of teaching and writing. By 1966,Bellairs’ first book, St. Fidgeta and OtherParodies was released followed in 1968 by ThePendant and the Shuffly. His third book, The Facein the Frost, was published the following year.

But it was The House With a Clock in itsWalls, a battle of good and evil of wizardly pro-portions starring the boy-hero Lewis Barnavelt,that earned Bellairs a place on The New YorkTimes Best Books list in 1973. It launched his

popular young adult series, many of whichwere illustrated by famed designer EdwardGorey. At his death in 1991, Bellairs left twounfinished manuscriptsand outlines for twoadditional storieswhich were completedby author BradStrickland. Many edi-tions of Bellairs’ worksare still available, providing thrills andchills to new genera-tions of young readers.

Travel in Time: Stories from the International House Archives

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Please join University ofChicago President Robert J.Zimmer, deans, faculty, and European leaders for a thought-provoking dayof inquiry and conversation.Examine critical economic,social, and scientific issues

in an international context, network withChicago alumni from around the world, andexplore the exciting city of London.

On Friday, September 28, William L.McCartney, Executive Director of the Universityof Chicago’s International House, will hosta private reception for all International Housealumni at the Royal Institute of BritishArchitects, 66 Portland Place, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. To register for the event go to http://internationalforum.uchicago.edu/.

Mark your calendars now for September 27–29, 2007!

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InternationalHouse Archives

Courtesy of the University of ChicagoChronicle

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*I-House Fall 07 News final 8/20/07 3:03 PM Page 5

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GFormer residents often return to the House to enjoy walking thecorridors and seeing the roomsthey once lived in as students. Nowcurrent residents are, for the first time, moving into roomsdesignated with plaques honoringtheir former occupants.

The first commemorativeplaque was placed outside ofroom # 348, former room ofJerry Knoll, AB’47, MBA’47. Hisstudies at the University of Chicagowere interrupted by World War IIand after returning from servicein the Army in 1945 he applied tolive at International House while

completing his AB inSocial Sciences andMBA in Business. Overthe years he contin-ues to keep in touchwith InternationalHouse and remains one of its mostloyal and generous supporters.

Margaret C. Mudd, AB’50,AM’53 arrived in Room #705 atInternational House in 1949, a young woman eager to beinvolved in world affairs. She hadworked in a French GovernmentCamp as a counselor to childrenwho were undernourished as a result of World War II; volun-

teered for C.A.R.E,one of the largestinternational reliefand humanitarianorganizations in theworld; she waspresident of a chapterof the United WorldFederalist group and a member of the

Experiment in International Livingprogram. She believed that livingat the House while she completedher AB (1950) and her AM (Anthro-pology, 1953) would help prepareher for working with internationalorganizations for the bettermentof world understanding. She had first heard of InternationalHouse through her uncle, EdwardYarnell Hartshorne, who washimself a resident in 1933 anddied in the the Army of Occu-pation in Germany in 1946. UponMargaret’s death her brothersStuart and John chose to commemorate her life of serviceto international understandingwith a plaque for her former roomat International House.

Former resi-dent NancySegal AM’74,PhD’82recently sentsigned copiesof her booksfor the International HouseLibrary. Her fascinating research in twin studies has garnered her numerous awards and interna-tional recognition. She hasfond memories of watching Gonewith the Wind at the I-House Film Society and drinking mintjuleps in the Courtyard afterwardsand of “dancing with all the lonely Belgians from Leuven” atthe I-House dances. Dr. Segalis now Professor of DevelopmentalPsychology and Director of theTwin Studies Center, at CaliforniaState University, Fullerton.

The International House GlobalFellowship Initiative ensuresthe exceptional geographical,cultural, and economic diver-sity that is central to the mission of I-House and theUniversity of Chicago. GlobalFellows reside at I-Housethroughout the academic yearand are expected to contributetheir unique perspectivesand interests to the commu-nity. In turn, InternationalHouse provides a supportiveon-campus environment thathelps ensure their personalfulfillment and academic suc-cess. The Global FellowshipInitiative provides crucial fund-ing for students to assist themin meeting living expenses.

Gifts at the following levelsendow in perpetuity GlobalFellowships for studentsresiding at I-House:

• $40,000 endows a fund pro-viding one student each yearwith $1500 to help meet amajor portion of the residen-tial expenses for one quarterof the academic year

• $80, 000 endows a fundproviding one student eachyear with $3000 to meetnearly 70% of the residentialexpenses over two quartersof the academic year

• $160, 000 endows a fundproviding one studenteach year with $6000 tomeet nearly the full costof the residential expensesfor three quarters of theacademic year

For more information on theGlobal Fellowship Initiative,contact Alumni Relations atInternational House (773) 753-2273 or email i-house-alumni@listhost.uchicago.edu.

The InternationalHouse GlobalFellowshipInitiative

To Keep in Mind

Books by Alumni

Named Rooms Debut

Fun and easy ways to give to International House

• Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!A gift of $3,000 will support the weekly Resident Social Hour for one quarter.

• Trip the light fantastic! Your gift of $150,000 will providenew stage lighting for the Global Voices Performing Arts series.

• Guess who’s coming to dinner? Host the traditional SundaySupper and Candle-lighting Ceremony for your gift of$15,000; includes a table for you and your family.

• Show your true colors! Purchase your country’s flag for a gift of $250.

To make a gift contactAlumni Relations atInternational House at (773) 753-2273 or email i-house-alumni@listhost.uchicago.edu

Make a World of Difference!

*I-House Fall 07 News final 8/20/07 3:03 PM Page 6

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September 8Viva Brasil: Brazilian CulturalCelebration

September 12Author Night with Jonathon Kozolspeaking on his latest book Lettersto a Young Teacher

September 28–29University of ChicagoInternationalForum—London, England Special I-Housealumni reception will

be held on Friday, September 28

October 3TraditionalJapaneseBunrakuPuppetTheater—Co-sponsored by the Center for EastAsian Studies

October 3Author Night with Steven Pinkerspeaking on his latest book The Stuffof Thought: Language as a Windowinto Human Nature

October 4Author Night with Richard Dawkinsspeaking on his latest book The God Delusion

October 575th AnniversaryKick-off Celebration—University-wideGraduate StudentMixer for all graduate

students and International House residents; Co-sponsored by the Officeof Graduate Affairs.

October 8Author Night with withNobel Laureate James D.Watson, , PhB’46, SB’47speaking on hislatest book Avoid BoringPeople: Lessons from a Life in Science

October 12Chicago Swing Dance Music Festival

October 12–13Conference—Migration and HumanRights in the Age of Globalization:The Case of the North AmericanCorridor; Co-sponsored by the Centerfor Latin American Studies and the Human Rights Program

October 17AutumnQuarter OpenHouse forguests fromthroughoutthe Universityof Chicago

and others representing Chicago busi-nesses, foundations, organizationsand private parties to introduce ourpreferred catering service providers.

November 10Annual Belgian Halloween Party

November 17Global Voices Performing Arts Series—Lithuania: Contemporary WorldExpressions from Vilnius to Chicago;Co-sponsored by the ConsulateGeneral of Lithuania in Chicago

November 18Global Voices PerformingArts Series—Jazz FaureProject Concert

November 30–December 1The Dean’s Men FallPlay—Merchant of Venice

December 2Holiday Sunday Supper forInternational House residentsand special guests

January 19Global VoicesPerforming ArtsSeries Arts

Midwest World Fest—Concert by Esta

January 26Conference—China Symposium 2008;Co-sponsored by the Center for EastAsian Studies and US-China PeoplesFriendship Association.

The International House Global Voices Program has established a vibrant exchange with a wide range of Chicago-area academic and cultural institutions, arts organizations, dance companies, ethnic and folk arts groups, and music and theater groups. The Global Voices Performing Arts Series provides a showcase for all performing arts programs. The Global Voices Lecture Series presents prominent speakers and organizes round-table discussion groups and special interestconferences and seminars. For further information on programs or to subscribe to our e-bulletin, go to our Web site at http://ihouse.uchicago.edu. Programs are supported in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the McCormickTribune Foundation.

September 23Rockefeller ChapelWangari Maathai,2004 Nobel PeacePrize Laureate, speaking on her bookUnbowed: A Memoir

September 27 John Mearsheimer and Stephen M.Walt speaking on their new book, The Israel Lobby and U.S.Foreign Policy

October 2Robert R. Amsterdam, founding partner, Amsterdam and Peroff, speaking on Preparing for the Post-Putin Period

October 10Eboo Patel, founder, Interfaith YouthCore, speaking on his latest book Actsof Faith—The Story of An AmericanMuslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation; Co-sponsored bythe Chicago Theological Seminary

October 17David Cole,GeorgetownUniversity, speakingon his latest bookLess Safe, Less Free:Why America is Losingthe War on Terror

October 26Journalist DahrJamail speaking on his latestbook Beyond theGreen Zone—Dispatches from an Unembedded

Journalist in Occupied Iraq

October 30Pervez Hoodbhoy, Quaid-e AzamUniversity, Islamabad, speaking on his latest book The Talibanization of South Asia: Can it be Stopped?

November 1Journalist and authorSteve LeVine speakingon his latest bookThe Oil and Glory

November 15Jeffrey Wasserstrom,University ofCalifornia, Irvine,speaking on his latestbook China’s BraveNew World: and otherTales for Global Times

This popular public lecture series held throughout the academic year is a collaborative project with the University of ChicagoCenter for International Studies, the Seminary Coop Bookstores and International House. The program brings scholars and journalists together to consider major international news stories and how these stories are covered. Can’t make it to a program?

Streaming and downloadable audio and video are now available from CHIASMOS, the University of Chicago’sInternational and Area Studies Multimedia and Outreach Source at http://chiasmos.uchicago.edu/ This programis supported in part by the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

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The Chicago Ensemble2007–2008 ScheduleFeaturing works by well-known master composersand lesser known con-

temporary composers, performed bythe area’s finest musicians. For program and ticket information go towww.thechicagoensemble.org

November 4December 9January 27

March 16May 18

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International House

at the University of Chicago

1414 East 59th Street

Chicago, IL 60637

Join the 75th Anniversary Celebration! Visit our Web site to find out about upcoming programs and events for alumni and friends,information on planning your visit to Chicago, and all the latest I-House news. Go to http://ihouse.uchicago.edu

Sign up for our electronic news bulletins andwatch for I-House events in the University of ChicagoAlumni emails! We look forward to hearing from you!

Alumni Relations can be reached byTelephone: (773) 753-2273FAX: (773) 753-1227Email: i-house-alumni@listhost.uchicago.edu

Designed exclusively forInternational House in1932 by Bauscher Chinaof Weiden-Bavaria, theelegant House china hasbeen stunningly repro-duced for the 75thanniversary by Bauscherwith the original intri-cate pattern. We are

pleased to offer alumni and friends a 4-piece setincluding cup, saucer, salad plate and dinnerplate for for $75 plus shipping and handling.

Own a piece of the House with authentic stonefrom the Courtyard. This beautiful blue and grey slate has been crafted into an attractive paperweight with a brass plate and will be a

touchstoneback to hoursspent sittingwith friends bythe Courtyardfountain. Cost:$50 (includesshipping).

Wear your connection to the Housewith pride! Anniversaryt-shirts are on sale for$15 (includes shipping).

To celebrate the 75th Anniversary of International House we are offering a range of commemorativekeepsakes to bring back memories of your time in the House. For more photos and information onpurchasing these items, please go the Web site at http://ihouse.uchicago.edu/ or contact InternationalHouse Alumni Relations at (773) 753-2273 or email i-house-alumni@listhost.uchicago.edu.

International House Keepsakes

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