International House (New York, N.Y.)

International House at the University of Chicago was constructed in 1932 at 1414 East 59th Street through the support of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. His hope was "to promote international understanding and friendship of the people of Chicago and the Middle West towards nations and cultures other than their own." The co-educational residence was designed by Holabird and Roche, and built out of Indiana limestone in the gothic style. It could house over 500 students and was administered by a Board of Governors consisting of members of the faculty and representatives of the Chicago business community.

The idea for International House began in 1910 at Columbia University through the work of Harry E. Edmonds. International Houses were built in New York (1924); Berkeley, California (1930); Boston, and Paris. The goals of International House were (1) to provide educational facilities for students of different nationalities and races, (2) to promote understanding and friendship among students of diverse national, cultural, and social backgrounds, and (3) to serve as a cultural facility for the foreign students at the University of Chicago and other educational institutions in the Chicago area.

Members of the International House organized dances, film festivals, lecture series, debates, and forums. The International House Board of Governors at the University of Chicago was one of the governing bodies of International House, along with the House Council and the Senate.

From the guide to the University of Chicago. International House Board of Governors. Records, 1931-1951, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)