Henderson House (University of Michigan)

Women's cooperative residence established in 1945 to provide affordable housing and a supportive community for women enrolled in the University of Michigan.

From the description of Henderson House (University of Michigan) records, 1945-2002. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 85778702

Henderson House is an all women's cooperative dormitory opened in 1945 as a result of an idea originally conceived by the Alumnae Council in 1917. The idea was to have a residence for women who would not otherwise be able to attend the University of Michigan without some financial assistance. The first house, called the Alumnae House and later Mary Markley House, was on Washtenaw Avenue. It was the first cooperative house on campus. The Alumnae Council turned Markley House over to the university in 1920.

In 1930 the Alumnae Council purchased property on Observatory for another woman's co-op. The Depression, and then World War II, put plans for the Henderson House on hold, but the Alumnae council continued to raise money to develop the property for the Henderson House. The university eventually decided that it needed the Observatory property to build a new dormitory (now Alice Lloyd Hall). Plans for the Observatory site had already been completed before the War, so in compensation to the Alumnae Council the Board of Regents contributed money to the purchase of a house at 1330 Hill Street, where Henderson House stands today.

Henderson House was named after Mary Bartron Henderson, a 1904 Michigan graduate who was active for many years in Alumnae circles and served as the Executive Secretary of the Alumnae council from 1926 to 1931. She was also one of the driving forces behind the construction and establishment of the Michigan League. At the time of her death, Ms. Henderson was researching cooperative housing for women as a way for students to keeps housing costs to a minimum by doing their own housekeeping. In 1938 the Board of Regents approved a plan to establish a university account for the Henderson Memorial Fund. The stated purpose was "to provide a residence for young women of intelligence and character who desire a college education, but have limited means."

The house itself is a red brick Colonial Revival built in 1892 for a cigar wholesaler named Oscar Robertson. It was later the home of anatomy professor and Dean of the Graduate School, G. Carl Huber. Dr. Huber died in 1934 but his family continued to live in the house until the Council purchased the house. There were plans to renovate the house before opening it, but due to the influx of students at the end of the War, the Henderson Memorial House opened with after some minor remodeling. It housed 15 female students. It operated this way for five years until more major remodeling could take place. The house could then accommodate up to 25 women.

Residents were required to work a predetermined number of hours per semester on various chores around the house, including cooking, cleaning, and other housekeeping duties. This kept the cost of room and board down to a very affordable level. This system continues to be the basis of the functioning of the Henderson House.

In 1950 a library/study wing named after Dean of Women Alice Crocker Lloyd was approved for addition to the Henderson House. However, this was not completed until 1961. A house director's suite was also added on the first floor, the dining room was enlarged, and the kitchen facilities were improved. Six more rooms were added in what had been the attic. This brought the total rooms available to 14, providing space for 29 women.

No major renovations were made to the Henderson House until 1991. The condition of the house had deteriorated since the last major renovation in 1961. The kitchen was renovated along with first floor living areas, and the colors of the linens, paint, upholstery, carpets, and dishes were coordinated for the first time. An ongoing schedule for periodic maintenance was established. House valuables were cataloged and put in the remodeled dining room. In August 1994, the fiftieth-anniversary of Henderson House was celebrated with a three-day event. The Society of Henderson Women was founded at this time to allow former residents to keep abreast of Henderson House events and projects.

Today Henderson House is home to 30 women. Henderson House is open to all female undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, and who are willing to participate in a cooperative living environment. Interested students must apply for admission to the Resident Director. It is a three-story house with the upper two floors consisting of sixteen bedrooms (fifteen doubles and two singles). It closely resembles a large family home with shared common quarters, a living room, dining room, library, kitchen, study, and other workrooms. A Resident Director supervises the activities and duties of the house and lives in her own suite in the house. The Resident Director is assisted by a House Manager, a Food Manager, President, Vice President and several other House officers chosen form the current residents living at the House.

A Board of Governors appointed by the Regents governs the House. This board is representative of various alumnae groups. Although the university owns the property, it operates independently of the dormitory system. Because work activities are shared, only room and board is collected from the women at a rate which is considerably less than that of the dormitories. This included three meals per day, which are prepared by the residents and enjoyed together family-style.

As part of its mission to provide affordable housing for female students at Michigan, the Henderson House awards scholarships annually. Nominees are referred to the Alumnae Council Scholarship Committee for scholarships offered by the council and various other clubs. Three scholarships are awarded through the Board of Governors: Daisy Murfin Scholarship, Claire W. Sanders Scholarship, and the Julia Emanuel Scholarship. The Daisy Murfin Scholarship was established in 1950 and the first award was given in 1955. The Clair W. Sanders scholarship was established in 1955 to honor Ms. Sander's many contributions to the establishment of the Henderson House. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1904 and became the Chief Probation Officer of the Detroit Juvenile Court. She, along with Ms. Henderson, was instrumental in raising the money to build the Michigan League as well as the Henderson House. The Julia Emanuel Fund was begun 1965 and named after the only woman to graduate from Michigan's School of Pharmacy in 1889.

Changes over the last 50 years in the role of women and the college experience are reflected in the history of the Henderson House. Rules governing the coming and going of residents, visitors of the opposite sex, dress codes, and dining protocols have changed over the years reflecting a general loosening of such rules and expectations in the larger society as a whole. The history of Henderson House also reflects the changes in race relations that have occurred since 1945. A survey of Henderson House residents conducted in 1956 asked residents "How would you feel about having negroes (sic.), foreign students, etc. living in the House?" While the response was overwhelmingly in the affirmative to allow such students in the house, there were still a few reservations. This was an issue that the entire nations was dealing with at the time, and in many ways the women of the Henderson House were ahead of the curve.

As gender roles and expectations changed through the 1960s and 1970s, the Henderson House sometimes experienced trouble filling all the available rooms. This has fluctuated over the years but in the last decade, due to increased outreach and publicity, the house has experienced increased interest and is filled most semesters.

House evaluations conducted over the years also show that the more things change the more they stay the same for students living in a coop. Complaints about chores not getting done, others not carrying their fair share of the work load, and personality clashes are evident in the evaluations and meeting minutes throughout the history of the house. Overall, the Henderson House seems to have been (and continues to be) a successfully operated coop with a unique atmosphere and dedicated students. It remains one of the less expensive alternatives to residence hall and apartment living at the University of Michigan.

From the guide to the Henderson House (University of Michigan) records, 1945-2002, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)