International House Berkeley

8 International House Times 8 International House Times T he "Golden Age of International House" is an era that is legendary in the hearts and minds of many members of the I-House community; it spans the years 1946–1953, following World War II. ese years of recovery and growth, and our residents who shaped this era, had a deep and resounding impact on I-House that embodied the idea of a community of students of different nationalities and backgrounds living together in friendship, harmony, and peace. Jeanine Castello-Lin and Tonya Staros, editors of e Golden Age of International House Berkeley: An Oral History of the Post–World War II Era write: In the conclusion of e Golden Age of International House Berkeley, Castello-Lin and Staros write: One of these remarkable Golden Age residents was Marion Ross. She lived at I-House from 1946–1951 and recently passed away on October 25, 2018 at the age of 94 (see Marion Ross' obituary on page 17). In the Golden Age book, Marion reminisces about how I-House changed her: The Golden Age of International House Although Marion didn't feel like she did much, she did indeed change the world in her own unique way. First, by earning a Ph.D. in economics from UC Berkeley. She was one of the few women to achieve this advanced degree in the 1950s. She also served on the I-House Resident Council, whose purpose is to represent the residents, provide leadership, and liaise with the I-House administration. Shines On "From their first moments at I-House, the postwar students extended a friendly hand to strangers and compatriots alike. Regardless of whether the newcomer spoke the same language or was of the same race, the response was the same — to join in." The Golden Age of International House Berkeley An Oral History of the Post World War II Era, edited by Jeanine Castello-Lin and Tonya Staros is available for purchase at ihouse.berkeley.edu/alumni/store for $20. Having survived the horror or at least the anxiety of the war, the survivors' gratitude was palpable. From their first moments at I-House, the postwar students extended a friendly hand to strangers and compatriots alike. Regardless of whether the newcomer spoke the same language or was of the same race, the response was the same — to join in. Students arrived at I-House with an effervescent appreciation of life and an amazing resilience of spirit that was contagious. e shared trauma of the war brought students together in enthusiastic determination to make a better future. With its generosity and enthusiasm, the Golden Age cohort helps to remind us of the great poten- tial of places such as I-House to heal in times of . . . challenge. We cannot help but marvel at this remarkable group of people who . . . possessed a distinctive spirit of passionate engagement with the world. My time at I-House was enormously rewarding. I was grateful then and I'm grateful now. I began to see finer distinctions of ethnicity than I had before and I realized the importance of the ethnicity of people. How did I-House shape the path that I took in life? Well, I might not have gotten a Ph.D. if I hadn't lived at I-House... there was a core of very se- rious students that influenced me greatly. I thought I was going to change the world.

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