International House Berkeley

The spirit of the '60s, which encouraged more student involvement in campus administration, was reflected at I-House. Residents were invited to serve for the first time as observers at Board meetings. By the early '70s, representative residents became Board members with full voting privileges. During this period, the Resident Council gained a significantly broadened role. Whereas its activity had been limited to assistance in the shaping of resident programs and activities, it now provided input for the formulation of House policies. Until the late '60s, male and female sleeping quarters were strictly segregated, the men in the east part of the building, and the women in the west, on the third and fourth floors. While females had restricted visiting privileges in the male quarters, men were barred from visiting the female section. Then, the present library was divided into two sections, the west wing, serving as a women's lounge, and the east wing, reserved for male relaxation. But "the times they were a changing." A group of residents ingeniously removed the doors separating male and female sleeping quarters. Soon after, the male and female lounges were integrated. The result: the renovated library we know today. Until the late '60s, I-House had provided maid service; rooms were cleaned regularly and beds were made daily. But growing resident sensitivity to the issue of privacy, together with escalating residential cost led to the elimination of maid service. Another major event occurred in 1964 when the House received a gift of $300,000 from David Rockefeller. While most of the funds were earmarked for renovations and capital improvements, about $35,000 was set aside, pursuant to Mr. Rockefeller's suggestion, to launch a community fundraising program. Today's Development/ Alumni Relations Office owes its initial inspiration to the generosity and vision of Mr. Rockefeller. The mid '70s saw the decline and eventual cessation of Sunday Suppers, a House tradition and ritual which did not respond to student tastes of the time. It was not until the early '80s that the tradition begun by Harry Edmonds in 1911 was revived at the Berkeley House. In 1974, the House tradition of free speech came under attack. A number of controversial programs about the Middle East were felt by some to be culturally and politically offensive. This provoked a lively debate about what kinds of presentations and programs were suitable at International House. In the end, the I-House Board of Directors reaffirmed the principle of free speech while underlining the crucial House policy of encouraging mutual respect and tolerance in the expression of differing views. As in the past, the House welcomed distinguished visitors and speakers. Among those who came to I-House were U.N. Secretary General U Thant; former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Adlai Stevenson; Senator Edward Kennedy; former California Governor "Pat" Brown; the then future Residents on a retreat to Yosemite, 1964 7 Residents descending the I-House front steps, 1967 What I learned in the library and from my professors came alive when I returned "home" each evening to International House —An alumna from 1968–69

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