International House Berkeley

8 International House Times 8 International House Times T here are lots of adjectives one might use to describe the 1960s and '70s: turbulent; violent; enlightening; hopeful; and/or groovy. These decades were marked by the war in Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, assassinations, political scandal, and civil unrest. They also saw new civil rights, protections for the environment, "free love," significant technological advancements, and of course rock-and-roll, disco, and bell-bottoms. The world was spinning, expanding, and changing in so many ways, and often, Berkeley was at the center of it all. As we head toward the centennial anniversary of International House in 2030 and reflect on past decades, what's remarkable is that the core of the I-House experience remains the same. Just as it does for residents today, I-House in the '60s and '70s provided a home from which residents witnessed ground- breaking events in Berkeley and across the globe. Residents were watching, listening, discussing, and learning to lead. At the same time, they were keeping up with studies, playing and following sports, engaging in the arts, traveling, and establishing friendships, many of which have lasted a lifetime. Kwei Ü (IH 1961-65) arrived at I-House from Hong Kong in September 1961. Calvin Smith (IH 1961-63) was his first roommate and Marcia Yao Smith (IH 1963-65) was one of his close friends. Kwei remembers, "I was in deep trouble in calculus, and Marcia, who was a mathematics major, coached me through it. There was always studying to do, but there was also fun, games, and lots of music. After every weekly Coffee Hour and Sunday Supper, we would gather in the Great Hall. Someone would play the piano, and we'd sing folk songs from around the world." To see samples of the I-House song books from the '60s and '70s, visit ihouse.berkeley.edu/stories. Of course, there was also politics. Freedom of speech was a big topic of discussion across the United States, on the UC Berkeley campus, and in I-House. Some residents got involved in the protests of the time while others chose to watch and listen. "Whether or not someone got involved in the protests really depended on who that person was and their situation in life, just like it does now," says Ida Rigby (IH 1966-69). Ida, a U.S. citizen, remembers participating in protests during the U.S. invasion of Cambodia in 1969. But for many international students, protesting was risky, as participation could jeopardize their student visas and the chance to study at UC Berkeley. Ida says, "I-House was an interesting contrast to the rest of Berkeley, which sometimes felt like a war zone. There was always lots of discussion about politics here, but it was also very peaceful. There were the Friday night folk dances and the wonderful Lodestar retreats, Sunday Suppers every month, and cultural programs and speakers." Working as a student assistant in the Programs Office, Ida helped to arrange a number of I-House events, which often reflected the politics of the time. Speakers included Russian revolutionary and former Russian Prime Minister Alexander Kerensky; Vietnam War critic, civil rights activist, and future U.S. Representative Ronald V. Dellums; and singer, songwriter, and activist Joan Baez, accompanied by antiwar thought-leader and Ghandian scholar Ira Sandperl. International House Through the Decades I-House soccer team, intramural champions in 1961. Photo courtesy of Calvin Smith, back row far left. A brick donated by Ida Rigby, installed on the von Kaschnitz patio. Former I-House Board Member and alum, Kwei Ü helps Marcia Yao play Scrabble on a balcony above the Great Hall.

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