Last weekend, I was at the University of Illinois campus celebrating the 50th homecoming since I graduated in 1957. I had a wonderful time at many of the university-planned activities and at unplanned activities with friends, but I also had a great experience talking to Daniela at the Cosmopolitan Club. She was most gracious and spent considerable time with us describing the many activities at your house.
When I was a student on campus, I lived at Cosmopolitan for my first three years and was president during the third year. Many things have changed since, but there are also many things that are quite similar. When I was a student the house was located at 605 E. Daniel and housed only men. We had about 25 people living in the house, but also had outside members, including some women. This permitted a great exchange of ideas on cultures, politics, and economics. I can remember many discussions lasting until early into the morning.
We did not have meals at the house, but we did have many other activities to draw students to the house for various athletic and cultural events. (Ping pong was one favorite.) We had been a fraternity when I started on campus but withdrew because of the discrimination that existed in so many fraternities. I felt we were also a central part of many other international programs on campus—particularly those involving the YMCA.
I was very impressed by the activities that you have. It sounds like you have a wonderful organization, and it got me to look up your Web site. From that I even learned some history that I never knew before. I was particularly surprised to learn that the club was started in 1907, and that its first house was at 405 E. Daniel in 1908. So the club is 100 years old this year.
Special thanks to Daniela for showing us around, and may you continue your great tradition.
Outside the Cosmo House at 605 E. Daniel in the ‘50s. Carl Steiner is in the middle row, fourth person from the left.
Cosmo Club member from Britain reading a headline in a U.S. paper about Britain’s foreign policy in the 1950s.
