Who were the first IHers?

The very first residents arrived at Melbourne’s International House at the end of 1956. But we don’t know for certain who the first of the first was. According to an article in The Age newspaper, it was ‘an American’ who arrived in early November 1956, even before the building was completed (“International House Has First Student”, 1956). A report in Melbourne’s Sun newspaper claims that an electrical engineering student from the Philippines, Apolonio (Tony) Villegas, was the first resident (“Book Worm”, 1957).

By early 1957, a group of 42 students (all male, as IH wasn’t then open to female residents) had become the ‘foundation members’ of Melbourne’s new International House. Most were from Australia; six came from Malaysia, four from both India and Singapore and two from Cyprus. There was just one resident from each of the other countries represented in the first ‘batch’: Brunei (North Borneo), Indonesia, Malta, Philippines, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the USA. The Age newspaper reported:

Something in the way of University history was made when the first group of members of International House moved into residence yesterday… First student across the threshold of International House yesterday was Mr P. Y. Foo, an architectural student, who is president of the Asian Students’ Federation.

“Moving In”, 1957

In March 1957, the Warden (Head of College) Brian Jones reported that ‘the full first term at International House began on Thursday, 21st March [1957]’ and that a ‘house warming party’ was planned for the following week (“Warden’s Report”, International House Council, 22 March 1957).

In 1961 one of the first residents, Nicos Kanaris, wrote an article about his experiences of being at IH in its early years:

The residents of the House have established friendships which I am sure will be remembered for a long time to come. This was not done by mutual tolerance only (which was itself obvious at all times), but by active participation in communal activities. The establishment of the Art Exhibition which is still an annual event, the Sunday film evenings, and recorded music concerts all continue. In spite of the small numbers, plays were staged with help from outside friends. A short-lived discussion group, the “Waste Paper Society”, was established at a later date, and this has since been replaced by a formal discussion and debating group. On occasions a national dinner was cooked by a student for the whole House – sometimes with disastrous results, but nevertheless accepted with understanding by all those who shared it.

Nicos Kanaris, 1961, pp. 53-54

References

Book worm (1957, February 5). The Sun News Pictorial.

International House has first student (1956, November 10). The Age.

Kanaris, N. (1961). International House: The first years. Satadal: The Magazine of International House, University of Melbourne, 53-54. https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/international-house-melbourne/2020/05/14/international-house-the-first-years

Moving in (1957, February 5). The Age.