The Ethel K. Steel House was the only cooperative women’s living group on the University of Idaho campus. It was founded in 1953 when Ridenbaugh Hall was converted into a music rehearsal space–a role it serves even today. A new building was constructed on the other side of Blake Avenue to replace Ridenbaugh as a residence hall.
Steel House changed locations several times before finally closing in 2019. Its Board of Directors continue to search for a way to have cooperative housing on campus.
The Steel House Papers collection contains news clippings, contracts, board of directors minutes as well as several scrapbooks documenting the Steel House women’s lives. Every year one or more residents volunteered to create the scrapbooks. Each book reflects the scrapbooking style of the historians as well as stories they wanted to remember and others to discover about them.
The House was not a sorority nor strictly a dormitory. But, it entered turtles to compete in the Phi Delt Turtle Derby and participated in SAE Olympics as well as the dormitory living groups’ GDI games. Steel House also participated in the pajama parade to neighboring houses and hosted an annual Easter egg hunt. The residents were marching band performers and involved in intramurals. Some of the residents were also pranksters and annually stole mattresses from Targhee Hall.
The dormitory was named after Ethel K. Steel, a Idaho Board of Education Regent for 12 years (1933-1946) and an advocate for cooperative housing. She wanted women to be able to attend the University of Idaho and lower housing rates would make it more financially feasible for some. She also saw it as an opportunity for students to learn the responsibilities of caring for a home.
The members handled meal planning, food prep, janitorial chores, and occasionally financials. The House also hired their own cook. The building was owned by the university and the cooperative owned the kitchen, pantry, and foods. It’s motto was “Better education through Cooperative Living.”
Mrs. Steel attended the dedication of the building and presented the cooperative with a tea set.
There was also a Man of Steel who was selected through a week-long competition which allowed the women to meet the candidates. The Man of Steel was an honorary member of the house. 2013 Man of Steel, James Nasados posted a welcoming flyer at the house, introducing himself. He wrote in part that “…I am someone they can ask to help fix things around the house or if they just need someone to talk to or hang out with.”
In 2007, the building was closed as a residence. It didn’t meet safety codes and renovation was cost prohibitive at near two million dollars. Michael Giffel, then director of University Residences was quoted in a press release that “while buildings deteriorate, the ties shared by the current and past residents of Steel House are much stronger than mere bricks and mortar.”
Steel House was able to use the temporarily empty Phi Tau House from 2009-2012 when they moved to the former Delta Chi house and remained there until 2019.
The Steel House building still stands and is now known as the Blake Houses providing office space for various campus entities.
Resources
“Women’s Dorm To Be Dedicated By Namesake,” Argonaut, 1953-May-08.
Brede, Ruth. “Sprinkler, Lighting Systems Are Unique Built-In Feature of New Co-op Steel House,” Argonaut, 1953-Feb-16.
Gem of the Mountains,, 1982, 1998.
Nesbitt, Susan. “Closing Steel House” Argonaut, 2019-Mar-28.
Peterson, Kip. “Students Save Money in Co-ops, But It Takes Cooperation and Work,” Argonaut, undated.
“Steel House Dedicated as New Co-op Dorm,” Argonaut, 1953-May-12.
“Steel House tests its mettle,” Argonaut, 2008-Mar-07.
Steel House Papers collection, 1952-2014
“University of Idaho to Close Steel House Residence Hall Building,” University of Idaho Release 2007-Mar-22
“Women’s Dorm To Be Dedicated By Namesake,” Argonaut, 1953-May-08.