Idzerda House

Idzerda House, date unknown (left) and 2007 (center and right) (click thumbnails for larger image)

In 1959-60, Dr. Davidson, the first resident physician at CSB, who also practiced and taught psychology classes at SJU, bought the property from the Monastery and began construction of his home in 1960. In 1962, his four-year-old son died from a fall from the outside balcony. In 1965 the Davidson family moved from this house.

In 1966, the Monastery purchased the property to prevent its being sold to a buyer who planned to convert it to a bottle club. From fall of 1966 until the fall of 1968 the house served as a retreat center.

In 1981, the College of Saint Benedict purchased the building from the Monastery.

From 1968-1996, the house was used as the “President’s Home”:

• From 1968-74, Dr. Stanley Idzerda, as the president of the College of Saint Benedict, lived in the home with his young family. He used the dining room and living room to entertain guests of the college.
• From 1974-79, Dr. Beverly Miller, as president, lived in the home with a companion. She did not play a role in development and, consequently, never used the home to entertain college guests.
• From 1979-86, Sister Emmanuel Renner, as president, lived in the home. She entertained guests of the college (donors, faculty, alumnae) in groups of 4 to 30 about one to three times a week.
• From 1986-96, Sister Colman O’Connell, as president, lived in the home. She also entertained guests of the college (donors, faculty, and alumnae) in groups of 4 to 30 about one to three times a week. Larger groups were entertained in the TRC.

In 1996, when Mary Lyons chose not to live there, the home became a CSB student residence and remained so for several years. The house accommodated 12 students and generated significant housing revenue.

Mary Lyons, as president, lived in a home in St. Cloud, 14 miles away. On occasion she entertained guests by using the TRC or, on a few occasions, the Haehn Campus Center.

When Carol Guardo was president, the house, because of its age and need for renovations, was unsuitable for use as a president’s home, and continued to be used for student residents.

On August 3, 2013 the Idzerda House was burned down and used by the St. Joseph Fire Department to practice and prepare for firefighting. The Idzerda House was demolished for structural problems and to make room for future renovation and expansion of the Haehn Campus Center.  

Bibliography

“From Classroom To Hospital…Davidson is ‘Doc of All Trades,” The Record, October 23, 1959. p. 4.

“Idzerda House scheduled for controlled burn,” CSB Press Release, July 25, 2013