Hopkins Cribs takes you behind the scenes and into the homes of the University's administrators, faculty and staff. Recently, Mrs. Brody gave the News-Letter a tour of the Nichols House, in which she and President Brody reside.
Few families can boast hosting Spring Fair's beer garden in their front yard, but Dr. and Mrs. Brody can. Hidden behind Gilman Hall between the Greenhouse and the Hopkins Club is the two-story, five-bedroom Georgian house that has been the Brodys; home since the fall of 1996.
In 1958, then-President Milton S. Eisenhower asked the Board of Trustees for a house on campus where the president of the University could live. Thomas Nichols, a board member at the time, provided the money to build the home that would later bear his name. When the Brodys decided to move into the house, Dr. Brody became only the third president to do so, following Milton S. Eisenhower and Lincoln Gordon.
"Where we had gone to college, the president and his family had lived on campus. And it just seemed like a waste of the house here," explained Mrs. Brody. "A trustee provided a local decorator, though there were plenty of things we didn't agree on because we wanted it to be our home. We wanted it to feel like it was our home."
Before the Brodys moved into the Nichols house, it had been used by University departments to host parties, as well as to house University guests such as Oprah Winfrey and Boris Yeltsin. "Its just such a fun place to live," said Mrs. Brody. "When we are here, there are just all kinds of people here all the time."
In the same manner as the White House, the Brodys have arranged their home in a way that divides work space from their own private home area. The kitchen, which Mrs. Brody refers to as "Grand Central Station," is the dividing line.
According to Mrs. Brody, living on campus does have its quirks. "Occasionally [students] will be walking around and doing funny things in the yard because they have no idea that we live here," she said.
Living Room
Straight through the entranceway is a large, bright living room. Mrs. Brody used the help of decorators to furnish the room; however, there were some ideas she wasn't so fond of.
"One thing the decorators wanted was very elaborate draperies. So there was nothing in here for a couple of years because I totally rejected that. I like it light," said Mrs. Brody.
Even throughout the University side of the home, there are personal touches that have been added to the home. In the living room Dr. Brody's grand piano takes center stage. "If we are waiting for guests to arrive a lot of times, he will play. Or after guests leave he will play because we are already in there and sometimes there are still people running around, so we can't settle down to our own stuff," said Mrs. Brody.
The Brodys have found subtle ways of bringing aspects of the University into their home. A blue jay sculpture, a gift from Ralph S. O'Connor, adorns the mantle. On the wall opposite the grand piano is a painting of enlightened thinkers and musicians that was found in the basement of the Evergreen House.
The mayor of Nanjing supplied Dr. Brody with a traditional Chinese welcome character. When guests arrive, the host turns it upside down so that it reads "Our home is blessed because you are here." Mrs. Brody explained that neither herself nor Dr. Brody were aware of the tradition. "We had a Chinese family here and the woman said to me in broken English that it is upside down. So I turned it around."
Study
Milton S. Eisenhower's old living room was converted into the Brodys' private study. Mrs. Brody explained that the study has its own entrance from the outside of the home. "There is a light outside the door here. This was [Milton S. Eisenhower's] separate entrance. Many people tell me about the days when he left the light on and people could come in."
Considered by the Brodys to be a part of their private living quarters, the study houses their own books, pictures and sheet music. Included among the pictures is one of the Brodys with President Bush and wife Laura.
Dr. Brody's Private Study
Although Dr. Brody has his office in Garland Hall, he has a room in the Nichols House where he can conduct work, as well as play. "This is really private space," said Mrs. Brody. "One thing is that we both get very busy all day. ... He does a ton of University stuff at night. He works in here all night."
Dr. Brody's study also provides him some escape from the university, as it houses a flight simulator in one corner and a yoga mat on the floor. Pictures of the Brody family are scattered around the room. "It is always a mess of course," commented Mrs. Brody. "He never has the curtains open because of the reflections on all of the screens."
Upstairs
Three bedrooms are found on the second level of the Nichols House -- one for each of the Brodys' children and one for guests. Following suit of many parents, the Brodys have found additional uses for their children's bedrooms. "We have two kids. When we moved in, they came around more. Now, they are both out of college," said Mrs. Brody. "Our son lives in Palo Alto, our daughter lives in London. They don't come around very often, so sometimes their rooms get stuff put in them."
Dining Room
Adjacent to the kitchen on the first level of the house is a dining room that can seat 18 people. "My feeling is that unless it is a bit of a personal thing you are doing here, you might as well have it in a public place than make it uncomfortable in here," said Mrs. Brody.
Mrs. Brody enjoys doing the floral arrangements for events because she likes being involved in planning the events held in the Nichols House. "I don't want to be totally disconnected from something going on in my house. When I do the flowers I make sure I have the guest list," said Mrs. Brody. "It is my personal way of making it my party."
Along the mantle in the dining room is a collection of tea pots from China. "The little tea pots I've collected every time we go to the Nanjing Center," said Mrs. Brody. "They are just sort of fun. I saw them over there and was fascinated by them."
Kitchen
When the Brodys decided to move into the Nichols House, the University offered to include a personal kitchen and a catering kitchen. The Brodys chose to have one kitchen serving both purposes. Mrs. Brody refers to the kitchen as "Grand Central Station" because "this is where decisions get made, messages get passed."
When eating at home, the Brodys dine in the kitchen, and Mrs. Brody generally does the cooking. "We have so many meals for University functions that we don't pay much attention to our own," said Mrs. Brody. "Because if we are home it means we need to get some work done tonight."
Both Brodys love coffee after living in Italy in the early 80s when Dr. Brody was on sabbatical. Since then they have started off each morning with a cup of cappuccino made in their espresso machine. "I always used to make it. But he likes to make it in the morning. He is a little more scientific about it," said Mrs. Brody. "You know if I was in a hurry I might just put the milk in the cup and put the coffee on top. He is a purist about it."
Bedroom
When the University renovated the house, they encountered problems since a Georgian house is symmetrical, making it difficult to add on to just one side. Instead of building out, the university built up, adding on a master bedroom over the garage.
"I very rarely see an addition to the house that doesn't wreck the house. But I think this was meant to be," said Mrs. Brody.
Unlike their college student neighbors, the Brodys generally get to bed early and wake up early. "We are usually in bed by midnight," she said.
