ABSTRACT
Student houses in the city centre of Helsinki became the key symbols because the 'common student' was denied open access to the main buildings of the wealthy student union. Since its opening in 1870, Old Student House was the symbol of the role of Finnish students as 'the hopes of the fatherland', referring to the fact that they would be the future opinion makers on crucial social and cultural issues. From 1937, the membership of the student nations was voluntarily, but, until the end of the 1960s, almost all students joined them. They helped first-year students to start their life in Helsinki and their studies at the university, organised leisure activities, and offered opportunities to meet students from other faculties. The proposal to establish a cultural centre within the Old Student House triggered a heated discussion about the use of the House. The idea of the cultural centre got a lot of support, due to popularity of students' cultural activities.
