Haunted Colleges - University of Vermont by Davy Russell
POSTED: 23 October 98
Vermont has many colleges, most of which are said to be haunted. But the most
intriguing haunting accounts come from the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington,
Vermont.
The story begins in the 1920's, when a student named Henry, hung himself in the attic of
Converse Hall near the Medical Center. Their are several variations to the rumor of why
he killed himself. One version says he was overworked and lonely; but I also overheard
that he failed a test, which caused him to panic about his grades and kill himself. Either
way, Henry is said to haunt the Gothic-looking building. Students and faculty have
reported beer cans flying across the room, lights flickering on and off, doors opening and
shutting, typewriters typing by themselves, a rocking chair rocking by itself, mysteriously
rearranged dormrooms, and a bolted mirror falling off the wall once.
Henry is not the only ghost lurking in UVMs large campus. Employees in the UVM
Admissions building on South Prospect street has reported similar phenomena, the result
of an apparent suicide years ago. Also, the Public Relations office on South Williams
Street is said to have the ghost of the former owner; along with the Continuing Education
building where spirits are said to vibrate the floor.
Ghosts have been seen in the Counseling and Testing Center building by a psychiatrist
who described an elderly gentleman, "shimmery like a jellyfish" gliding down the
stairway. He elaborated on the description saying the ghost had distinct facial features
and a bulbous nose.
A janitor also encountered this ghost when one night, it allegedly knocked over his mop
bucket, then flickered the lights.
Across the street is the Alumni Relations office, which is said to have a noisy ghost that
slams drawers, doors, and makes loud footprints.
A mystery woman was seen in the Bittersweet home where the environmental programs
take place. One woman described seeing a middle aged woman wearing turn of the
century clothing on several occasions. Security guards have backed her story of with their
own reports of shadowy figures and strange noises.
