Ghost Stories on the Third Floor: SVC’s Haunted 'Abbey' Room

The Abbey's distinctive octagonal classroom, viewed from outside the building.

SVC core classes were often held in the cavernous third-floor Abbey classroom. With desks and chairs for perhaps 40 students, it was the closest Southern Vermont College came to offering big-campus, lecture-style classes.

From the outside, the Abbey was known for its distinctive octagonal shape and third-floor location. Faculty offices were also located on the third floor.

The college development office occupied prime space just below the Abbey, on the second floor. The first-floor French doors, visible in the photo, led to the library reception area.

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SVC, Bennington, VT Estate - Mount Anthony

Trudging Back to the Dorms: Surviving Spring Mud Season at SVC

Lumbering down the hill on a muddy day. SVC Fieldhouse in sight.

Bennington weather isn't exactly shrouded in mystery. Those of us who attended Southern Vermont College are painfully aware of the hot summers (third-floor dorms, anyone?), bone-chilling winters, and muddy springs. Such is life on the mountain.

Trudging up the hill to attend class in the Everett Mansion was generally a pleasant affair. The benefits were numerous: fresh air, exercise, and the satisfaction of knowing we were single-handedly reducing mankind's carbon footprint. Having said that, Vermont weather posed frequent challenges.

During bouts of rain or snow, SVC faculty, staff, and non-traditional students all pitched in by offering dorm dwellers a ride up the hill. Perhaps the most generous motorist was President Barbara Sirvis herself, who never failed to offer students a lift in her glorious Buick Rendezvous.

With the advent of President Karen Gross, a shuttle was introduced to whisk students from the dorms to the Everett Mansion in record time, and a newly paved road ensured they traveled in comfort. 

While these embellishments improved the quality of life for on-campus students, there was something to be said for the old system of Vermont ingenuity.

Often, disparate members of the SVC community met and got to know one another during that short ride up the hill. That willingness to lend a hand was a small part of why SVC was special. 

Attending a college where everyone was a familiar face made for a nurturing and supportive learning environment. Try as they might, institutions like the University of Phoenix and Southern New Hampshire University will never be able to recreate what SVC so masterfully curated: the tight-knit culture of a small college.

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Southern Vermont College Mansion, Bennington

Welcoming Generations of Mountaineers: The Historic Everett Mansion Gates

Wrought iron gates of the Everett Mansion, late 1990's.

While on their journey to higher education, SVC students passed through these distinctive gates multiple times each day. 

The sense of pride when entering the Everett Mansion's cobblestoned courtyard cannot be understated—it was like walking into Harvard Yard, only 100 times better.

SVC held its Convocation in the courtyard, and Professor Greg Winterhalter frequently utilized the area's whimsical architecture for his painting and art history classes. 

Photo shoots in front of the Mansion's famous cascading waterfall were a must for tourists, visiting family members, and graduates on commencement day.

Although the original wrought iron gates were in working order, they were never closed. SVC Security conducted rounds of the Mansion throughout the night, keeping an eye out for mischievous students and paranormal activity.

This photo dates back to the late 1990s, and the signage has since been updated. It's unclear if SVC's insignia still graces the Mansion's granite pillars. 

Knowing the Everett Estate's somber history, taking the sign down feels like it would be a bad omen—so perhaps it's still there.

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Bennington, Vermont Mansion