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Riverview Hall at SCSU

This version was saved 11 years, 5 months ago View current version     Page history
Saved by Whitney Thune
on October 24, 2012 at 6:23:48 pm
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The Riverview building on St. Cloud State University campus has a long and colorful history. Riverview is the second oldest building on St. Cloud State University campus and a National Register landmark, Lawrence Hall is the oldest built in 1904. It was built in 1911, designed by architect Clarence Johnston and back then it was called the Riverview Lab School. It is interesting to note that none of the classrooms actually face the river. St. Cloud Normal School was the third ever opened in the state of MN. From 1911-1958 it was the neighborhood elementary school offering kindergarten through 8th grade, but preference was given to children of professors. This model school was useful to students at the college; they could observe professional teachers in their classrooms teaching actual students. It was more of an elite school, as the students had benefits such as swimming lessons at Eastman next door and specials like music and art. In the winter, Riverview was so drafty the students and teachers were bundled in coats, hats and mittens all day.  Prospective teachers who were students at St. Cloud Normal school (changed to St. Cloud Teachers College in 1921) could practice teaching there on real students. In 1920 women abandoned the more restricting clothes and began wearing comfortable clothes like shirts and trousers as America entered  into the modern era.

 

 

 

 In 1958 Grey Lab School was built, which is currently ECC. You can tell that it was built to be an elementary school; the “beehive” was the gym. From 1958-2008 the building was used to house the English department, and is currently home to Communication Studies.

01696.jpg A class taking place in Riverview, 1913 

 

     There are people who claim Riverview is haunted. A female ghost is said to roam the halls and open doors. It is said you can hear her high heels click-clicking. There are also stories of a ghost of a little boy bouncing a ball.  Bill Morgan, a retired professor who taught 1978-2000 at SCSU says "I'n not a great believer in ghosts, but the two people who heard the high-heeled female ghost are credible people." One of those people was a professor whose office was in Riverview. Morgan writes

          

     Twenty years ago, Professor John Bovee, now retired, was working in his office one night about 11 p.m. Suddenly, he heard what he thought was a colleague wearing high heels coming down the hall. When Bovee peeked out his door, there was no one in sight.

 

    Ten years later, a custodian also stated that he heard and saw the main door open and close of its own accord accompanied by the sound of high heels clicking on the floor. In another incedent, the grandfather clock that had stood in the building since 1913 was found in the middle of Stearns County road 75.

     My group talked to the current professor of Leadership and Organizational Communication, Matthew Vorell who said "Oh yes, I've heard the ghost." He writes in an email interview:

     The first morning I came to work at SCSU I turned on my TV at home and it was set to the university channel and there was a special ghost hunters show on about the ghosts in Riverview... I was working late on a Friday evening in my office whenmy door closed. I heard someone knock on my door and I saw a person's silhouette through my door's window. When I went to answer the door, there was no one there. Several times when I have been teaching and using PPT, the technology in the room will unexpectedly shut down and start back up."

 

    The building was renovated in 2008 and cost $6.2 million. The renovations included removing lead paint from the windows and high tech upgrades such as a computer lab. This building has been an asset to students here at Saint Cloud State University for over a hundred years.

University Seal, 1930's-1958

 

 

As American entered the modern era in the 1920's it began to be acceptable for women to wear more comfortable clothes such as shirts and trousers. Thank goodness!!

 

 

Riverview hall was renovated in 2008 and cost $6.2 million.

 

 

      Bibliography

Morgan, William, Ph.d. E-mail interview. 18 Oct. 2012.

Vorell, Matthew S. E-mail interview. 21 Oct. 2012.

Ross, Roseanna, comp. "Riverview Celebration." St. Cloud State University. N.p., 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stcloudstate.edu/news/newsrelease/default.asp?storyID=32027>.

Photos courtesy of St. Cloud State University Archives Accessed 18 Oct. 2012

"Women in Pants" photo courtesy of cynthiagreig.com

Morgan, William, Ph.D. "Ghostly Tease." St. Cloud Times 6 July 2002: Print.

Morgan, William, Ph.D. "Riverview Hall." St. Clod Times 27 Oct. 1998: Print.

 

 

 



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