Danger Zone One

The following is an excerpt from Restless Spirits: Alienation and Madness in the Lives of Historical Figures, published by Tenent Publishing.

A lifetime of notable achievements and the founding of a prestigious all-girls’ academy would mean little in Ira Sumter’s final days, committed to a psychiatric institute, raving about malevolent entities and curses.

Prior to her unfortunate end, those close to Ira said that she considered Sumter Academy to be her crowning accomplishment—others believed that it was her very undoing.

Well-educated, level-headed, and possessing what some described as “unrelenting logic,” Ira’s personality took a drastic shift once construction of Sumter Academy was to begin. Days before contractors arrived, Ira rejected the building plans she had previously approved, and hired a new architect to carry out her “direct vision.” Construction would soon resume but, despite stating that she was satisfied with the new design plans, Ira demanded radical architectural changes on a daily basis. She never offered a reason for the alterations, which included secret doors, hidden passageways, and other peculiar  additions. However, it was rumored that Ira would consult a spirit board each night and the messages she supposedly received dictated her unusual architectural choices. Friends and relatives insisted that Ira never took an interest in spiritualism or the occult prior, but claimed she had become obsessed during the building’s construction.

Stories spread that Ira was using the school as a means to ward off a curse or an evil spirit, which she believed was afflicting her mind. The many passageways she added were allegedly designed to confuse and divert negative forces—while the ever-increasing number of gargoyles she commissioned for the academy’s roof were intended to repel anything “uninvited” from the grounds. There was even speculation that spiritual warding seals and occult symbols had been placed beneath the tiled floors in the lobby to prevent harmful spirits from entering.

Such precautions were seemingly ineffectual, as ten workers died during the building’s construction. These deaths only fueled more rumors of curses, which further increased when Kregin Hahn, the building’s architect, and Sirio Balíst, sculptor of the gargoyles, died shortly after the academy opened.

Once construction had finished—following four years of delays—Ira devoted herself entirely to Sumter Academy, which quickly became the sterling beacon of education, status, and prominence that she had envisioned. Within two years, the school would already earn its reputation for excellence and amassed an extensive waiting list for enrollment.

But Ira would not enjoy her achievement for long.

During the academy’s third year, Ira was involuntarily committed to the Voorhen Sanitarium. She claimed that her efforts to prevent an evil presence from entering the school had backfired and that a malicious entity was now trapped inside the building. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Ira would spend her last days at the sanitarium, passing away just weeks after being committed.

Over a century later, Ira’s association with the Voorhen Sanitarium is barely a footnote in her legacy, nor has it adversely impacted Sumter Academy’s world-renowned reputation. As for the building itself, stories of secret passageways and curses are mostly forgotten—instead, many regard the structure as a fascinating mix of architectural styles and, as of last year, has been officially designated as a historical landmark.

Danger Zone One. Story by Midnight. Art by Salaiix.