Back to School Special: Haunted Schools

I’ve written articles about haunted places all over the world and they all have one thing in common. Every place I have ever written about has had at least one haunted school.

Be it grade school, high school or college, nearly every state in the US and other places abroad has a haunted school. It’s no wonder why. Schools, like hospitals, are jam packed with residual energy, and if the school has been home to a particular tragedy, spirit students may feel most comfortable in their old school setting. Psychics have no trouble hearing the residual energies in a school, the ringing of bells, the laughter of children, the opening of doors and thrumming of feet in the halls, but ghost hunters really enjoy the more active intelligent haunting that occur in many old schools. Here are some particularly infamous haunted schools for your consideration.

Lourdes High School, Chicago IL

This active school has no shortage of reports from teachers and students about eerie music, disembodied voices and footsteps in empty hallways. No particular reason for the spirit activity is identified.

Eastern Illinois University – Charleston, IL

A female ghost lovingly referred to as “Mary” seems to reside in the female dormitory called Pemberton Hall. Lots of poltergeist activity is reported including electronic equipment being turned on or off and the rattling of doorknobs. The hauntings are attributed to a legend of a dorm counselor named Mary who was supposedly killed at the school by a custodian in the early 1920’s.

Metz Elementary School in Austin, Texas

This building that was built in the early 1900’s was scheduled to be torn down due to age and size and apparently didn't agree with the ruling. Construction workers reported hearing children’s laughter, having equipment failures and odd writing appearing on forgotten chalk boards. Eventually the building was leveled, but the events that occurred there and the documentation by early journalists in the area make it one of the most well known school hauntings written about.

Got a haunted school story to share? Please tell us your tale in the comments area. Meanwhile, check out these haunted school YouTube links:
Chester Haunted School
George Wright Haunted School

Photo by www.flickr.com/photos/joelf/430142535/