It’s the most wonderful (triannual) time of the year! In honor of dead week, I’ve decided to take a slightly unconventional approach in celebrating the lovely time that is the week before finals. Whether or not you believe in the presence of spirits in our world, you have to admit that everyone gets a kick out of a good old-fashioned ghost story.
1. Stanley Swanson
The old OSU librarian and retired head of the acquisitions department passed away in 1996. A short while later, staff members at the library heard sounds late at night, similar to fresh pages in a book being turned over and over. Many think the sounds are Swanson's spirit, still devoted to his love of literature. Staff members even still have reportedly heard these same sounds just two years ago.
2. Weatherford Hall
There are copious stories about the odd sounds coming from the Weatherford hallways. One of the most frequented is that sometimes, you can see a young brunette girl waving from the top floor of the residence hall. Rumor has it that she passed away in her dorm room and has yet to leave.
3. An Electrifying Tragedy
Apparently, in Dearborn Hall, a student was working in one of the labs late at night when he accidentally electrocuted himself. After his tragic death, custodial services and staff members saw faint markings on the wall, as well as heard echoing screams down the hallway. The markings are said to be the handprints of the electrocuted victim, and his screams, along with his spirit, still haunt Dearborn today.
4. Ted Bundy's Victim
Ted Bundy was one of the most horrifying serial killers in this nation to date. He admitted to the murder of 30 women at the time of his trial, however, it is thought that the real number is more than 100. One of his victims is speculated to be a young girl in the lower catacombs of Sackett Hall. Students have reported hearing her eerie screams sometimes in the hall.
5. Another Sackett Haunting
Another ghost claimed to haunt the halls of Sackett is a girl who goes by the alias "Brandy." It was said that she was accidentally killed in her dorm room by a drunken man in the 1950s. She often shows up as spectral lights, or a little girl sitting on the end of beds. She reportedly likes to set fires and throw things.
6. Ida Kidder
Ida Kidder was a maternal role model at OSU back in the early 1900s. Her sudden passing in 1920 shocked the entire campus, especially since she spent so much time devoted to her work. Her office was in Waldo Hall on the second floor, where she worked in Behavioral sciences. Her presence is among the strongest and most frequently reported among all spirits here at OSU. Many custodians, teaching staff members, and students have seen her disappearing through walls, staring longingly out the window, or sitting in a chair on the second floor.
Happy Dead Week everyone, and good luck on finals!
