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By: Zach Bales
Publication Date: October 6, 2005
In the early 1980’s, four guys from New York City created a unique business in the ghost extermination industry. After coining the phrase “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts,” these self-proclaimed Ghostbusters scared up enormous box office revenues and captured the imaginations of millions of moviegoers.
For many years, people have sat next to roaring campfires in the deep recesses of the woods (or even in their own backyards) and listened to a friend or relative retell frightening tales of ghosts and goblins. Today, ghost stories have become an integral part of our culture; they are as common as Wal-Mart ad Pepsi Cola.
But why are we so fascinated with the supernatural? Why have ghost stories become societal mainstays? The answer is simple: people love being scared. Why else would we jump out of airplanes at 15,000 feet? Why else would we delight in cinematic chainsaw massacres?
In a recent staff meeting for The Bridge, I found myself in a lengthy conversation about Somerset Community College’s alleged paranormal infestation (the eerie rumors associating Stoner Hall, the Strunk Library, and the Stoner Little Theatre with supernatural activity). It wasn’t long before we’d decided to painstakingly investigate this campus for paranormal activity (hoping to get a newsworthy story in return).
But before we started our investigation of Somerset Community College, we needed to learn a few tricks of the trade from a paranormal expert. Thus, we arranged a meeting with Bill Scott, a certified ghost hunter with a plethora of paranormal experiences. Over the past five years, Mr. Scott has been on two-hundred and fifteen paranormal investigations, written two books on the subject, and “had enough paranormal experiences to realize that ghosts exist”.
Bill Scott enthusiastically taught us his “tried and true ghost hunting techniques,” thoroughly preparing us for the upcoming investigation at Somerset Community College.
On Saturday, October 2, 2005, a handful of college students (with enough equipment to rival the Ghostbusters) were preparing to spend the night at SCC… we were ready to begin an exhaustive paranormal investigation.
Enter the Mayhem
We started the investigation in the small graveyard between Somerset Community College’s north and south campuses. For several minutes, we put our digital audio recorders to good use, hoping to catalog an Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP). It’s relatively common for experienced ghost hunters to pick up strange voices on their audio equipment. These voices (usually speaking in fragmented sentences) are frequently attributed to ghosts or other discarnate entities.
“Years ago, one of the professors at Somerset Community College took a tape recorder into the cemetery near the Cooper Building,” Bill Scott told us. “He supposedly recorded several strange voices.” Bill Scott has cataloged many EVP’s over the years, including the longest on record (an audio file recorded at the Lake Cumberland Regional Medical Center).
After completing our auditory research in the cemetery, we hurried to the Stoner Little Theatre (the location of several ghostly sightings). After turning off the lights, I instructed the group to start taking pictures with their digital cameras. It wasn’t long before we’d successfully photographed several bright “orbs”. I could feel a wave of apprehension suddenly overwhelm my colleagues.
“Orbs” are (purportedly non-naturalistic) circular anomalies that commonly appear in the photographs of paranormal investigators. Orb photos may demonstrably be obtained anywhere, but many ghost hunters claim that they’re more common in paranormal hotspots. The existence and scientific credibility of orbs is a topic of fervent debate in the paranormal community.
As we finished our investigation in the Stoner Little Theatre, my contemporaries decided to take a short break. While everyone else was resting in the theatre’s padded seats, I continued taking pictures with my digital camera. All of a sudden, I unexpectedly photographed something very strange—it was a spectral silhouette! I’d successfully photographed a ghostly apparition!
We continued our investigation in the foreboding darkness of the Strunk Library. We once again put our digital cameras and audio recorders to good use, scouring the creepy library for any sign of paranormal activity. Our findings were negligible (a few photographic abnormalities but nothing quite as spectacular as the glowing specter in the Stoner Little Theatre), but nonetheless, the group was keeping an optimistic demeanor.
It’s very important for paranormal investigators to keep a positive mentality, never allowing fear or negativity to set in. “The first rule of ghost hunting,” Bill Scott told us, “is never let them see you sweat.” Due to the ambiguity of the word “them”, I was a little uncertain whether Mr. Scott was referring to ghosts or fellow paranormal investigators. I suppose the “first rule of ghost hunting” was applicable either way… a rather imprecise (yet true) statement.
Bill Scott also introduced us to the concept and importance of “gut feelings.” “Always trust your gut feelings,” he proclaimed, “especially when you’re on a paranormal investigation.”
It was Mr. Scott’s “gut feelings” that got him interested in ghost hunting.
It was Mr. Scott’s “gut feelings” that alerted him to an inexplicable occurrence in the Strunk Library when he was a student at SCC in 1985.
“One afternoon I was sitting in the back of the Strunk Library doing some research,” he told us. “I started getting this strange feeling in my gut—the feeling that I wasn’t alone. A moment later, the bathroom door opened and closed all by itself. If it hadn’t been for my gut feeling, I would’ve missed it.”
Logical Conclusions
At 5:00 AM, the paranormal investigation at Somerset Community College came to a close. Even though we were exhausted (and probably not thinking straight), our small group of amateur ghost hunters could agree on one thing—we’d gathered an outstanding assortment of visual and auditory evidence. We could hardly wait to examine our findings.
The following afternoon, we met with Bill Scott to do just that. For over an hour, the veteran ghost hunter scanned through our photos, listened to our audio recordings, and complimented us on our successful paranormal investigation. “You did a pretty good job,” he stated. “For your first time out, I’m impressed.”
So what were our conclusions?
Certified Ghost Hunter Bill Scott and the staff of The Bridge have concluded that SCC (and the surrounding campus) is indeed haunted… and we have lots of disturbing evidence to support this claim.
I’m sure that there are many doubters out there… people who look at our findings as nothing more than nonsense… an elaborate attempt at eccentricity. In response to that, Mr. Scott laughed, sat back, and stated, “The doubters can ask themselves one thing: do caterpillars believe in butterflies?” And he would say no more.
In conclusion, believe what you want. All we ask is that you remember one thing—the next time you’re alone in the Strunk Library or sitting in the dark Stoner Little Theatre, watch your step. You never know… an angry ghost may be hovering right behind you. If all else fails, drop what you’re doing and yell out: “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!”