Whether you’re a staff member, student, or visitor, we’ve all heard of the alleged hauntings of Monmouth University, but who would’ve thought that these rumors could actually be true? On Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., in the Plangere Center for Communication, WMCX, HawkTV, HawkInteractive, CommWorks and a radio station management class held a film screening of “Shadows of Shadow Lawn” for the 20th anniversary of the student-made film about the ghosts roaming our university.
Made in 2005, this film explores various rumors of hauntings on campus, focusing on The Great Hall, Woods Theatre, and a multitude of supernatural experiences. With interviews and anecdotes from students, staff, the Monmouth University Police Department, and anonymous contributors, this film pieced together the puzzle of these ghostly rumors. It took approximately six months to film, and since the day of its original screening, these tales hold just as much pertinence as it did 20 years ago.
The night began with a chilling elevator ride, decorated pitch black, with a man dressed in a red suit reciting the words, “Rob is dead” in a terrorizing voice. After the quick, but horrifying ride, the hallway to the screening was decorated as well. The once bright hallway now covered in cobwebs and screaming animatronics scaring those who walked through.
Once you braved past the décor, you were met with warm smiles. The movie was accompanied with various refreshments—water, pizza, and of course, tons of candy! There was also a table filled with free t-shirts memorializing the night.
Soon after 7 p.m., Aaron Furgason, professor and advisor to WMCX officially began the event, introducing the class that worked hard to put it together, and talking about the film itself. Then Tom Hanly was introduced, who worked first-hand on the film as co-producer 20 years ago and spent a night in Wilson Hall (now known as our Great Hall), along with interviewing several staff members. After words from Furgason and Hanly, the film began.
The movie itself was captivating and provided some undeniable evidence about the existence of the spirits at Monmouth. It first explored the historic grounds of the Shadow Lawn estate, where The Great Hall resides. Here, there are reports of spirit activity at night and during the day, along with unexplainable circumstances. The building was once owned by the couple Hubert and Maysie Parson before 1929, and this is where the haunting is believed to stem from. Supposedly, the Parsons often threw extravagant parties and dinners and invited as many people as possible. Unfortunately, because of their status, people didn’t show up to their events. Since they received very few visitors, they’re said to haunt the dining room and building because of their “unfinished business.”
Staff members recount a recurring phenomenon they call the “ghost walk” where the ladies in the office would experience a cold spot, right after each other. One person at one desk would feel warm, and the person next to them, only a few feet away, would get chills. They believed that this was Maysie walking by, as the film mentioned that this “ghost walk” would only happen before big events, or on specific days when they’d send out invitations.
The most chilling story of Wilson Hall, though, is a photograph that staff found. In the photograph are tables and chairs, with two translucent images of housekeepers. It’s obvious by the rented chairs that this is a modern image, but the vintage maid outfits worn by the housekeepers suggest otherwise. It’s an odd photograph that nobody understands, but many staff members believe that it is a nod to Bertha—Maysie’s unwed sister who worked as a housekeeper at Shadow Lawn.
Wilson Hall seems to be the home of tragedy, as the film covered the unfortunate death of a firefighter who died during an electrical fire. He fell down the elevator shaft thinking it was the door to another room, and many believe that his death contributes to the spirits roaming Wilson.
In addition to the above, there were various other anecdotes from staff and students reporting unease, self-igniting lights, and unknown noises, without any scientifical explanation at the estate, and also mentions the imported church in the basement of Wilson, that may very well hone various spirits who were ripped from their original place of rest.
The film then dived into Woods Theatre, a supernatural hot spot as it was the carriage house for Guggenheim’s. Back when the Guggenheims still occupied the library, their stable boy came to a tragic death in Woods Theatre where a horse kicked his head. His lover reportedly took her own life when told the grim news. Many staff members and students have reported disturbances at night in the upper level of the theatre, including flashing lights, an apparition of a boy, and most interestingly, the strong odor of manure and horses.
It also explored various other unexplainable events on campus, including the sound of falling bookshelves in the library at night, visions of a woman in a white gown, the sound of whispering and the creaking of doors and stairs, and strange shadows.
Another notable occurrence from the film was the three graves of Maysie Parson’s dogs on Cedar Avenue. The use of a headstone at the time of their death suggests that the animals faced a tragic death, and some of their headstones have disappeared, consequently stirring their spirits.
The film was set up in interview-style, where we joined staff at their place of work to discuss these disturbances. There was also eerie footage of campus at night, and in the supposed places of haunting, leaving goosebumps on my skin.
One aspect of these hauntings that the interviewees believed was that it was all friendly. These aren’t spirits filled with revenge and anger, but with ecstasy and want. While it may be scary to experience the cold spots and uneased presence of these spirits, many believe they’ve come back to watch the growth of their estate, and Hanly recalls that his experience with these spirits was nothing but welcoming.
Although this was made 20 years ago, these stories hold even more power now. Combined with the haunted hallway and elevator ride, dark room, and eerie phenomenon, this was truly a night full of terror. Friendly or not, one question remains, do you dare roam the halls of Monmouth University at night?
