Haunted schools are a dime a dozen, especially if you live in Indiana. When it comes to haunted high schools, Indiana has more than its fair share.
Start with the old Anderson High School in Anderson, Indiana. The old gym part of the school is supposedly haunted by a student who was raped and murdered. A number of people have heard her screams. Part of the school was destroyed by a fire, which makes the building look even more creepy. According to legend, there’s a frisky ghost haunting the burned spot who throws things.
In Austin you’ll find the haunted Austin High School. A Spanish teacher who worked at the school was killed in a car accident. The woman is now sometimes seen walking through the halls. There are also stories that she was a fan of the Beatles and approaches teachers playing the music late at night.
You’ll also find a haunted school in Charlestown at the Charlestown High School. A group of students were supposedly playing around on the catwalk in the auditorium. One gave another girl a teasing push, but she fell off and died. Some claim to hear her walking around on stage and laughing behind the stage. There’s no proof that this story or the haunting are true though.
In Columbus you need to look for North High School. Mikey was a neighborhood boy who was killed by a horse and buggy during the 1800’s. The spot where he was killed is now the auditorium. Many people have seen the boy’s ghost in the auditorium or roaming around the catwalk. There are also stories of people seeing him from the corner of their eyes as he runs by and some believe that he likes to play with the lights.
Crown Point is home to the haunted Crown Point High School or at least the haunted gym of the school. The lights flicker, the basketballs move on their own, and there are strange noises heard inside. Students at the school have also seen transparent figures walking across the catwalk in the auditorium and hearing strange noises there.
Carroll High School in Fort Wayne isn’t necessarily haunted, but is the center of an old fashioned curse. According to rumors the school is cursed in such a way that a student dies every year, only to come back and haunt the school. You can also go ghost hunting at the nearby Snider High School. Supposedly a girl died in the swimming pool and the school filled in the pool. There’s no proof of this, but some students have heard a girl screaming and crying early in the morning.
Nearby North Side High School is also haunted. A local Miami tribe chief attempted to stop the school from being built and now haunts the area. A former students also haunts the school and is sometimes seen walking on the track or standing in the gym. Several janitors have also reported seeing the ghost of an old janitor in the basement where he was believed to have had a heart attack. A construction worker who died during the building of the school is also sometimes seen.
In Griffith you’ll find the haunted Griffith High School. A ghostly face seen in the girl’s bathroom is rumored to be the ghost of a girl who killed herself there. Another student supposedly died in the library and now makes the chairs move.
Hammond has the haunted Gavit High School. This haunting only happens at midnight, when people see human figures walking on the roof and see windows shut on their own. There are also stories of people seeing figures walking inside the school and hear someone screaming. A number of former students claim these stories are complete fiction.
Hebron High School in Hebron, Indiana is also haunted. During the 1930’s a female student killed herself in the bathroom after being stood up on prom night. Some claim that her spirit can still be seen swinging from a rope late at night. Many people claim it happened on Halloween night, when the school doesn’t host their proms.
Highland’s namesake high school is haunted by the ghost of Bobby Haymaker. Haymaker was a student on the basketball team and died suddenly in the gym. His spirit can be heard running laps and playing basketball in the gym.
Indianapolis is the state capital and has several haunted high schools. Cathedral High School was one a private boarding school by the name of Ladywood High School run by Catholic nuns. The Loretto Hall on campus was where the students were housed. Many people have reported seeing burning candles in the windows of the attic, hear someone walking in the hallways, and see a nun.
Decatur’s Central High School is haunted by the ghosts of five female students who died there in 1977. A drunk driver wrecked his car into the auditorium and all five girls were tragically killed. On the anniversary of the incident students report smelling burning rubber and seeing the lights go out. Others see a female figure crying on the stairs near the auditorium.
The ghost of an unknown woman haunts the high school in Jeffersonville, Indiana. She likes to move things and occasionally hit students. A construction worker who died during the building of the school also haunts the area. Students have sometimes seen him walking around. In Laporte you’ll find cold spots at their high school. There are also stories of toilets flushing and faucets turned on when the bathroom is empty.
Leo’s high school was haunted by the ghost of a student who didn’t even attend the school! Supposedly a new drama teacher had a student die during one of his shows. When he arrived at the school, the ghost of that student came too and began haunting the school. In Loogootee you can check out the haunted JFK Gym. A student fell from the upper floor of the gym while running laps and died. Students now hear people running laps followed by a loud bang on the floor. There are also stories of a blood stain sometimes being seen on the spot where he died.
The Washington School in Pekin is haunted by an unknown spirit. A bloody handprint can be seen in the gym and the lights in the hallways and bathrooms turn on and off without anyone touching them. The gym at the high school in Shoals is haunted by the ghosts of those buried underneath the gym. There are stories of things moving on their own, doors slamming, and tapping heard on the walls.
End your tour with a trip to the Whitko High School in South Whitley, Indiana. The school was supposedly cursed during construction. Now a student of the school dies every year.
With all the haunted high schools in Indiana, you may have attended one and never even knew it!
Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/haunted/hauntedplacesofindiana.htm
http://theshadowlands.net/places/indiana.htm
