By Lizz Panchyk
If you’ve ever been in Blodgett Hall, you might know the stories of the ghost of Blodgett 124. This spooky spirit likes to play tricks while classes are in session by flickering the lights, creaking the door open and then slamming it shut. Last semester it was Feature Writing that was intruded by this ghost, and this semester it is the class Free Speech, Media Law, and Democracy that is being haunted.
This ghost is surmised to be a communications professor from the mid 1900s who used to teach in that very room. He simply cannot accept that his classroom is being used to this day, so instead he causes major disruptions throughout class times to make his point known. He particularly fools around during the longer class periods, running at two and a half hours, simply because it allows him to make more distractions and catch students’ and professors’ attention. He is like the Peeves of Adelphi University, toying with students who dare have a class in that room.
In the fall semester, this ghost thought it was particularly good fun to mess with the temperature so that no class period could pass without several degree changes both up and down the thermometer. Students alternately complained of being too warm and then freezing. The windows seemed nailed shut. If the professor opened the door to adjust the temperature in the room, that seemed to be an open invitation to the ghost to then mess with the door. Said Liza Burby, who was teaching at the time, “I really couldn’t win. In time I thought it best to go along with the game. After all, I had a class to teach.”
It does make sense for Blodgett to be more active in terms of spirits since it is one of the first three buildings built on our campus. Since the building has been here since 1928, it's only appropriate for it to be haunted. No joke; be aware when you enter 124, because you will be disturbing someone else's classroom. And this flying friend will make it known.
Hopefully not an evil spirit, you still don't want to be on their bad side. It's never a good idea to mess around with “that kind of stuff.” And if you do, you might find yourself attracting the spirits themselves along with that kind of energy. I would seriously advise anyone who dares mess with the ghost of Blodgett to carry some salt to class. Ghosts notoriously don't like salt, and it acts as a barrier that they cannot cross. I feel as though any class that occurs in Blodgett 124 should carry some salt on them, and this will also help prevent you from getting possessed. Because if it's one thing no one wants, it's getting possessed by a professor. Then you might have the sudden urge to hand out assignments and give homework. No one wants that.
As long as you prepare for the Casper of Adelphi when entering 124, you should be okay. Doors may creak and lights may flicker, you might even feel a cold spot once in a while. But not to worry, because if you leave this little mischievous floating friend alone, he too will leave you alone.
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