Witnesses recount tales of late night ‘visitors’

ghostBy: Sarah Stortz

When Halloween rolls around, the Cedar Valley spooky speculations that are usually reported to be haunted include the Strayer-Wood Theatre, the Lawther Hall at UNI and the Walmart on Flammang Drive, but some witnesses can make a case for paranormal activity right here on the campuses of Cedar Falls Schools.

One such case comes from social studies teacher Kevin Stewart. He said about 12 years ago he was grading papers late when around 2 a.m. he started to hear noises coming from the hallway.

He described it as the sound of people walking out in the hallway whenever it became really quiet, and sometimes he would hear noises of lockers being shut.

“Around the time, there would have been nobody in the building that early in the morning, not even any janitors, unless it was another teacher, but they would have at least turned the lights on,” Stewart said.

So, does he think there’s a case for CFHS ghosts? “I wouldn’t say I would believe in ghosts, so, no, I’m not a believer. I do, however, believe in the holy spirit.”

A few night shift janitors have also had some paranormal premonitions over the years. Janitor Dwayne Dillavou was working a night shift three years ago at the school around 4:35 a.m. when he was cleaning near the library. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a book falling from a shelf and hitting the floor. When he entered the library, he saw that a book was just lying on the floor. “It possibly could have been just a kid who didn’t put the book in all the way.”

Elementary schools may not be safe from hauntings either. Another janitor who wishes to simply go by his first name of Scott said that when another janitor worked at Hansen seven years ago, she saw a ball bounce out of nowhere.

“The thing about the paranormal is that if you want them to be around, they surely will come if invited,” he said.

However, he stated that the incident could have been just a hoax and that somebody was likely just trying to prank the janitors.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.