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Historic ghost stories haunt Ouachita’s campus BY MADELINE MARTIN Staff Writer
A black and white picture hangs on the wall past the alumni office in Cone-Bottoms. In the photo, students, faculty and staff gather on the front steps following the building’s completion in 1923. However, a closer look at the photo shows something eerie, drawing attention away from the smiling group on the lawn. In one of the second story windows, a male figure is clearly visible. It is hazy, but it is there. However, everyone was outside taking part in the photo. No one knows who—or what—the figure is. This is just one of many ghost stories told around campus. Urban legends are bound to be created by students and faculty, especially at a school with as much history as Ouachita. Upperclassmen pass on these legends to freshmen to enlighten them on campus trivia. While this is all in good fun, many students claim to have real experiences with the campus ghosts and many well-known buildings on campus serve as settings for these supernatural stories. Cone-Bottoms houses a ghost besides the shadowy man in the photograph. The Lady in Black also calls this building home. Built in 1923, Cone-Bottoms served as a female dormitory on Ouachita’s campus until the mid1980s. The building underwent renovation in 1993, and it has since housed the school’s administration offices. The legend of the Lady in Black dates back to the late 1920s. A Ouachita girl named Jane dated a Henderson boy named Joshua, but things quickly turned sour. Joshua’s friends pressured him to break up with his Ouachita girlfriend, and he finally gave in and took another girl to the homecoming dance. Jane returned to her dorm in Cone-Bot-
toms, put on a black dress and veil and threw herself down the elevator shaft. Now, her ghost haunts the building and roams the halls. It is said that she can be heard sobbing over her lost love. Most people have not actually seen the infamous spirit, but many describe the feeling inside Cone-Bottoms as heavy and gloomy. This could be due to the building’s age, or maybe Jane actually haunts her former dorm. Either way, the story is a favorite among Ouachita faculty and students. The Ouachita Theatre Department claims a different ghost haunts Verser Theatre. Aptly nicknamed the Verser Ghost, this spirit has been around for decades. Earl E. Verser served on the Ouachita Board of Trustees for 12 years, and Ouachita named Verser Theatre in his honor following his $50,000 donation for the construction of the building. Verser was tragically murdered during a home invasion, and students and professors alike claim that his benevolent spirit now haunts his namesake theatre. Students attribute strange happenings in the theatre to the Verser Ghost. If a light flickers or something goes missing, the Verser Ghost is usually to blame. As part of theatre superstition, a ghost light sits on Verser’s stage. Ghost lights are commonly used in theatres around the world. Typically, they are single-bulb floor lamps that sit onstage whenever the lights are off. Their purpose is to ward off ghosts and to keep them happy. The theatre department keeps with this tradition, and the ghost light shines brightly in the dark theatre. Aside from the tragic backstory and the superstitions, the Verser Ghost creates a way for the theatre students to bond. For every pro-
duction, the ghost leaves mysterious, encouraging notes for every cast and crew member. This tradition has been happening for a long time. Elizabeth Dawson, senior musical theatre major from Little Rock, helps the Verser Ghost this year by delivering the notes on the opening night of shows. “The purpose of the ghost notes is to make everyone feel appreciated because everyone has an important job,” Dawson said. “When I was a freshman and I got my first ghost note, I was very encouraged. So I’m happy to help the Verser Ghost continue this tradition.” Across the street from Verser Theatre, Francis-Crawford Hall contains its very own paranormal activity. Built in the 1960s, the dormitory houses over 300 freshmen girls. Over the years, many students claim to have experienced ghostly encounters or inexplicable events within Francie’s walls. Unlike the ghosts of Cone-Bottoms and Verser Theatre, the “Francie Ghost” does not have a detailed backstory. The ghost story gained popularity from various encounters told by the building’s residents. The Francie Ghost, despite not having a solid origin, still remains a common Ouachita legend. Residents report hearing footsteps in their rooms, seeing shadowy figures at the foot of their beds and even getting grabbed by their ankles while sleeping. While some of this could be attributed to loud neighbors or the age of the building, other things, like being touched by the Francie Ghost, are truly inexplicable. Overall, these ghost stories bring some spooky fun to Ouachita’s campus and create community among students. These ghosts haunt campus buildings all year and serve as the perfect entertainment when Halloween rolls around.
Cone-Bottoms Hall is one of the most iconic and imposing buildings on campus. To many, it may also be one of the spookiest. (photo courtesy of Addy Goodman)
