PAGE A6 • NOVEMBER 5, 2013
THE POSEY COUNTY NEWS • SERVING THE COUNTY SINCE 1882 • WWW.POSEYCOUNTYNEWS.COM
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Halloween especially ‘spooky’ here By Lois Mittino Gray On Halloween night, streets were filled with ghosts, goblins and other spirits asking for treats as expected. But several New Harmony residents have tales of unexpected spirits making an appearance in the town’s old houses and buildings at all times of the year. The Elliott House, now the office of Historic New Harmony, is a lovely Victorian home with a female specter who appears to be gazing out the window. The home sits caddy corner from the playground of the old school building on Church Street and was unoccupied for years. Many former students have memories of looking up from play and catching a quick glimpse of her. “I remember being about high school age and seeing a shadow of someone on the steps through the window,” Frieda Haggard reminisced. “As old as I am now, I can still picture that image of her face in the window.” A friendly female is a comforting presence to Maggie Rapp when she is painting in her third floor studio of her home on Main Street. “I call it the attic and I can sense when she is there in a benign nonthreatening way, but she likes fresh air to cool off.” She smiled as she recounted the tale of the two little arched windows facing the street in the attic. To open them, the latches must be turned and pulled down and she was always finding them ajar, after shutting them upon leaving. “At first, I blamed my grandchildren for leav-
ing them open, then I realized it wasn’t them at all.” When Maggie leaves her home to go to Florida in winter, she has to duct tape them closed to ensure they stay shut. Maggie thinks the presence is the spirit of Bella Wheatcroft who raised three children in the house and lived there until her death. Her father John built the home in 1854. Maggie has a picture of Bella standing in the front yard and feels that she helps her ‘look over the house and protect it.’ The Murphy Auditorium has many tales of eerie encounters. Ed Morton remembers one while getting ready for a high school play in the basement. “I was sitting at a table downstairs and a female friend in the cast was looking in the mirror next to me putting on makeup. She started to scream when she saw a face in the mirror and we had to calm her down. I didn’t see it myself, but I still remember that day.” Actors in New Harmony Theatre productions have tales of lights turned on and doors unlocked that they knew weren’t open when they left. Furniture is moved around and presences are felt on stage, especially when they did ‘Wait Until Dark’ many years ago. When Scott Gerard and Rob Benchley were doing maintenance work, they could hear faint voices in certain parts of the auditorium as if someone were softly reciting lines in a play. The duo and others have reported the orchestra pit platform would mysteriously go up and down while they were on it, even
though there was no one else in the building at the time to turn the key and press the button to operate it. Fred Frayser directed many a play for the local high schoolers and he remembers that sometimes there would be an eerie cold onstage, but no door was blown open. “Some students sensed a presence, but it was just a feeling, not an actual apparition. We would leave a light on the stage when we left each night after practice to make everyone happy.” Many residents have tales of spooky nights spent in the Ribeyre Gym, especially in the basement, which was used as a temporary morgue after the Great Griffin Tornado. Other residents around town tell tales of interesting interlopers. Galen and Sherry Graves felt the presence of young children on the stairs in their home on Granary. Melody Basham has lights that go off and on in her house and feels that it is the spirit of a local man nicknamed Hammer. When Jodi Wrobel moved into her place in town, she awoke one morning to find fake fingernails, which she doesn’t use, all over the carpet and a powdery film on her mirror in the hall. “They say a mirror is a portal,” she said with a shudder. “I put crucifixes and candles by it and have not had anything strange happen since.” Such tales add flavor and spice to conversation and become part of local lore. If it gets too bad, remember who ya’gonna call? Ghostbusters.
Tony Konrath played the Scarecrow to his son Jack’s Tinman at the Alexandrian Public Library Family Storytime Halloween Program. Photo submitted
Johnathan Scott and David Flanders (of Cook’s on Brewery Bed and Breakfast) serve up squirmy ‘eye balls’ at the Annual New Harmony Business Associates Trick or Treat and Costume Party. The free party, open to the public, is held each year at the historic Ribeyere Gymnasium in New Harmony, Ind. Photos by Zach Straw Amidst a huge crowd of attendees, Riker Baldwin and Katie Williams don their 1950s costumes at the Trick or Treat Costume Party.
Meditation class to start on Nov. 12 Free/Non-Profit Meditation Falun Dafa Intro Class will begin on Nov. 12 from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at the Alexandrian Public Library in Mount Vernon. For more information go to www.falundafa. org or contact Laura Market at 812-604-1564.
PC Extension Homemakers plan used greeting cards workshop Christmas cards arrive at our homes every year. But when the holidays are over, what do you do with them? The Posey County Extension Homemaker Organization is sponsoring a workshop with ideas for using greeting cards. Denise Burns is leading the workshop and has some projects she will
help you make. Maybe you have an idea you would like to bring. Cost is free. But please bring a variety of old cards, scissors, and a ruler. You will make two very simple projects. Anyone can do them, guaranteed. Please register, 838-1331, by November 11, 2013.
Garden Club of New Harmony to hold meeting November 9 The Garden Club of New Harmony will meet Saturday morning, November 9, 2013, at 9 a.m. in the Working Men’s Institute conference room, 407 Tavern Street, New Harmony, Ind. This month’s speaker will be Hans Schmitz, Gibson County Extension Educator, who will
talk about climate change. Business meeting will follow the program. Coffee & light refreshments will be offered. Our meetings are open to anyone who is interested in gardening and landscaping. Visitors are welcomed.
Digging Up the Past in Southwest Indiana Digging Up the Past in Southwest Indiana, Under Our Nose: The Ancient Landscape of New Harmony. The Friends of the Working Men’s Institute’s fifth and final lecture in their 2013 Lecture Series features Michele Greenan. She will speak at the Working Men’s Institute in New Harmony on Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. Michele Greenan is the Director of Archaeology for the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites (ISMHS), and directs the archaeologi-
cal projects that take place on properties administered by the ISMHS. The prehistoric earthworks, or mounds, in the Harmonist Cemetery are hardly a secret to anyone from New Harmony. The real surprise is how little we know about this important piece of New Harmony’s history. Though historic documents outline early explorations of the mounds, they have remained something of an enigma, even in archaeology. In 2011 the ISMHS, in cooperation with Univer-
Kendrick Hershberger, age four, while attended the Family Storytime Halloween Program attired as a pirate took time out to inspect the new Play and Learn area at the Alexandrian Public Library. He is the son of Mary The acappella doo wop group BLEND will and Eric Hershberger perform their 50’s and 60’s hits in a two-hour of Mount Vernon. Photo concert on Friday, November 15 at Wesley Hall, submitted First United Methodist Church, Mount Vernon, Ind. First Bank of Mount Vernon is sponsoring the 7 p.m. concert benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Posey County. This talented group is a Posey County favorite with their last performance at the 2013 Mount Vernon River Days. Save the date. November Advance tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 16 is the St. Matthew Annual for students and are available by calling Kay Fall Fashion Show. Dinner is Kilgore at 483-2922 or Beth Schilling 781at 5 p.m. and the show begins 0450. Tickets sold at the door will be $12 for at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 each adults and $7 for students. and include a catered meal, BLEND, whose base location is in Illinois, drink and dessert along with was formed in 2005 for a talent show and ended the fashion show, a silent aucup winning it. From there they found a unique tion, and a big item raffle. VIP sound and decided to pursue it as a career. The tables with front row seating, a surprise meal and unlimited real strength of BLEND lies in their ability to free drinks are available for entertain crowds of all ages with their rendi$200 each - three of the five tions of songs which most everyone has heard, VIP tables are still available all while keeping a Christian undertone. On top for purchase. It promises to of their classic doo-wop routine, they are also be an evening of fellowship, a deeply spiritual group and love to share their fashion and family fun. Call gospel music as well. Some local churches in the St. Matthew School Office Mount Vernon have been blessed by their Sunday morning southern gospel music. at 812-682-3621 for tickets. In 2008, BLEND appeared as special guests at the Dick Clark American Band Stand Theater JUST ASK US, WE MIGHT HAVE IT. in Branson, Missouri leading to an offer to perHave Questions for us? form their show in Branson on a regular basis. Call 1-812-838-5200 They had to decline the great opportunity due to their dedication to their education. Today they tour the country year-round performing their ‘Forever Doo-Wop, a tribute to the 50’s MOUNT VERNON & 60’s’ and ‘Jukebox Memories, a musical AUTO PARTS journey through yesteryear’ acts. A schedule of OFFICE HOURS: their appearances can be found on their webMonday through Friday: site: www.blend-acappella.com. 7:30am - 5pm Being the child of a single mother, JohnaSaturday: than Estes, the group’s lead singer, became a 7:30am - 1:30pm Big Brother in 2005. “I knew I wanted to be a positive role model for a ‘Little.’ Becoming LOCALLY OWNED a ‘Big’ was a challenging, yet very growing JUST ASK US, WE MIGHT HAVE IT. experience for me. It taught me a lot about
sity of Southern Indiana/ Historic New Harmony, as well as archaeologists from Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, began test excavations near the earthwork complex. Initial examination of the resultant data further establishes the mound complex’s association with the prehistoric Middle Woodland cultural period of this region. This information will allow us to begin unraveling the mystery of this ancient landscape and of the people responsible for its architecture.
BBBS to host concert with BLEND
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St. Matthew to hold annual fashion show
responsibility, patience, and loving. My first ‘Little’ longed for love and acceptance. We had a friendship that became like two brothers.” Johnathan’s ‘Little’ wound up moving away but his dedication to the program didn’t end here. “After seeing the influence I could have on one’s life, I decided to be a ‘Big’ again. It is definitely an experience that changed my life for the better. I would recommend being a ‘Big’ to others. I think so many times, we become blind to the fact that we just might learn and become more of a well-defined person from being such a positive influence to a ‘Little.’” There is a tremendous need for BBBS programs in Posey County. According to information from Kids Count Data Center, 16.9 percent of the county’s children live in poverty and 33 percent of the county’s public school students are on free or reduced-priced lunch; both measures have increased significantly this past year. These children are considered at risk and are our target population. Currently in Posey County, less than 3 percent of these atrisk children are being served by BBBS and the organization continues to look for mentors. There is a waiting list of children wanting a Big Brother or Big Sister. BBBS is the largest, oldest (over 100 years), and most successful mentoring organization in the U.S. They have had a presence in the TriState area now for over 50 years and are now in eight counties in southwest Indiana. Since September, 2010, the Posey County group has made much progress. This United Way Agency has raised over $100,000, started a student mentoring program at North Posey School that has served 85 students, made 11 matches with at-risk students and adult volunteers throughout the county, and hired a parttime case manager to administer the mentoring programs. If you would like tickets or to volunteer with BBBS, please contact Kilgore at 483-2922 or Beth Schilling at 781-0451.
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