Annable Pyne

Student Life Editor 

Cold spots, shadows on the catwalk, or even some strange noises are some of the signs that one of the ghosts at ESU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center is trying to come into contact with you.

ESU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center may have two, maybe three, entities roaming the halls, causing mischief. While there are no records that confirm these incidents, they remain a part of campus folklore.

“Sarah,” the theater ghost, is said to have been a former theater student or performer who died in the Fine and Performing Arts Center theater sometime in the 1970s. She has been sighted in the grid, turning lights on and off. It is also believed that she has caused technical glitches in shows.

There is another entity known only as “Ice Cold” also wandering the Fine and Performing Arts building. Many people have reported hearing its voice. It has also been known to deface or change name plaques and move objects around the auditorium. This entity, however, does not have substantial evidence, but is a superstition passed around. 

Back in 1955, Hurricane Diane hit East Stroudsburg, and had a final death toll of 65 or more. Among these victims was a professor named Joshua, who potentially died from the flood on campus. Though Abeloff had not been built yet, Joshua is believed to reside there.

In October 2013, 60 ESU students were able to investigate three buildings on campus during “Ghost Fest.” The final building of the night was Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts. Just after midnight they entered the building when they heard noises coming from backstage. They followed the activity into the basement dressing room.

When they found the room with the source of activity, they placed a flashlight on the ground in the center of the room. They were able to ask a series of questions that Joshua answered by clicking the flashlight to communicate yes and no. They then thanked him and left a little over an hour after they first started the questioning.

The hauntings don’t stop there. Students have experienced spiritual encounters in Hawthorne, Kemp Library and a couple of the fraternity houses. While the reliability of these stories may be called into question, there is no denying the extra eerie atmosphere and culture this folklore and these stories add to ESU’s campus.