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From haunted high schools to haunted universities – there’s no shortage of ghost stories in educational buildings across the world!
Ghostly tales and mysteries abound in schools – we’re here to uncover the 10 most haunted schools and universities in the world.
1. Pocatello High School, United States
The school received international attention in 2014 when footage aired of a ghostly figure walking out of a bathroom while the school was closed for the holidays… lights were flickering along with the ghostly scene.
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School custodians have also seen female spirits in the school’s theater and kids have claimed that there are ghosts in the gym and library.
Even the former principal, Mr Don Cotent, has talked about his experiences working in the school after hours. He’s heard banging on the floors and strange noises throughout the administration building.
The school was investigated by Ghost Hunters in 2019. The ghost hunting team recorded electronic voice phenomena and power drains. They concluded that a fire in 1914 and six deaths on the property resulted in the haunted school.
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2. Turakina Māori Girls’ College, New Zealand
Girls staying at this school refused to return in 2015, claiming they were threatened by a ghostly man in a black hat and cape in the residence hall.
School officials declared the girls were making the whole thing up. Parents stated that the school was in denial that the ghost was haunting the school’s hostel.
“The site needs to be blessed and it needs consistent follow-up to ensure the girls are kept spiritually safe,” said one of the girl’s parents when talking to SunLive.
These claims were backed up by Kelly Sliepen, a former student. Kelly claims seeing cups moving across tables, ghosts on the hostel stairs, and the same male ghost threatening the girls.
The school closed in 2016 due to financial problems. But is it possible it was because students refused to return?
3. University of Saint Andrews, Scotland
The University of St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland.
It also tops the list as one of the most haunted universities in the world.
Dozens of ghosts call the university campus home. But of all these ghosts, there are five who appear the most:
- Tom Morris: A young golfer who haunts the fairways at the St Andrews Old Course. He is a friendly ghost, helping golfers find their balls in the rough.
- Patrick Hamilton: This 16th-century student-turned-teacher was burned at the stake due to heresy, burning for almost 6 hours in an excruciating death. Today, you can see a likeness of his face unexplainedly melted into the stones of the university tower.
- The Veiled Nun: A girl who lost her lover maimed herself so that no one would love her again, and joined the local nunnery. Today, her ghost is found on Nuns Walk, where she lifts her veil to passersby and exposes her disfigured face.
- The Kind Monk: This friendly ghost monk lives in St Rule’s Tower where he helps visitors up the tower’s steps.
- The White Lady: This sinister ghost lives around the ancient cathedral where she waves her white handkerchief from a window in St Rule’s Tower.
4. Gettysburg College, United States
Gettysburg College is near the site of the violent Battle of Gettysburg, so it’s no surprise it’s haunted.
Penn Hall is especially spooky, with soldiers, a lone sentinel and the ghost of a little boy who froze to death haunting the area.
There have also been residual hauntings reported here. In the basement, staff bear witness to a scene from a war hospital, with doctors tending to wailing, wounded soldiers.
5. Rizal High School, Philippines
Many ghost stories originate in the Philippines (like the university-turned-military-camp-during-WWII Ateneo de Manila and its ghosts!), and Rizal High School’s ghost is one of them.
Two students decided to take a photo while at school in 2015. They snapped the picture and went back to their daily schedule without a second thought.
It wasn’t until they got together again to look at what they thought was a nice photo that they spotted a ghostly figure lurking in the background – something was crouching by a rubbish bin.
Zooming in on the picture, the students noticed it was a girl with long, black hair, staring menacingly at the girls in the photo.
The girls denied staging the photograph and more students from Rizal High came forward with ghost stories of their own.
The school administration decided to bless the building to get rid of any sinister spirits that may lurk there.
6. Heidelberg University, Germany
Heidelberg University has a dark history since its origin in 1386.
This university is closely linked to the Second World War and events that transpired under the rule of Hitler.
The university’s clinic is said to have been the site of female sterilisation, and it’s here that students still hear the haunting screams of terrified women.
The square was the site of a massive book burning by the Nazis in 1933, and today you can sometimes still smell the burning leather. Even the lecture halls are haunted. Whiteboards in empty rooms erase themselves, words appear on chalkboards, and students experience intense feelings of dread in many of the classrooms.
7. University of Oxford, United Kingdom
The University of Oxford is the oldest building for higher education in the world, existing as far back as 1096.
And there is a lot of paranormal activity here.
One of the most common apparitions is King Charles I – or so we think – since this ghostly figure has no head! The headless spirit is seen walking through the university grounds.
Other ghosts include:
- The Priest of Wadham College: Students hear footsteps going into a room, but never leaving. The priest has been seen by the Chapel and the Dining Hall too.
- William Laud: The previous Archbishop of Canterbury has been seen roaming the library at night where he lifts his head off his shoulders and kicks it along as he walks. Creepy.
- Obadiah Walker: The previous Catholic Master of the university has been seen lurking on Staircase VIII.
8. Nightmute High School, United States
Most visitors to Nighmute High School know the story of the lonely girl.
This young girl haunts the school’s bathrooms, where she’s responsible for randomly flushing toilets and flickering lights. She’s also been known to play in the gym – with balls flying towards the hoop when no one is throwing them.
Rumour has it that this lonely ghost had no friends while alive, and would always be chased off when trying to make friends. It’s further whispered that her body is buried beneath room 106 (meaning the school was built over her grave), which is why she’s often found in this section of the school.
9. Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore
Singapore has about 20 haunted schools, but Hwa Chong Institution is the most well-known.
During WWII, Japanese soldiers murdered people in Singapore and hung their bodies in the trees that surround the school today. There are also ghosts on the school grounds, and even two of the statues have reportedly interacted with passers-by – with glowing eyes!
10. University of Toronto, Canada
The University of Toronto is home to Christie Mansion. It is at this building where the mansion’s owner hid his mistress in a secret room behind the library.
The mistress committed suicide in this room due to being hidden, unloved, and unvalued and still haunts the building today. There are a couple of other ghosts at the university, but Christie Mansion is without a doubt the most haunted building.
FAQs
Why do ghosts hang around schools and universities?
Historic schools and university buildings have long histories and have seen many wars, deaths and unfair treatment of people. Take, for example, Ohio University – founded in 1804. Here at Wilson Hall, there was once a mental hospital, and today it is a paranormal hotspot.
Final Thoughts
Almost every student in every educational establishment can tell you a ghost story. For some reason, ghosts seem to like haunting these facilities – either due to their own past at the building or because of a historical event that occurred here.
Sources:
- 5 World’s Most Haunted Universities (topuniversities.com)
- 10 Most Haunted Schools America Their Scary Reports (lovetoknow.com)
- 10 Most Haunted High Schools (listverse.com)
- 50 Most Haunted Schools Around The World (online-bachelor-degrees.com)
- Five Notorious Ghosts Of St Andrews (scotsman.com)
- Meet The Ghosts Of The University Of Oxford (vanbrughhousehotel.co.uk)
- The Ghost Of Nightmute High School (thescarechamber.com)
