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Empty School's Various Occurrences

 

Lorne Ave public school was an active primary school until June 2016. It is a largish three story building of 1960s vintage (or so). The school board closed the school due to declining enrollment, and sold the property to the City of London, last summer. It now languishes in limbo until a final decision can be made as to its future. While some organizations have made proposals for the building as is, it seems more and more likely that it will be demolished to make way for additional parkland in the area. In the meantime we keep the heat on and maintain the building in case a reasonable proposal is accepted for the building's use.

I work on the maintenance team for the city of London and Lorne Ave public school is one of the buildings that I primarily look after. I go there daily to check on the heating, fire and electrical systems. There is also a 24/7 security presence as the school had been broken into twice before this and all of the extinguishers set off.

The security guards have reported various odd occurrences while there:

One guard heard footsteps in the first level hallway outside of the room they have made their base of operations. When he checked on this there was nobody attached to them. Shortly after the event the mobile security unit was checking in on the guard when the footsteps started again. The two guards went in opposite directions through the hallways and all three floors but could find no person in the building. This happened again the next day. By the way, all classrooms are locked, strictly limiting hiding spots for the corporeal.

Another guard heard girls singing together (like a small choir). He thought these sounds may have been coming from outside but it was 1:00 AM on a wintry night (to fend off the suggestion, this was both too late at night and in the year for carolers). He checked inside and outside and could find no normal reason for the sounds, which subsided after less than a minute.

A guard heard the voices of girls talking but again could not find a source.

One afternoon, while I was on the third floor, alone, I was walking from one mechanical room to another, down the school's longest hallway. About 150 feet (two thirds of the way) down the hall I heard a fairly loud click beside my right ear and then whispering by two male voices for several seconds. It stopped me in my tracks. I knew I was alone up there and had a pretty good idea that what I heard was supernatural.

On another occasion I was doing mechanical checks in the building and invited the security guard to accompany me. I made no excuses as to why I asked him along and told him plainly that the place gave me the heebie jeebies. He like the idea as he then would have company on his rounds as he also had odd feelings about the place. On the landing between the second and third floors I suddenly became cold on my torso and arms. I said to the security guard, "do you feel" and that is all I got out because he said, word for word, what I was about to, "suddenly cold in your torso and arms". We walked around on the large landing trying to walk in and out of the cold spot but could not find any warm area until we went up a couple of steps toward the third floor. When we returned to the landing, on our way back down, he confirmed my feeling of it now being warm and humid.

A few weeks ago I noticed a third floor window was open. There is absolutely no reason for a window to be open nor are there people around with access to the classrooms to do this. I asked the guards and they all denied even entering a classroom.

The door to the women's washroom in the lower level is found open frequently. One of my fellow maintenance workers said he was in there flushing toilets (to keep the traps filled with water). When he left he said that he saw the door close behind him, as is normal. When he returned down this hallway a few minutes later the door was fully open with the door stop folded down. He closed it again and once again, a short time later, the door was open with the doorstop folded down. We leave this door open now. (I would understand better if he kept seeing the toilet seat lowered in the women's washroom but that is a discussion for another forum.)

Coincidentally my daughter knows the person who was the last Charge Custodian of this school before it closed. She started mentioning that I had experienced a few things at the school. Before my daughter could fill in the story the custodian asked if we had had trouble with the women's washroom door opening on its own and buzzing or whispering that could be heard in the third floor hallway.

While I didn't doubt what I (we) experienced it is still affirming when you get corroboration by a third party, when it comes to supernatural occurrences.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Kindly_refrain, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

roylynx (guest)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-07)
Ah! I see lots of triggers.

Since it's originally built in 1885, not just the building the land itself may have experienced lots of historical events, like the 2 great wars and I believe a lot more. Schools have lots of ghost stories due to its use during the last war (WW2). You know the world is not always peaceful. As I always will comment spirits haunts the land not the building. This case might be it too, spirits from the 1800's, if they are still there they will reappear, maybe not too obvious you can tell when the spirit is from but if there were thoughts of people (living or dead), spirits do appear, memorable places like schools is a huge trigger in my opinion.

We all here is looking forward on your other accounts!

E.Lynx
Argette (guest)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Kindly, I've heard that, too. My relatives don't sound anything like the French I've encountered in France. I heard French spoken at home as a child, but my own accent is definitely unusual. I don't speak it at all, except when in France or Quebec.
Argette (guest)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Kindly, I was born in the U.S., but my family is from the Trois-Rivieres area.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Hi Argette, where in Quebec do you come from?

What I heard was not French but my two second sample was too short to make a great assessment of what it was. It was, however, totally unfamiliar. Maybe it was just messing with me.

We had an exchange student from France stay at our house for a school year. Her French teacher in France told her that if she heard Quebec French that she was really hearing something more akin to France French of 400 years ago.

Thanks for the compliment about my writing. If my English teacher could only see these comments (rest his soul) it might end my high school derived P.T.S.D.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Hello again Tweed, the jerseyguy account you pulled up is actually the one I recall, thanks.

Although extreme, I hesitate to call what jerseyguy has claimed to have experienced delusional. It seems that we have sort of settled on a limit as to how far the excursions from normal the events can be before they are discounted as ingenuine or delusional. I fight against this in myself. This whole paranormal aspect of our world is weird enough, its just that his was weirder yet. By a "rationalist's" point of view we are all way over the deep end.

I agree with flaming obvious fabrications and I wholeheartedly believe in honest debate, even if it gets a little pointed at times, but I hesitate to discount submissions because it falls to far out of my experience zone.

I appreciate you for always having constructive comments and questions. You always give me food for thought.

As far as languages, the whispering was not French as I have some skill in that language. Neither was it Slavic or Germanic sounding. I speak Dutch a little French and even less Polish. There were way too many "S" sounds to associate it with any language that I am familiar with.

Lately we had a few things happen at home that may have me considering a cleansing if it escalates.
Argette (guest)
+2
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Kindly, I have to agree with Val: I like your writing style.

A language that relies on sibilants? Now that intrugues me to no end. I suppose, depending on the conversation, it could be French, but French is so guttural. Being French Canadian myself, I am familiar with the sweeping, up-and-down cadences of Quebec French. It's not out of the realm of the possible...

Nothing really is.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
OK valkricry, how can I resist after you called my accounts charming.

Look for my latest account soon. I will type it up and send it in when YGS next accepts them. It is by no means exciting but curious nonetheless.

I guess I am a sucker for flattery.
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Hey Kindly,

I've been pondering that cold torso oddness, and have failed to yield anything thus far lol. I'm glad it didn't freak you out though, that's cool.

I just wanted to comment about EVPs. I have zero experience with them myself, but I'm curious to try it. You're wise not to use one if you don't want to be 'bothered', as it could potentially invite something back to yours. I'm not saying that's what always happens, as I'm sure it's not. But there is a chance of misguided 'invitation'. This is just my opinion, with naught to base it on lol. Just common sense I think.

I remember JerseyGuy's account, he posted a similar warning about EVP's after that one:
Http://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=23596
Again, this is just my opinion, but I think that individual had some psychological issues, he sounded quite delusional to me and seemed to be content on feeling sorry for himself instead of getting it together.
But that's not to say EVPs aren't without their risks, 'cause I'd say they are, similar to ouijas.
You seem to have a good balance between experiencing things in these locations, while keeping them at a comfortable arms length. But if you ever get pestered there's always Rook's cleansing.😉

The whispering, could it have been French? Or another entity's (nonhuman) language even?
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+3
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
Kindly,
Oh! Please do submit your latest events! You have such a charming way of wording things. Of course, I can't make any promises, but I'd think it would be worth a look see.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
babygoatpuller, I like it that you enjoy my accounts. If you do reread them the Eldon House one, and the Moving Chair scared me quite a bit when they happened, the others were less scary for me and more curious occurrences.

I found the EVP story that went badly, it is titled, "Evp Warning - My Story" posted on August 18, 2015 by jerseyguy77.

As much as I try not to bring anything home, recently I have had a couple of things happen to me and one of them was in my house. I don't think just two occurrences would make for very good reading so I am hesitant to publish it. I may anyway since the remuneration is the same for an exciting story as well as a lame one.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
I am glad you enjoyed it Valkricry.

There is no evidence of there being any original part of the original school left except for the original school bell, now on display. Being in maintenance I get right down into the bowels of the place and I can't find anything that is not "modern". This school's first story sits halfway below exterior grade with its footing another four feet below that. To do that all of the old structure must have been removed.

I always thought it would be cool to live in a former old school house. A friend of mine did when I was in primary school, it was done up beautifully.
babygoatpuller (4 stories) (432 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-06)
I read the story about the bad outcome with the EVP Kindly and I do agree with you and your wife. You do NOT want to bring anything home with you.

Some things are best left to wonder about.😆

I've read all of your accounts and they're all great. That's why I was so pleased when I saw you had contributed once again. Finally. 😊 It's been awhile so I think I'll mosey over and read them again.
valkricry (49 stories) (3286 posts) mod
+3
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Kindly,
I quite enjoyed this. Maybe because I seem attracted to schools. Several of the homes I've lived in were once one-room schoolhouses, and I work (you guessed it) at a school.
I think my eyes lit up when you mentioned the original building was circa 1885. I can't help but wonder if perhaps part of the original foundation is part of the 'new' school. I've found that to often be the case in my experience.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
 
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
babygoatpuller, sorry I did not fully respond.

As far as EVPs I have considered it but as much as I am intrigued by the paranormal I don't want to do anything that would seem like an invitation.

So far I have never intentionally talked to a ghost or done anything that would seem like I wanted them to come visit me. When going to Lorne Ave School or Eldon House (from another account of mine) My wife has told me on more than one occasion, "don't bring anything home". She did not need to say this as I am in full agreement.

Does setting out a recorder to capture the EVP phenomenon fall into the invitation category, I am not sure. One poster, who wrote to YGS sometime ago, had a very troubling account of his EVP aftermath. (Sorry I can't recall the name of the story.

I guess, as a ghost hunter, I fall into a "ghosts by serendipity" category.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Greetings babygoatpuller (quite a handle) thanks for your greeting.

Residual haunting would be a good explanation for some of the occurrences, even, maybe, the doors and windows. I don't think the whispering falls into that category though.

I did leave out one occurrence as it may have been something else. Here it is now anyway.

On another occasion, walking down the same third floor hallway, I heard a low "growling" sound in the same area where I heard the whispers. I stopped walking. The security guard who was 10 paces ahead of me asked me why I stopped walking and when I explained what I had heard he told me that he had heard nothing. The "growl" wasn't threatening sounding, it was more of a guttural sounding talk (like movie cavemen might make). It lasted only a couple of seconds.

The reason I did not include it in my account is that twenty minutes later a thunderstorm blew in. Was it the sound of distant thunder? Maybe.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+2
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Hello Tweed, thanks for your kind greeting.

The washroom in question is near the main entry doors to the gymnasium. There are other dedicated washrooms attached to the gym itself. It is also not a staff washroom, which is at the other end of this long first floor hallway (probably useless information). I ask the security guards if it is still occurring and they tell me that they have not seen this happen since they have been posted there 24/7.

The chilled arms and torso was weird. Fortunately the security guard and I found it interesting more than scary. We just could not walk out of the spot until we ascended two of the stairs on the next flight.

I was actually on the phone, on my left ear, speaking with a colleague, asking if he knew why all the HVAC fans were turned off when I heard the loud click on my right side. It was so startling that I stopped talking in mid sentence. That is when the whispering began. I could not, however, make out any words. It was not whispering that one would make to be quiet as it was at a conversational level. It was more like it was a language that relied almost entirely on sibilants.

I'd love to hear your take on this after your mulling it over.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Hello Argette, these occurrences intrigued me more than scared me but, I must admit, my "discomfort" still had me asking the security guard to accompany me on my rounds.

In most primary schools in my area of Ontario, (the province I reside in in Canada) including this school, there is no junior high. Experiments were done with grade 7,8 and 9 in their own schools but this model was abandoned for a variety of reasons. Lorne ave Public school would have been Junior Kindergarten to grade 8.

As far as teen angst, there would have been students as old as 14 at the school so maybe that would apply.
Kindly_refrain (16 stories) (196 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Hello roylynx, I am glad you enjoyed the account.

The original school, that was built on this site, was circa 1885. It was torn down to make room for this more "modern" school. The only remnant of the original school is the old school bell that is displayed on a stand in the main stairwell as a commemorative piece. (I like to give it a rap as I walk by and hear its ring.)

I read as much as I could on the original school and this newer one as well but I could not find any history that detailed notable events that may be responsible for a haunting.

As I mentioned in my account it seems that, at least some of, this was going on while the school was still in use.
babygoatpuller (4 stories) (432 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Good to see you back Kindly!

Great account and I was thinking a lot of residual activity up until the coldness and the doors and windows having ummm... Minds of their own.

Has anyone considered maybe doing some EVP recordings? Sounds like it'd be a "fun" place to do them in. 😆

Thanks for sharing and again, welcome back!
Tweed (36 stories) (2529 posts)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-05)
Hi Kindly, great to read something from you again. 😊

I agree with Argette about possible teen residual/poltergeist phenomena for some of what happens there.
That washroom door is intriguing, I wonder who and why they do that.
I'm really confused by the cold torso and arms. Would love to know what the heck was going on with that. 😕 I'll be mulling that over for the rest of the day now, it's so bizarre.
Could you make out any words with the whispering?

Spooky stuff, and interesting as always, thanks for sharing!
Argette (guest)
+2
7 years ago (2017-05-04)
Great account, Kindly R. I could feel the fear in my stomach as I read it.

In the US, primary schools are generally grades 1-6, or sometime even 1-3, with intermediate schools handling 4-6. How does that work in Canada?

I can understand how pre-teen angst might result in residual occurrences. I'm not sure about younger children.

I look forward to the discussion here.
roylynx (guest)
+1
7 years ago (2017-05-04)
Kindly_refrain, Hey there! Your encounters never disappoint me!

Paranormal activities in schools are always one thing I really enjoy! And this one here is so interesting!

I was wondering, was there a fire or any accidents in the school before? There are lots of "triggers" for spirits in schools like this one in this story. Since it is quite old, there will be enough energy for any spirits which still remains in the property. I mean since there is still maintenances, some spirits may not notice that the school had closed down. Just really there is so much to point out that this might not just be someone tricking you guys, I was going to say I shall do more research... But I don't live in Canada do I? LOL

I really find this story interesting and thank you for sharing! If possible I would like to know some history background to support the evidences! Cheers!

E.Lynx

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