The following section includes a Timeline of archived and current sources (link embedded in image below) and interviews from current residents of Converse to trace the evolution of ghost stories, first-hand accounts, and student perceptions of ghost, Henry, that haunts Converse Hall.
One of our team members, Emily, resided in Converse at the time of our research. She interviewed a few of her fellow dorm mates about their experiences with Henry during the 2016-2017 school year.
Interview with Meghan D., Class of 2019:
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural?
A: Recently I have.
Q: Did you believe in the supernatural before your experience?
A: No.
Q: What was your run-in with Henry?
A: There were banging on the walls, and it was weird because no one lives on the other side of me. My room is an end room. In the middle of the night it sounded like there was something banging on pipes and bed frames and the closet, and the sounds continuously were circling the room.
Q: How do you feel about Henry?
A: I just think it’s weird. I’m not scared though because it is hard for me to comprehend.
Q: Do you have any ideas as to why Henry did this, or what he might want?
A: Not sure. Maybe he just wants to us recognize that he is still here. He is harmless but wants himself to be known.
Interview with Ashley R. Class of 2019:
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural?
A: Yes.
Q: Did you believe in the supernatural before your experience?
A: Yes.
Q: What was your run-in with Henry?
A: It was the second week of school. We had been sleeping in our room and I remember waking up and being like what is my roommate doing? And she goes “Good you hear that too?!” It was sounding as if he was opening and closing the doors of her closet. I thought she was sleep walking but neither of us were the cause of it. Also, my flag on the wall frequently waves even when all my doors and windows are closed.
Q: How do you feel about Henry?
A: Very frightened at first, but now I know he was just testing us. Now, I think he’s a homie. He’s a friendly ghost.
Q: Do you have any ideas as to why Henry did this, or what he might want?
A: He was welcoming us, testing out whether or not we were cool or would file a request to move.
Interview with Jill B., Class of 2019:
Q: Do you believe in the supernatural?
A: I do.
Q: Did you believe in the supernatural before your experience?
A: Yes I did.
Q: What was your run-in with Henry?
A: It was funny, not dramatic at all. I had a mason jar of almonds that was half full and I left it on my desk. I fell asleep, woke up, and all of the almonds were gone with only a couple of crumbs at the bottom of the jar. I lock my door at night and I am a very light sleeper, so there is no explanation.
Q: How do you feel about Henry?
A: I am intrigued. I want to know more about why this is happening, I want Henry to give me more information.
Q: Do you have any ideas as to why Henry did this, or what he might want?
A: No idea. Maybe in life, the ghost was an almond farmer.
Trends:
After conducting numerous interviews, one trend noted was that all of the occurrences happened in the first month of school, September. Another trend gathered from the interviews was that many students thought Henry just wanted his presence to be known. Maybe during his first life on earth he was forgotten, and he is not allowing that to happen again.
Our participant’s responses reflect the relatively casual attitude that students have towards Henry, not seeing him as threatening or malicious, just as being present. These responses also implicate the actual building of Converse in being part of the ghost experience, identifying its age and castle-like appearance.