Spirit of Halloween descends on main library

STEUBENVILLE -- The spirit of Halloween descended upon Steubenville's main library Saturday for an afternoon of ghost stories, Edgar Allan Poe readings and holiday-themed crafts for kids.

The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County hosted its first Haunting of the Main Library. Jennifer Cesta, public relations coordinator for the library system, said the "hauntingly good time" was an exciting and long-anticipated event, and it offered something spooky for all ages.

The haunting commenced with selected readings from poet and author Edgar Allan Poe, led by Jacob Baugher, library assistant at PLSJ's Schiappa Library. Having led other library programs, including writing classes and an introduction to podcasting, Baugher read Poe's poems "The Raven," "Annabel Lee" and "Lenore," as well as the macabre short story "The Tell-Tale Heart."

Baugher, a former English and creative writing professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville, described Poe as a "deeply insecure" individual who struggled with substance abuse during his life. Poe, who was born in Boston and lived from 1809 to 1849, pioneered the Gothic horror genre, as well as the detective story.

Quoting Wikipedia, Baugher said, "'Poe was the first American writer to make a living with writing, resulting in a financially difficult life.' So, did he really make a living? I don't know."

Baugher, who is originally from Maryland, added that the Baltimore Ravens' name was adopted to honor Poe, who spent part of his early career in Baltimore. Furthermore, Baugher joked that the word "poem" is named for Poe.

Next was a presentation on the main library's own resident ghost, given by Alan Hall, director emeritus of the library system. Hall, who served as director for 36 years, recounted the downtown Steubenville library's history and listed a handful of candidates for the ghost's identity.

Hall said the Steubenville library was one of the first approved and granted by Andrew Carnegie, philanthropist and founder of Carnegie Steel Co. Carnegie had begun funding libraries in 1890, typically granting around $200,000 for each.

Steubenville officials reached out to Carnegie about founding a library in the city, Hall said, and they referred in their letter to how Carnegie himself had spent two weeks in Steubenville in 1850, learning to use the telegraph. Carnegie did fund the library but gave $50,000 instead of $200,000, resulting in the building's design being slimmed down several times.

The Carnegie Library of Steubenville became the Public Library of Steubenville in 1962, Hall said, but the library still possesses a portrait of Carnegie himself, donated to each Carnegie library. Steubenville's portrait hangs in the old and new library buildings' connecting entrance.

"They say if you lose your portrait of Andrew Carnegie, bad things will happen to your library," Hall said forebodingly, "so we take good care of our Carnegie portrait."

One contender for the Steubenville library's own ghost is its first librarian, Ellen Summers Wilson, Hall said. Wilson was "aggressive with reading" and loyal to her library, but she died in 1904 of tuberculosis -- only two years after starting in Steubenville -- at only 34 years old. Hall later pointed out what appear to be a pair of dark footprints in the old library's wooden floor, which he said he believes are Wilson's footprints where the old circulation desk used to be.

Other ghost candidates Hall listed were former library director Elinor Neidengard, who is buried in Union Cemetery; former librarian David Griffith, who loved the library and expressed interest in haunting it; Faustina "Frosty" Bianco, who created the library's papier-mache storybook figures, and Eunice Collier, whose portrait was slashed while in storage by a frustrated burglar -- the portrait was later restored out of good will by a restoration company.

Most importantly, Hall said, "I'll be 70 years old next year, so the end is coming. I'm going to be a ghost here at the library."

Cesta added, "And Alan will make a book drop so you know it's him."

The haunting's main event came from James A. "Weird" Willis, author of "Weird Ohio," "Ohio's Historic Haunts" and other novels dealing with the strange and supernatural. Willis is also the founder and director of Ghosts of Ohio, a paranormal research and investigation organization.

Originally from Tarrytown, N.Y., neighbor to the real-life Sleepy Hollow, Willis said he has always been interested in weird things. He shared stories from his own paranormal investigations, offering supporting audio and video clips.

"I believe in ghosts, but I don't know what they are," Willis said. "I believe a ghost experience is a personal experience, and you're not going to be able to convince a skeptic until they have that experience."

Chilling tales, sourced from Willis' "Ohio's Historic Haunts," included details from the Eaton Public Library, where Willis claimed to have picked up a ghostly woman's laugh that only appeared on one of two microphones. Also notable was the McKinnis House in Hancock County, Ohio, where Willis allegedly captured a ghost's silhouette over a laser grid.

Willis, who had investigated the Steubenville library about 10 years ago in search of its ghost, showed attendees his collection of ghost-hunting gadgets, including an electromagnetic field reader.

"You all came here today because you're weird," Willis told attendees after his presentation. "Stay weird. ... If you don't stay weird, I have eerie powers, and I will find you."

Kids at the haunting had the opportunity to create a number of Halloween crafts, including a Mothman keychain, monster-themed donuts and a witches' brew slime.

Cesta said the library hopes to make the Halloween event annual, aided by the fact that supernatural-themed functions never fail to draw a crowd. The event was made possible through the efforts of Sarita Asawa, outreach coordinator for the library system, who is the mastermind behind PLSJ's 60-foot pallet castles for the First Friday festivals.

Asawa noted the enthusiastic turnout from kids. Also, she said the library's extensive Halloween decorations had help from library staff member Kathy Gaugin, who hand-cut paper bats strung across the building's rooms.