Salem College? Haunted? Really?

For a few weeks now, I’ve been thrust out of my comfort zone, into an arena of paranormal activity, demonic possession, witchcraft and haunting.  I’m not a believer, but I’ve been grappling with keeping an open mind.  I was dreading having to visit something rumored to be haunted, when my wife made an innocent request: “Come to class with me”, she simply said.  My wife attends Salem College, and several of the buildings are believed to be haunted.  I had no idea that there was something of this magnitude in my own back yard so to speak. 
Visiting the college, on a cold, rainy day just added to the creepy feeling I developed as we pulled in.  I had visited the campus several times, but knowing that it could possibly be haunted brought an entirely new perspective, and also a revelation of sorts.  Would a visitor look at a building differently if they heard it may be haunted?  I certainly did.  Although Salem has many buildings, only a select few are rumored to be haunted.  And no one I spoke with denied that the Old Salem Cemetery, where there are graves as old as the school itself, headstones leaning or falling, permeated an overall haunting feeling. 

After speaking with my wife and several of her classmates, I found the stories to be fascinating.  Although the school would not allow me inside the dorm buildings (non-related males are not allowed inside on this all female campus), even the loss prevention officers were quick to correct the stories as they were being retold to me (adding details even some of the students had not heard)
GRAMLEY LIBRARY
The rumor is that two girls were electrocuted in 1907 and that strange sighting and screams can be seen and heard coming from the third floor of the library.  Many students claim to experience flickering lights and hearing screams at least once a week. 

Located right down the street from Gramley Library, in the Gramley dorm, it is rumored that the third floor used to be an attic where a young girl hung herself.  It’s rumored that at night, girls on the second floor can hear the girl's spirit dragging a trunk across the floor, furniture being moved, random knocking on open doors, and marbles dropping and rolling on the ceiling.  However, girls on the third floor cannot hear anything.

BABCOCK DORMITORY
While I was unable to get a photo of the dorm, or the painting in question, it’s rumored that there is a painting of Mary Babcock (RJ  Because of this, many of the girls will say hello and good bye to the painting as they walk past.

CLEWELL DORM

The rumor surrounding this building is that a young girl fell down an elevator shaft (which has since been boarded up).  There is also another spirit that’s attached in Strong Dorm that enjoys “uncovering” people as they sleep.

FINE ARTS CENTER

At night, it’s rumored that a ghost likes to roam the halls and play the piano.  There have also been instances where lights in the auditorium have been turned on when no one is in the building, as well as trouble getting the lighting to cooperate during a performance.

Did I personally witness any ghost-like behavior or something that could be attributed to a haunting?  No.  However, after walking through the campus, knowing the rumors, and being very cogniscent of the history (and little crevices throughout), I had a completely different experience.  There was definitely a feeling of being watched or that I wasn't completely alone.  And that was just enough to cloud my often black-and-white stance on paranormal activity.