2008 Woodie Awards
Ghost Trail Spooks WPU Students This Halloween
Jonathan Ciccone
Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Campus Briefs
- Page 1 of 1
William Paterson University students worked up some courage this Halloween and took a frightful walk along The Ghost Trail, a spookily themed tour that snaked through the trees surrounding Hobart Manor.
"People were getting genuinely scared," said Jeffrey Gutierrez, creator of the event and brother of the Latinos Always United fraternity.
During the walk, which cost the Greek senate, the Student Activity Programs Board and the junior class more than $3,500 to produce, students cautiously inched their way from one horrifying scene to the next, encountering different surprises at each stop. Lightning effects, creepy music and actors with makeup applied by WPU's art department were all part of the show.
"I know I shocked more than a few people," said a costumed Tricia DiFranco, sophomore.
Fans of the magazine "Weird New Jersey" could appreciate the evening even more because every scene was faithfully recreated using past issues as a guide. WPU is no stranger to the semiannual publication either; Hobart Manor appeared on its pages some time ago because of numerous ghost sightings by employees in the mansion-turned-president's office.
"Students have a lot of assumptions about Hobart Manor," said Fabbio Areche, Greek senate vice president. "And we made sure to feed into them."
Case in point - the tour started off with a reenactment of Garret Hobart, 24th vice president of the United States and former owner of the house, killing his wife. Her ghost is one of several rumored to be haunting the building.
Other gruesome scenes included a girl meeting her demise on prom night, and the "Jersey Devil," a hoofed flying creature that became the basis for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
"I was scared out of my pants," said a student as he left.
Gutierrez admits that the purpose of the night wasn't just to frighten.
"We wanted to offer students an alternative to the heavy partying and drinking that usually accompanies Halloween," he said. "Tonight, we all got to feel like kids again."
"People were getting genuinely scared," said Jeffrey Gutierrez, creator of the event and brother of the Latinos Always United fraternity.
During the walk, which cost the Greek senate, the Student Activity Programs Board and the junior class more than $3,500 to produce, students cautiously inched their way from one horrifying scene to the next, encountering different surprises at each stop. Lightning effects, creepy music and actors with makeup applied by WPU's art department were all part of the show.
"I know I shocked more than a few people," said a costumed Tricia DiFranco, sophomore.
Fans of the magazine "Weird New Jersey" could appreciate the evening even more because every scene was faithfully recreated using past issues as a guide. WPU is no stranger to the semiannual publication either; Hobart Manor appeared on its pages some time ago because of numerous ghost sightings by employees in the mansion-turned-president's office.
"Students have a lot of assumptions about Hobart Manor," said Fabbio Areche, Greek senate vice president. "And we made sure to feed into them."
Case in point - the tour started off with a reenactment of Garret Hobart, 24th vice president of the United States and former owner of the house, killing his wife. Her ghost is one of several rumored to be haunting the building.
Other gruesome scenes included a girl meeting her demise on prom night, and the "Jersey Devil," a hoofed flying creature that became the basis for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
"I was scared out of my pants," said a student as he left.
Gutierrez admits that the purpose of the night wasn't just to frighten.
"We wanted to offer students an alternative to the heavy partying and drinking that usually accompanies Halloween," he said. "Tonight, we all got to feel like kids again."
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