Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for CAMPUS HORROR STORY returned 4 results.
SCRATCHED ; SCRATCHING AT THE DOOR (KEYPUNCHER'S TITLE)
SEVERAL DECADES AGO A NUMBER OF CO-EDS WERE HATCHETED TO DEATH AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. IT WAS THEN DECREED THAT NO CO-ED WAS TO
GO OUT ALONE AFTER DARK. ONE EVENING A CO-ED FOUND IT NECESSARY TO GO
TO THE LIBRARY TO FIND A BOOK WHICH SHE NEEDED FOR AN EXAM ON THE
NEXT DAY. HER ROOMMATE WAS ILL, THE CO-ED WENT OUT ALONE. LATER IN
THE EVENING THE ILL CO-ED HEARD SCRATCHING AT HER DOOR. FRIGHTENED
SHE PUSHED A DRESSER AGAINST THE DOOR AND WAITED. NOTHING FURTHER
WAS HEARD, AND SHE FELL ASLEEP. WHEN SHE AWOKE IN THE MORNING, HER
ROOMMATE HADN'T RETURNED. THE GIRL PUSHED THE DRESSER FROM THE DOOR
AND PULLED IT OPEN. HER ROOMMATE HAD RETURNED. SHE LAY AT THE DOOR,
HAND OUT-STRETCHED, WITH A HATCHET PLANTED IN HER BACK.
Submitter comment: INFORMANT HEARD TALE FROM A FRIEND WHO ATTENDS M.S.U.
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): CAMPUS HORROR STORY ; DEATH UNIVERSITY ; GORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Product or activity of man or animal |
Date learned: 10-23-1965
A DORM LEGEND
I HEARD A STORY ONCE WHICH CIRCULATED AROUND PARTS
OF THE DORM. IT DEALT WITH A GIRL AT ANOTHER
COLLEGE WHO WAS FOUND DEAD THE NEXT MORNING WITH HER
WRISTS SLASHED. THE GIRL IN THE NEXT ROOM HAD HEARD
HER SCRATCHING AT HER DOOR, CLAWING IT, BUT THOUGHT
IT WAS JUST SOMEONE JOKING, TRYING TO SCARE HER. SHE
NEVER WENT TO SEE WHO IT WAS AND THE NEXT MORNING
FOUND THE GIRL OUTSIDE HER DOOR, DEAD. THE GIRL WHO
TOLD THE STORY BELIEVED IT TO BE TRUE, BUT I HAVE
TALKED TO OTHER GIRLS AT OTHER COLLEGES WHO HAVE
HEARD THE STORY IN ONE FORM OR OTHER--SOME SAYING
IT'S TRUE, OTHERS SAYING IT'S NOT.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
James Callow Keyword(s): CAMPUS HORROR STORY
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend |
Date learned: 08-09-1968
SCRATCHIN'
A YOUNG COUPLE WAS ON A DATE AND WERE TRAVELING DOWN
A DIRT ROAD. IT WAS DARK OUT AND QUITE WINDY OUT.
AS THE COUPLE WERE DRIVING, THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS.
THE BOY TOLD HIS DATE THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE
HER AND WALK BACK TO TOWN TO GET SOME GAS. HE TOLD HER
THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE ALRIGHT BUT LOCK THE DOORS
AFTER HE LEFT AND NOT TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR ANY REASON.
HE LEFT AND THE GIRL STAYED IN THE CAR. SHE WASN'T
AFRAID. SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A SCRATCHING ON THE ROOF
OF THE CAR. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK, BUT SHE
DARED NOT OPEN THE DOORS. SHE REALLY GOT SCARED.
SO SHE LAID DOWN IN THE CAR TO TRY AND HIDE FROM
WHATEVER IT WAS THAT WAS OUT THERE. ALL THE WHILE
THIS SCRATCHING PERSISTED. THIS KEPT UP FOR OVER AN
HOUR. THEN SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A TAPPING AT THE
WINDOW. THE GIRL SPRANG UP AND SAW A LIGHT IN THE
SIDE WINDOW. IT WAS THE POLICE. THE GIRL WAS RELIEVED
TO SEE THEM AND THANKED THEM. BUT THE OFFICER SAID
HE WAS SORRY AND POINTED UP ABOVE THE CAR. THE GIRL
LOOKED UP AND SAW HER BOYFRIEND HANGING DEAD FROM A
LARGE TREE WITH ONE HAND RUBBING AGAINST THE TOP OF
THE CAR. THE WIND HAD BENT THE LIMBS OF THE TREE
DOWN AND CAUGHT THE BOY UP IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE
COULDN'T MOVE OR YELL. ONLY HIS ONE ARM BARELY REACHED
THE TOP OF THE CAR. THE ONLY THING HE COULD DO WAS
SCRATCH THE TOP OF THE CAR. ALL THE TIME HE WAS
TRYING TO GET THE GIRL TO HELP HIM.
James Callow comment: CALLED "HANGMAN'S ROAD" IN COFFIN & COHEN, <
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens
James Callow Keyword(s): CAMPUS HORROR STORY
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being |
Date learned: 00-00-1960
SCRATCHIN'
A YOUNG COUPLE WAS ON A DATE AND WERE TRAVELING DOWN
A DIRT ROAD. IT WAS DARK OUT AND QUITE WINDY OUT.
AS THE COUPLE WERE DRIVING, THE CAR RAN OUT OF GAS.
THE BOY TOLD HIS DATE THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE
HER AND WALK BACK TO TOWN TO GET SOME GAS. HE TOLD HER
THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE ALRIGHT BUT LOCK THE DOORS
AFTER HE LEFT AND NOT TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR ANY REASON.
HE LEFT AND THE GIRL STAYED IN THE CAR. SHE WASN'T
AFRAID. SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A SCRATCHING ON THE ROOF
OF THE CAR. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK, BUT SHE
DARED NOT OPEN THE DOORS. SHE REALLY GOT SCARED.
SO SHE LAID DOWN IN THE CAR TO TRY AND HIDE FROM
WHATEVER IT WAS THAT WAS OUT THERE. ALL THE WHILE
THIS SCRATCHING PERSISTED. THIS KEPT UP FOR OVER AN
HOUR. THEN SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A TAPPING AT THE
WINDOW. THE GIRL SPRANG UP AND SAW A LIGHT IN THE
SIDE WINDOW. IT WAS THE POLICE. THE GIRL WAS RELIEVED
TO SEE THEM AND THANKED THEM. BUT THE OFFICER SAID
HE WAS SORRY AND POINTED UP ABOVE THE CAR. THE GIRL
LOOKED UP AND SAW HER BOYFRIEND HANGING DEAD FROM A
LARGE TREE WITH ONE HAND RUBBING AGAINST THE TOP OF
THE CAR. THE WIND HAD BENT THE LIMBS OF THE TREE
DOWN AND CAUGHT THE BOY UP IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE
COULDN'T MOVE OR YELL. ONLY HIS ONE ARM BARELY REACHED
THE TOP OF THE CAR. THE ONLY THING HE COULD DO WAS
SCRATCH THE TOP OF THE CAR. ALL THE TIME HE WAS
TRYING TO GET THE GIRL TO HELP HIM.
James Callow comment:
CALLED "HANGMAN'S ROAD" IN COFFIN & COHEN, <
FROM THE WORKING FOLK OF AMERICA>>.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens
James Callow Keyword(s): CAMPUS HORROR STORY
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Human Being |
Date learned: 00-00-1960