Spooks, Spirits & SMU

Keep the tinker bell and power ranger getup at home, kiss candycorn and lollipops goodbye, forget about the high school carnivaland laugh about the old haunted house, here is your complete guideto Halloween on the Hilltop.

However, for those choosing to spend quality time in the libraryinstead of participating in Halloween festivities, getting awayfrom the spooky side of the holiday may be more difficult than youthought.

If Fondren is your library of choice, escaping Halloween’sspooky side may be impossible. Supposedly, back in the1950’s, when President Umphrey Lee had an office in the Weststacks, he had a heart attack. Some say there is a presence thatmay be Umphrey Lee or the first librarian.

“When a presences is near, some say they let themselves beknow by smell,” explains Mike Foutch, student supervisor inFondren. “I have smelled a floral smell on the west stackelevator.”

Foutch experienced more than a floral smell one morning when hewas alone in Fondren.

“I was the only one in here, and I heard what sounded likea book truck rolling around on the elevator, but I wasalone,” says Foutch.

Students also seem to feel a presence when studying on the thirdfloor of the library.

“I have never really heard of Fondren Library beinghaunted,” says sophomore Liz Healy, “but I havedefinitely gotten a weird vibe studying on the higher floors atnight.”

On the other hand, for the majority of students, Halloween isabout dressing up and remembering your days oftrick-or-treating.

“One year my mom made me a silver costume with a matchingsilver purse,” explains Catherine Conley. “I hadglitter in my purse and I threw it in the air to make stars everytime I said ‘trick-or-treat.'”

Some students opt to leave the childhood costume at home andresort to a more risky wardrobe.

“People definitely wear more lucrative clothing than inhigh school,” says sophomore Ben Newell. “It makes fora more interesting evening.”

Newell anticipates an “interesting” effect from hiscreative costume this Halloween.

“I am going to be a box of wine,” Newell explains.”I am just going to wear a huge box that has a nozzle in thewaist region that will actually distribute wine. I am sure it willbe a big hit.”

Not as inventive as Newell? Not to worry, dozens of costumeshops around Dallas specialize in dressing picky customers.

Electric Boutique on Greenville Avenue carries tons of costumesto rent and buy.

“We have the widest variety of costumes that I have everseen,” says Marcia Gibson, employee at Electric Boutique.”I think we probably have about twenty different nursecostumes.”

Your new knee high boots may be more uncomfortable than thefurry gorilla feet you wore last year, and your fake I.D. may notwork as well as the old magic wand you used to carry. However,bobbing for apples and carving pumpkins at a cheesy carnival merelyserves as memory. Most SMU students resort to fraternity partiesrather than roaming the neighborhoods.

“We are having a party called ‘Heaven andHell,'” said sophomore Kappa Sigma Cidric Espejeo.”It will be at the Kappa Sig house. The bottom floor is goingto be hell and the top floor will be heaven with clouds. This isour annual costume party, and this year should be a lot offun.”

For those uninterested in fraternity parties, Dallas offers manyother options. The Oak Lawn Halloween Street party, entitledMonster Mania, will start at 7 p.m. Saturday night in the 3900Block of Cedar Springs.

“It is the biggest party of the year. I have been here fornine years, and it’s just wild. It is the closest thingDallas has to Mardi Gras,” says an employee of the bar SueEllen’s.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” says Dallas residentMargaret Mastingo. “The parade is so entertaining. Thecostumes are great, and the entire community comestogether.”