By Aaron Littleton
Production Coordinator / TriCities.com
Published: August 4, 2008

Talk to anyone that’s been involved at ETSU over the years and more than likely they’ve got a creepy ghost story or two, knew someone that did, or knew someone whose cousin did.  With the University fast approaching its centennial birthday, a lot of souls have passed through its halls over the years, but if popular opinion is to be believed, not all have left.  Rumors stay active for years - passing from generation of students and faculty on down to the next, with each generation adding their own experiences and beliefs on the matter.  Stories of the ghost of Sidney Gilbreath closing windows and turning off lights mingle with those of the child ghost of Lucille Clement dormitory, always playing with marbles.  The stories are so numerous in fact, that it’s kind of hard to get a hold of what’s what.
That being said, I was privy to a first hand account of a recent ghostly experience on the campus just this weekend, and thought I would share it.
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The semester was coming to a close and, being a music major, Jason was knocking out some last minute practice time in a late night session in the music building.  Working alone, he made his way through his pieces until he got each right.  Throughout the night, he kept hearing the sounds of someone playing the drums in a lower level of the building.  After he was satisfied with his own performances, Jason decided to head down to where he was hearing the drumming to say a quick “Hello” to whoever was down there.  Yet, as he was preparing to do just that, the drumming stopped.  Walking down the stairs, he reached the door to the other practice room, and found it closed tight.  The doors were locked, the lights were off, and he got the very real feeling that it had been that way all night.  The drumming had stopped too recently to reasonably expect anyone down there to have cleaned up and thoroughly closed the place down in that short amount of time.  A chill ran up Jason’s spine.
Walking outside, Jason was unsurprised to find no trace of anyone in the nearby vicinity.  His car sat alone in the dark night.  Jason got in, started it up, and headed for home.

Have any ghost stories of your own, from ETSU or elsewhere around the region?  Post a reply or send in a comment!