Friday, October 27, 2006

Montevallo Ghost Stories

"Ghost Legends Continue" By James K.W. Tan,
from the Alabamian Oct. 25, 1984

"A ghost has also supposedly been seen at the King House. Formerly known as the Mansion House, it was built by Edmund King in 1823. In the book, Jeffrey's Latest 13 More Alabama Ghosts, the spirit of King was said to be wandering around the area with a lantern and a shovel. Legends have it as the spirit was guarding the buried treasure. The treasure was hidden as King was afraid that the Yankees might rob it from him.

Noises were said to have been heard by a few students who were walking back from the library towards Comer Hall, cutting across the Quad. They said it sounded as if there were somebody walking in one of the upstairs rooms. And a strange dim light could be seen. It was like a ... lantern's light. Several people who declined to be named, also confirmed that they saw the curtains opened and then closed, and there was a figure smiling at them."

Tune in next week for the final installment of Montevallo Ghost Stories.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Election 2006 Update

Today's Birmingham News reports that citizens have until tomorrow to register to vote in the upcoming November elections. Check out this article for more information on what to do if you live in Jefferson or Shelby County. Of course, you can always pick up your registration form here at Carmichael Library.

You may also be interested in next week's Governor's Debate between incumbent Bob Riley and challenger Lacy Baxley. Alabama Public Television will cover the event live next Monday at 7:00 p.m., with replays of the debate to follow. In addition, APT will also cover debates between candidates for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Dia de los Muertos--Day of the Dead


Carmichael Library will be celebrating Day of the Dead Oct.23-Nov.2. Please come by and take a look at the ofrendas (altars) created by UM students.

See pictures below!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Dia de los Muertos Ofrendas--Luther Vandross

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Charles Schulz

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Pat Morita

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Johnny Cash

Día de los Muertos Ofredas--Steve Irwin

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Don Knotts

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--John Lennon

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Fred Rogers

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Mitch Hedberg

Día de los Muertos Ofrendas--Claude Monet

Friday, October 20, 2006

Montevallo Ghost Stories

Montevallo's most famous ghost haunts Main Hall. On an evening way back in 1908, Condie Cunningham and her friends were cooking fudge using a Bunsen burner. When the call for lights-out came, one of the young women, in a rush, accidentally upset a bottle of alcohol near the burner. Condie's nightgown caught fire and, in a panic, she ran through the halls and down a stairwell near her room. Her screams could be heard throughout the halls. Due to serious injuries, Cunningham died at a nearby hospital.

Before the stairwell was removed in a renovation, residents often reported seeing the ghost of a young girl covered in flames. The door to Cunningham's former room is said to have had an image of a face surrounded by flames. After repeated attempts at removing the image, the door was taken from its frame. The door is said to be kept in a fourth floor room of Main hall. Apparently, this room is opened on occasion for viewing by curiosity seekers and admirers of the supernatural.

Tune in later this week for another installment of Montevallo Ghost Stories.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Montevallo Ghost Stories

A new weekly blog, In Anticipation of Halloween

(Written by Audrey Powers, a former librarian here at Montevallo)

The buildings of our quiet campus sit stately marking the years of progress, but inside the halls of academia, spirits lurk casting an ever-present eye on the day-to-day activities. Many students pay no attention to the ghouls in UM buildings, but beware, for they do exist.

One of the oldest of UM's supernatural tales involves Reynolds Hall, that ghostly white building next to Main Hall. For it is in that building that Captain Reynolds, a Confederate Civil War officer, still maintains his tireless watch. Reynolds Hall, formerly a Civil War hospital, housed sick and wounded Confederate troops during the war between the states. Captain Henry Clay Reynolds, for whom the building is now named, was allegedly in charge of guarding the building from Union soldiers. Hearing of a planned attack on the nearby Brier Field Iron Works, Captain Reynolds left his post to fight the invaders in Brier Field. In his absence, according to tales, Sherman's soldiers massacred the men in the unguarded hospital. When Captain Reynolds returned, his guilt led him to pledge never to leave the building again, not even after his death.

In recent years, the Captain's ghost has appeared on more than one occasion as a blue figure of a man. He followed a student late one night, and moved a painting of himself in the building's lobby.

Tune in next week, for another episode of Montevallo Ghost Stories.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Inaugural Dispay

Items from the our University Archives and the Records Office are on display in Carmichael. Stop by and take a look at relics of the University’s 110-year history!

See pictures below.

And to hear more about notable characters and events from Montevallo’s past, come hear “Crowned with Truth and Honor”, the readers’ theatre production on the history of Montevallo, on Tuesday, October 10, at 7 p.m. in Merchants and Planters Bank Auditorium, Comer Hall. This event is co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, the Montevallo Chapter of the American Association of University Women, and Carmichael Library.






Thursday, October 05, 2006

Leaving Salt Lake City; Life Raft Lineup Announced

Hello everyone,

I'm completing a couple of days in lovely Salt Lake City, Utah, where the focus has been planning for a major library systems upgrade. I had the good fortune of speaking on a panel today about a technology review that we completed in June. The work we did this summer will go a long way in helping us experience a smooth transition to our new system. These changes are quite a way off, and we will be sharing more information with you about them as the upgrade date approaches.

In local news, Michael Patton has announced the roster for next week's Life Raft Debate. This event seems to get better with each passing year and this year's slate of contestants are certain to draw a large crowd at the McChesney Student Activities Center. Here's a list of this year's participants and their disciplines:
  • Jac Cole, representing Mathematics
  • Hollie Cost, stressing the need for Teacher Education
  • Michelle Duran-McLure, defending Art History
  • Vladimir Rovinsky, championing Theater
  • Incoming President Philip Williams insisting on the importance of the University President
  • Defending champion Zack Foster, arguing for Culinary Arts
The debate will take place Thursday, October 12th. The fun starts at 7:00 pm at the McChesney Student Activity Center with light refreshments available starting at 6:30 pm in the Concourse.