thebattalionasks What is the spookiest location on campus?
Q:
thebattalion ● monday,
october 31, 2011
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media
“The Animal Industries building; it’s old.” Katelyn Nix, junior psychology major
I’m fairly certain Roy haunts the main building and not the annex anyway — he takes the elevator. Darrin Moore, A&M research associate for ecosystem science and management
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“The creepiest place on campus is Academic Plaza with all of these old, hauntedlooking oak trees.” Jesse Tune, G-7 Grad level anthropology
“Probably the Quad at night because there is a lot of weird people wandering around.” Kaitlyn Thibodeaux, freshman Blinn Team
“For me I guess it’s close to the water fountain between Blocker and the library. It’s like there isn’t a lot of light over there.” Sam Shute, freshman environmental geoscience major
“When you walk from Hart to the SCC between Heldenfelds, there’s a shortcut there and it’s pretty creepy.” Kara Wong, sophomore sociology major
“I think campus in general at night is creepy.”
Kolin Loveless — THE BATTALION
Grisly accident, mysterious file, reader discretion advised
Sarah Ferrara, junior health major
thebatt.com
Afraid of the dark Nickelodeon’s popular TV show “Are You Afraid of the Dark” is now available on iTunes. Read more online.
Horror remakes Alec Goetz explores a recent batch of horror film remakes at thebatt.com.
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Natalee Blanchat and Joe Terrell The Battalion Texas A&M is a university built upon history. Echoes of the past resonate within Rudder Tower, Military Walk, the Memorial Student Center and throughout the very soul of Aggieland’s spirit and traditions. But behind one building on campus lurks a darker legacy; one built upon blood, misfortune and terrifying encounters with the unknown. Sitting in the shadow of the Oceanography and Meteorology building, the Animal Industries building is a testament to the pervasive power of a well-documented ghost story.
Depending on the version that is told, legend holds that decades ago, a faculty member accidentally cut himself in the basement late at night and died before he could make it out of the building. However, unlike many urban legends, this macabre rumor about the Animal Industries building runs red with more than just a vein of truth. Within the confines of the Cushing Memorial Archives lies a file documenting the sordid history and paranormal events that have come to define the building. The file states that construction on the Animal Industries building began in 1929, costing the University $225,000 — nearly $3 million in today’s currency. The build-
ing opened its doors in 1931. Built to accommodate the animal science department, the basement floor of the building’s annex housed the animal meat laboratory underneath the main lecture hall. Enter Roy Simms. According to a resolution passed in his memory by the Texas A&M Board of Directors in 1959, Simms joined the staff as a worker for a dining hall in 1938. He served in this position until joining the Navy in 1944. After the war, Simms returned to A&M and worked at the University’s stock farm. In 1948, Simms was promoted to meat locker foreman, the position he held
Haunted locations in B-CS ◗ Animal Science building ◗ Duncan Dining Hall ◗ Lasalle Hotel in Bryan ◗ A&M Consolidated High School
See Animal Science on page 3
10/30/11 8:54 PM