Mr. Deitzer's Update for Wednesday

 Mr. Deitzer’s update

Day 1

What a night!  There were two tornados that touch downed near Philadelphia.  We got lightning storms and strong winds.  I woke up early to watch some of the weather.  While waiting for breakfast, we taught some students how to play euchre.  I think that they need more time.  Perhaps tomorrow morning.

After breakfast, we made our way to the inner city of Philadelphia.  There, we met Miranda, who would lead us on a walking tour of the founding city.  We started with the liberty bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Carpenter’s Hall (which is haunted, but we couldn’t go to the second floor), and the First and Second Banks of the United States.  It blew my mind that we were in the same buildings as our forefathers.  We walked on the same floors as Washington and Adams.  What an amazing and humbling feeling!  The tour ended with a trip to the greatest American’s (Ben Franklin) house.  Not  much remains of the house, but you could still see the all-important privy pit.  We ended the tour with a trip to Franklin’s grave.  

Before we left Philadelphia, we stopped at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a quick run up the stairs.  We all became Rocky Balboa for a moment!  “Yo, Adrian!”  An interesting side note, they built a statue of Rocky to put on top of the stair case.  A short while later, the Museum moved the statue because more people were coming to see that statue and not the art.  So, to keep the focal point on the art, they moved the statue to the side of the building.  It is amazing how movies affect our daily lives.

After a brief check in with the hotel, we got ready for our dinner and our first ghost hunt at the Farnsworth House.  We got to Tommy’s Pizzeria on-time at 6:30 pm.  Once we sat and got our drinks, the pizza started to come, and come, and come!  It was delicious!  In fact, we have over four pies left over.  Since we were done at 7:15 pm, we decided to walk to Farnsworth.  It was a little chilly, around 50 degrees, but pleasant enough to walk up the street.

We arrived at Farnsworth a little bit early.  I started looking at the building and noticed many bullet holes.  There were over 150 known bullet holes on the outside of the house.  These were the holes that the Union soldiers tried to kill the Confederate snipers.  That’s when I knew that tonight was going to be a great night!

Before I continue, I would like to make something clear.  Ghost hunting involves all of the senses and how we interpret what we hear, see, smell, feel, and “sense” (how you feel presences around you, like when your hair stands up on the back of your neck).  So, what I am about to write is about what I felt.  Each student will have their own story.

We met Cliff and MIke and split into two groups.  My group went with Cliff up into the attic.  There, he told us about some of the spirits that live in the house.  Right now, they know of 14 different souls that live there.  He told us of a boy named Jeremy who likes to untie shoes, tug on girls’ hair, and play small prank.  Mary was a mid-wife and would gravitate to pregnant women and others in need.  Her presence will be marked by a smell of roses.  Then there is Isabella who dresses in all black and does not want you to be around, so she would charge at you.  After these stories, Cliff showed us some ghost hunting equipment.  While we were listening, the latch on the door lifted and opened!  Our first sign!  After reviewing the equipment, we went outside to the hill where Union soldiers were shot at by the snipers in Farnsworth.  We broke into groups of two and went ghost hunting.  

Stefano and I had a K-2 meter, my flip video, and a voice recorder.  We walked into the woods and looked for spikes.  Now, I thought my recorder was on, but when I checked later, nothing was recorder.  Equipment malfunctions are a sign.  (Our bus driver’s blackberry acted up as well).  After finding a second spike, Stefano and I started communicating with the K-2 meter.  We asked simple questions and waited for a response.  We asked if he was a soldier and nothing showed.  We asked if he was a boy and the lights blinked.  We were able to get the K-2 meter light up to specific colors upon command.  We have successfully communicated with a ghost!

Jazzed up, we went back to Farnsworth to meet Mike.  He took us to the basement, where dead bodies were stored as soldiers died in the house.  He told us many stories of personal experiences that he had and more on the spirits.  He told us of Cecilia (Sissy), who was a little girl with blonde, curly hair.  Sometimes, she would play with Jeremy.  

Throughout the stories, the students said that they felt cold spots, itchy skin, hair pulling, and heavy breathing.  I took a few pictures, and I think that I caught an orb.  You be the judge.

We came back to the hotel around 11 pm.  Excited, some students shared their experiences.  I think more students are now ghost believers.  What a night!  I cannot wait until tomorrow’s trip to Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.