SyFy is still cranking out those paranormal reality shows for our entertainment. They now plan to feature haunted high schools and colleges across the U.S..The title of the series is aptly named School Spirit.

The announcement of the series hints that our nation’s schools have displayed some level of interest in participating.

The premise of the hour-long weekly series is simple: Staff, students and parents will recount their tales of paranormal activity. The involvement of Seth Jarrett (Celebrity Ghost Stories) hints that those familiar re-enactments will supplement first-hand accounts of ghostly encounters. Mark Burnett, of Survivor and The Apprentice fame, will join Jarrett as executive producer. .

A debut date was not announced for this series

As Halloween quickly approaches, many folks are finding themselves in the mood for some ghost stories. Tucson has many haunted locations, particularly in the downtown area, like my favorite Pioneer Hotel. Ironically, I wrote that Pioneer piece exactly one year ago today.

The University of Arizona campus, where many buildings are reportedly haunted, runs a close second on my list of favorites.

A friend of mine forwarded a website to me. The site contains a treasure trove of tales related to the University of Arizona, some I was familiar with and some that I was not. Some of the stories are ghostly tales, some are not. Some are related to the unexplained mysteries associated with the campus.

When I worked and went to school there, my colleagues regularly disclosed paranormal activity in particular buildings.  The website is worth bookmarking, as it states that it is continually updated. Perhaps I’ll even contribute a tale or two about  buildings that I didn’t see included on the website.

The website includes stories related to Bear Down Gym, The Maricopa Residence Hall, Old Main, Centennial Hall and others.

Visit the U of A Mystery website…

and

Go Wildcats!

When asked about my favorite Arizona ghostly tale over the years, it is difficult for me to pick just one. There are so many area ghost stories that I have yet to write about. Some of the stories I have already written about are favorites of mine.

Narrowing it down, four very different hauntings that I wrote about when I started this blog come to mind, which are all buried deep within the archives of Paranormal Old Pueblo.

The tale of the “Lady in Red” at the former site of Osco Drug in El Con Mall in Tucson is absolutely one of my favorites. A woman in a red 1940′s dress terrified employees of the drug store for years.  Her presence was always foreshadowed by the click-click-click sound of her high heel shoes.  However, I haven’t heard of any more paranormal activity from the lady in red since the store was demolished to make way for Target and the Home Depot. Read more about The Lady in Red

The Old Fort Lowell Historic District in Tucson also intrigues me. As a former resident of the area, there is something different about the feel of the area.  Perhaps it’s the rich history that local residents keep at the forefront to keep it alive for future generations. Perhaps it’s the soldiers at the old fort who still don’t know they’ve died generations ago. Maybe the ruins of the old fort somehow recorded events and keep playing them back. Read more about The Ghosts of Fort Lowell

Located in the Patagonia Mountains, where there is no shortage of ghostly tales and ghost towns, the haunted Bonanza Mine near the U.S.-Mexico border has a fascinating story to tell. The ghost was reported to ring a bell that was no longer there. Read more about The Haunted Bonanza Mine

The Pioneer International Hotel in Tucson is the most tragic (and, yes, my most favorite) tale of all. This tragedy in Tucson resulted in international attention, caused the people of two countries to mourn, and resulted in the modification of fire codes across the country in the 1970′s.  The paranormal experiences in that building, which is now an office building, are still reported today. Read more about The Pioneer