Because it is Halloween, I have found some “creepy” stories about Whitewater. If you have comments or further info on any of these stories, be sure to add your comments!

The following stories are from WeirdUs.com

- The Morris Pratt Institute (a.k.a. The Spook’s Temple) once stood in Whitewater (Corner of West Center Street and South Fremont St.), and was the first school to ever be built whose focus was communicating with the spirit world and other related topics. Large crowds would gather on Sunday nights, when raucous public seances would be held outside of the Pratt Institute. The school moved out of Whitewater in 1946, but its legends remain part of the town’s folklore.

- There are some other true, but very strange, stories regarding Whitewater. On Halloween in 1970, the community was shocked to find that the open grave of a young girl had been hijacked from a local graveyard and placed on the mall of the University’s campus. Two fishermen had seen strange lights floating around one of the cemeteries (which form a perfect isosceles triangle, not a five pointed star) the previous night.

- It is well known that there are a series of underground tunnels that form an intricate maze below Whitewater. It is believed that they were used as part of the Underground Railroad. Others say the tunnels have a much darker purpose, and are actually used by witches, who can travel safely within them without exposing their use of the black arts.

- Speaking of witches, there are two spots on campus that have been claimed as the meeting grounds for these practitioners of magic. The field where Wells Hall, a dormitory, now stands, was once a major meeting place for witch covens. Rumors claim that an altar exists somewhere underneath Wells Hall, around which a number of bodies are buried upright.

- The other witch hotspot is the water tower in Starin Park, known colloquially as Witches Tower. One Halloween, students placed calls to the police after seeing a group of people clad in robes performing a ceremony by candlelight next to the tower. The tower is locked up and surrounded by barbed wire, but rumors still persist that it is a meeting place for witches. (**Note from Jeff: The barbed wire fence that surrounded the Tower when I was in school faced inward toward the Tower, rumor is that it was put up to keep the witches locked in the Tower…not to keep people out of it).

- The most fascinating rumors regarding Whitewater and its darker aspects regard the secret literature locked within the University’s library. Apparently, the contents of a certain book are so volatile that four different people have killed themselves after reading it. Three were University students, and one was a local resident who was found in a gas station with his wrists slashed. The luckier ones have merely gone completely mad after reading these books. Because of this, the library now keeps this powerful book under lock and key – its contents remain unknown.

The Alumni Association has scheduled a business meeting to discuss some of the preliminary issues in preparation for Recolonizing:

7:00 pm, Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
215 Hyer Hall on UWW campus

AGENDA:

a.) Expansion Committee process report and what will be required by the University

b.) Report from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Greek Reform and release of the National Consultant’s report

c.) The High Pi conference in San Antonio, January 2008

d.) Alumni membership concerns

e.) Report from Jeff Reisdorfer on North American Food Drive, Alumni website, Recruitment Campaign and general information on other projects on behalf of the Chapter

f.) Any new business that anyone else has

To add items to the agenda or if you have any questions, please direct them to Marty (mhoke@uline.com) Please comment to this post if you are plan to attend.

Our congratulations go out to Brother Brian Worth (1999) and his wife Bethany. The happy couple was married on September 22 in Janesville, WI.

Thanks to Brother Mike Hintz (1999) for the great photo of Brian enjoying his wedding day.

If you have Alumni news you would like to share, email it to us.

Congratulations to Brother Mike Hintz (1999) and his wife Jenny on the birth of their second child Abbigail Rose. Little Abbigail was born on October 15, 2007 at 4:42 P.M. and was 20.5 inches long and 9 lbs. 3 oz.

Abbigail is pictured in the photo held by her big brother Tom.

If you have Alumni news you would like to share, email it to us.

(Above) Our advertisement in the Homecoming Issues of the Royal Purple

Our Alumni Association President Marty Hoke and our Housing Corporation President Tom Boelk would like thank all of the Brothers who were able to attend the 2007 Homecoming events in Whitewater.

Lambda Chi Alumni met at the House at 416 West North Street at 11am and walked to the game at 1pm. At Halftime, the Warhawks were up on the UW-Oshkosh Titans 10-0. Brother Darren Hafford was up for a University Commerical Award, and while his entry was not chosen, a friend of Darren’s did win, so we congratulate him. The Warhawks went on to topple the Titans, 26-14. Aside from the win, a game highlight was Warhawk runningback Justin Beaver surpassing 5000 career rushing yards to become the first running back in UW-Whitewater and WIAC history to do so.

Brothers reconviened at the Brass Rail for the telling of stories and several games of pool. Alumni from several generations were represented. A big tip of the hat to all Alumni who made cash donations to the North American Food Drive during the homecoming weekend.

We are looking forward to Homecoming 2008 when we are planning to support our new Colony of Brothers to the fullest extents possible. Make plans now to attend Homecoming 2008!

Fuzz introduced me to this great site called Project Playlist.
From time to time I will create and upload collections of music from different generations/rememberances of our Undergrad days.

The first collection is dedicated to the “Down Boys”, when we would have Glam Rock Tuesdays in Rooms 5, 7 and 9.

Some of the songs in the collection are not available online, so they won’t show in the playlist, but you can view and download the cover/track listings and make your own cd with your own songs. Copy and paste the images into iTunes to make your own playlists, as well!

Be sure to check back for new collections of songs.

U.Vid is a UW-Whitewater student video competition where participants are asked to make a 30-second commercial promoting the University of Wisconsin Whitewater to future students. Our Brother Darren Hafford is involved in this contest. Of the 4 final videos, Darren has 2 of them!

Follow this link: http://www.madisonscw.com/SubPage.aspx?page=1530 and watch the videos.

Darren’s are Video 3 and Video 4. He would appreciate all of you taking time to watch and vote for his videos!

The winning video will be aired on Madison’s CW during the season finales of “Beauty and the Geek” and “America’s Next Top Model”. Aside from the public acknowledgement, the winner receives $500 cash and an Internship in production with the CW Network.

I am proud to present an extended interview with our Brother and Renaissance Man, Darren Hafford.

Darren, for those who may not know you, can you give us a little background (full name, Rush class, Iota #) on yourself?
Well, my full name is Darren Lee Joseph Beaulieu Hafford. I grew up in Beloit, WI. I rushed, man this is going to date me here, in the Spring of 1994. My Iota # is 696.

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