Halloween might be over, but the ghost-hunting is just beginning for one Ohio State student organization.
Two OSU roommates thought up the idea for Ghost Hunters in Ohio by Student Technicians (GHOST) after watching the television series “Ghost Hunters” on the Syfy Channel.
It became a tradition for the pair of self-described best buds from Bowling Green to watch and record the episodes every Wednesday, said Patrick Bradley, a third-year in biomedical engineering and president of the organization.
“We thought, that’d be so cool,” Bradley said. “Why is there no ghost-hunting club?”
The group began with 10 or 11 friends but has quickly grown to about 25 members. Shortly after the club appeared on the Union website, the duo began to receive about one e-mail a week from prospective members, said Taylor Yohe, a third-year in animal science and vice president of the club.
“We were so excited that someone wanted to join,” Yohe said. “I guess we were naive to think no one would have interest in the same thing we do.”
The club has not yet held an investigation but the university lists it as an active student organization.
The club is considering charging a $10 membership fee to pay for ghost hunting instruments. Members hope to purchase video cameras, audio recorders and electromagnetic field detectors, which help detect supernatural energy, Bradley said.
The money the group receives from the university is not enough to buy the scientific instruments, Bradley said.
“They can just provide pizza and soda,” he added. “We realize we’re on our own.”
David Lienesch, a second-year in chemical engineering and “tech guy” of the group, said costs for electromagnetic field detectors range from $50 for the “cheap ones” to up to $400. The group plans to buy some in the $100 to $125 range.
The members are not convinced that ghosts exist however.
The members didn’t want to begin with a mentality as to whether ghosts are real, Yohe said. They want to stay science-oriented and attempt to explain what could cause noise, movement or energy changes before labeling them supernatural encounters.
“When it can’t be explained, that’s one of the coolest feelings,” Yohe added. “It’s like a thrill.”
For its first investigation, the group hopes to explore some older OSU buildings that are scheduled to be demolished, Bradley said.
Among the list are Haskett Hall (1925), Boyd Laboratory (1933), the Aviation Building (1952) and Johnston Laboratory (1943). The duo heard “through the grapevine” that some were used for World War II research and development, and that one might even house part of an old railroad track.
According to the John H. Herrick archives, the Aviation Building was never officially named but was built as “Addition to War Research Laboratory.” Boyd Laboratory was built as “Highway Testing Laboratory,” and one of the Johnston Laboratory’s alternative names was “War Research Laboratory.”
Lienesch wants to explore the older campus buildings because they have so much history, he said.
“Maybe somebody died in there,” he added. “Who knows?”
However, the process isn’t running as smoothly as the members had hoped. They are still waiting to receive permission from building coordinators.
Members are looking to expand the group and hope to recruit students with formal ghost-hunting experience. Bradley is the only member who has done any form of ghost-hunting in the past. Through an urban exploration program, he explored the Ottawa Valley Hospital in Lima, he said.
Group members plan to change the organization’s name to the Ghost Hunting Club and eventually to GHOSU. Clubs have to be active for two years before they can have OSU in their title, Bradley said.
Until then, they want the university to realize they’re a genuine organization so they can investigate campus buildings.
“We’re actually serious about this,” Yohe added. “The more legitimate we are, the better opportunity we have to investigate.”
Lienesch agreed the group has earnest intentions.
“We’re not going in there to play or goof around,” he said. “We want to be mature and have a scientific perspective.”
Students interested in joining can contact Bradley at [email protected].
