Join us for an episode packed with paranormal activity and scarlet lore! Guided by alumnus Zack Morrison SC&I’14, MGSA’14, a filmmaker and writer from East Brunswick, New Jersey, immerse yourself in some of the ghost stories that shroud our noisy college town.
About the Podcast Producer
Zack Morrison SC&I’14, MGSA’14 is a filmmaker and writer from East Brunswick, New Jersey and a proud Rutgers alumnus. His most recent film, the Emmy-winning short musical Everything’s Fine: A Panic Attack in D Major, has screened at more than two dozen film festivals around the United States since its premiere at Lincoln Center in New York City in 2018. He co-created and produced the YouTube variety show We Have a Show, hosted the educational travel series Space Tourists for The Space Channel, and was a writer’s assistant at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. As a Rutgers student, Morrison was a member of the Cap and Skull Society and created several projects about Rutgers history, including the short documentary Knights, Tigers, and Cannons. Oh My! and the Student Affairs video series Scarlet Lore. He graduated from Rutgers in 2014 with bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies and an individualized second major in digital filmmaking at Mason Gross School of the Arts. He also holds a master of fine arts degree in television writing from Columbia University.
About Scarlet Traditions
The Scarlet Traditions podcast series, brought to you by the RUAA Scarlet Council, takes you on a deep dive into the history, spirit, and tradition of our noisy college town on the Banks of the old Raritan. Show your support for this new endeavor by following the Scarlet Council on Instagram (@ruaascarletcouncil) as they continue to add to this series.
Podcast Transcript
GHOST STORIES – ACT 1
Cue MUSIC: broody, moody, war-torn.
ZACK:
The snow and icy wind swept the field that morning. Cold boots, colder fists, and icy hopes joined the battalion of artillerymen who stood atop a grassy field overlooking the Raritan River, anxiously awaiting the bombastic concussion that was undoubtedly soon to follow. Deep in their hearts, they knew the position they held was of upmost importance; no one more so than the company’s commander, Alexander Hamilton. December 1st, 1776. The King’s College prodigy-now young officer in the Continental Army-was tasked with holding this grassy position along the banks and providing cover as General Washington oversaw his troops’ retreat towards Trenton. When the firing started on that early December morning, salvos of cannon fire were volleyed across the Raritan by British forces. Both sides took casualties, but Hamilton and his men stood their ground, allowing Washington’s company to continue south, leaving New Brunswick after a three-day stay to rest from recent defeats near Fort Lee. Hamilton knew the importance of protecting the retreat route towards Trenton: getting across the Delaware River into Philadelphia was their only hope of evading the British long enough to survive. And while Hamilton and his men would soon depart New Brunswick following the battle, they say the spirit of a soul longing for his swift return would haunt that battleground for years to come.
OPENING THEME MUSIC, fades into background.
ZACK:
My name is ZACK: Morrison, and this is SCARLET TRADITIONS, a podcast that takes a deep dive into the history, spirit, and tradition of that noisy college town on the banks of the old Raritan. Today, as the winds of winter creep around the corner, so too do the haunted ghosts of All Hallows Eve. That chill that surrounds you when you when you walk past the stately ancient walls of Old Queens, or the distant voice that calls for you in the hallowed classic halls of Douglass–those are the remnants of a time long past; a two-hundred-fifty-three year old story in the making. Today, let’s talk about some of the ghosts of Queens College, the buildings on campus that are rooted in the lore of haunted sightings, and the caretakers of these urban legends today.
BACK TO STORY MUSIC:
ZACK:
Old Queens is the oldest building on campus. The cornerstone was laid in 1809, and it originally housed classrooms, the library, a chapel, and faculty living quarters. The University wasn’t even renamed to Rutgers College until its completion 16 years later in 1825. Federal style architecture like this grant us a window to the past, and as the seasons change into the orange glow of autumn, sometimes the past likes to remind us that it’s still there. Which brings us back to that cold, winter morning in 1776. Shortly after that day’s salvo of cannon fire at a site marked by a signpost near Kirkpatrick Chapel, Alexander Hamilton began writing to an old childhood friend, Catherine Livingston, or “Kitty” for short. Kitty’s father William Livingston, who would become the first governor of a free New Jersey, purchased a residence in Elizabethtown, and housed Alexander Hamilton during his time in boarding school. As a young man, Hamilton lived with the Livingston family, and he and Kitty became close friends. Following Hamilton’s return to New Jersey during the revolution, their friendship evolved into a series of letters, which quickly turned into a not-so-subtle exchange of advances. Overtly suggestive writing was in vogue in the late 1700’s, but even so, it’s hard to deny that some feelings were there. Kitty, at 26, was five years Hamilton’s senior, and historians suggest that their affection for each other was nothing to be taken seriously. However, students at Rutgers have reason to suspect otherwise. Some suggest that Kitty’s feelings for Alexander were so strong, so powerful, that her spirit still longs for Alexander’s return.
FADE TO:
RUAA COMMERCIAL #1
This episode of the Scarlet Traditions Podcast is brought to you by the Rutgers University Alumni Association’s Scarlet Council, a student organization dedicated to inspiring today’s students to become the engaged Rutgers alumni of tomorrow
The moment you graduate, you become a member of the RUAA. That means you belong to a global community of more than 500,000 Rutgers alumni. But did you know you could get involved before even graduating?
Virtual programming happens every day. And it’s free for both students and Rutgers alumni. The RUAA provides all sorts of resources and it highlights the life-changing work of Rutgers alumni from across the world, and close to home. Check out what’s happening by visiting ralumni.com/events and mark your calendars for fun, educational events that will leave you feeling tons of scarlet pride!
ZACK:
This episode of the Scarlet Traditions Podcast is brought to you by the Rutgers University Alumni Association’s Scarlet Council, a student organization dedicated to inspiring today’s students to become the engaged Rutgers alumni of tomorrow
The moment you graduate, you become a member of the RUAA. That means you belong to a global community of more than 500,000 Rutgers alumni. But did you know you could get involved before even graduating?
Virtual programming happens every day. And it’s free for both students and Rutgers alumni. The RUAA provides all sorts of resources and it highlights the life-changing work of Rutgers alumni from across the world, and close to home. Check out what’s happening by visiting ralumni.com/events and mark your calendars for fun, educational events that will leave you feeling tons of scarlet pride!
BACK IN:
GHOST STORIES – ACT II
ZACK:
Student legends have told tales of the Gray Lady of Old Queens, the ghost of a woman in the shadows of the University’s centuries-old centerpiece. This kind of spirit is one of loss, of a broken heart, torn by the hope of a lover’s return that will never come. They say she can be seen peering out towards the southwest of the lawn. Some students who cross through the old campus at night claim her pale face can be seen looking out the windows. Now it’s unknown to this day just who the Gray Lady is, but according to legend, it’s possible that it is the spirit of Catherine Livingston herself, drawn to the site of Alexander Hamilton’s heroic line in the sand. While their letters are explicit in their desire for each other, the specific details about the alleged affair are lost on history. What is known though is that a ghostly, sad gaze often looks upon the battleground. And according to students who gather on the campus at night, it seems she is waiting for someone.
MUSIC TRANSITIONS
ZACK:
But that’s not the only building on campus that has a history of strange sightings and eerie sounds. A short walk through the gates of Old Queens along Somerset Street is Miller Hall. Located near the bookstore and Scarlet Fever, Miller Hall is now home to the Department of Jewish Studies. However, over the years, many reports of strange and unexplained noises were made by students, faculty and staff.
ZACK:
Whistles. Footsteps. Clanking metal. The sounds of a mechanical steampunk workplace of years long past. There are stories of these whistles being so loud and so unearthly, that it scared the administrators who worked there. Late at night, grading papers, and all she heard was the unnatural hiss of something. Curiosity was not something to be lost on those who have worked there over the years. And on one night, Associate Dean Marc Mappen got curious. As fate would have it, and often in circumstances such as these, a bit too on the nose-ly, Miller Hall had a history of death inside its walls. And Dean Mappen rediscovered it. On a lonely night sifting through University records, he discovered a curious piece of information: Miller Hall was previously a mortuary. Lost in time in an era of economic and geographical expansion for the University, Rutgers administrators purchased the building from the McDede Burial Company. And to this day, you can still find an original stone inscription bearing the company’s name on the building’s construction. Some even believe that buried deep underground, hidden beneath layers of brick and cement, there might still be hidden chambers of the original morgue. As for the restless footsteps, some say the spirit of McDede himself might still be at work, ferrying along those recently departed from this world into the next. Like the old tales of ghost ships on the ancient seas.
MUSIC TRANSITION
ZACK:
New Brunswick, New Jersey, is an interesting town like that. So deeply rooted in history from generation to generation, with each passing year, a new collective of memories, dreams, and stories makes its way into the heart of its residents. And in the midst of the roaring twenties, a time of cross-generational change and a culture shifting into a new frontier of personal liberty and expressionism, a new story was about to shake Hub City to its core.
CUE MUSIC: mysterious
ZACK:
On September 16, 1922, two bodies were discovered on a farm in the outskirts of town, a man and a woman. The man, Rev. Edward Hall, was a priest at an Episcopal church in New Brunswick. The woman, Elanor Mills, was one of the church’s choir singers. When authorities discovered the bodies, they were arranged beneath a tree, positioned after death to be embracing one another. Both Hall and Mills were shot in the head, however Mills also appeared to have a slashed throat, and upon an autopsy, it was learned her tongue had been cut out. A top hat covered Hall’s face, and his calling card was placed at his feet. And finally, a series of torn-up love letters were curiously scattered between the bodies. It was revealed later that Hall and Mills were having an affair, and Hall’s wife Frances, along with her brothers, were all suspects in the case. A crime of passion. A crime of revenge. However after national media speculation and problematically insufficient evidence, the case remained unsolved. Memory of the case has faded with time, however it was at the time a subject of national debate. According to scholars, the murder may have even inspired parts of the plot in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. However the part of the story that arguably the most interesting to Rutgers is that Rev. Hall’s home was 23 Nichol Avenue. Today, 23 Nichol is used as a Dean’s Residence. However, some say that to this day, mysterious sounds can be heard coming from the basement. Mysterious sounds that just might be left behind by the spirits of the brutally murdered.
FADE TO:
RUAA COMMERCIAL #2
This episode of the Scarlet Traditions Podcast is brought to you by the Rutgers University Alumni Association’s Scarlet Council—inspiring today’s students to become the engaged Rutgers alumni of tomorrow.
Founded in 2015, the Scarlet Council student group offers programming that educates and celebrates what it means to be Scarlet Forever! The council shares Rutgers’ history, traditions, and the invaluable resources offered to students and alumni by the RUAA. From mentoring to networking, Scarlet Council offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with the Rutgers community and alumni before graduating. With their membership, students also learn about the importance of philanthropy and gain valuable skills in leadership, program development, networking, and project management.
Want to learn more about the RUAA and the resources available? Follow @Rutgers_Alumni on Instagram or visit ralumni.com. And if you’re a student interested in joining the Scarlet Council, follow @ruaascarletcouncil on Instagram.
BACK IN:
GHOST STORIES – ACT III
ZACK:
Douglass College, now Douglass Residential College, is one of the most historically significant schools in the state’s history. Founded in 1918 as the New Jersey College for Women, it was renamed in 1955 after the college’s first dean, Mabel Smith Douglass. And while today Douglass campus is known for its quiet, picturesque sites like Passion Puddle and the Kissing Bridge; and its proximity to Cook Campus and the Mason Gross performing arts center, it is also home to some truly haunting tales. The first of which brings us to the Little Theater.
MUSIC TRANSITION
ZACK:
Located on Nichol Avenue, the Little Theater today is used mainly as a rehearsal space for Mason Gross School of the Arts, and over the years it has hosted a variety of performances. But from the early 1920’s through the late 50’s, the company director Jane Inge lived in a small apartment on the theater’s top floor. To this day, some students believe she never left.
A beat.
ZACK:
Inge was known to have an extravagant personality. She would eat her meals at the student dining hall, and even showered in the pool under Jameson Hall. However, her most memorable trait was her method of getting her theater company’s attention during rehearsals: flickering the lights on and off. It’s believed that her spirit continues to haunt the building to this day, and some have claimed to see an image of Inge passing through the upstairs halls in a white dress. Even weirder, despite technicians claiming there is nothing wrong, some believe the lights still flicker during theater rehearsals. But never during a performance.
MUSIC TRANSITION
ZACK:
We have one final tale of haunted woe and the macabre. Also on Douglass campus, in the residential quad, is Jameson Hall. In addition to being the home of Cabaret Theater’s blackbox performance space, it is one of the longstanding residential halls of Douglass residential college. The buildings here are old, and rich with history. One of the lesser-known secrets of Jameson is the old pool that exists in the structure’s basement. Though it hasn’t been in use in years, this pool used to be a way for students to unwind at the end of a long day in class. Until once upon a time, on a lonely winter night, a young woman drowned. Though the water in the pool is no longer there under Jameson, some say the spirit of the departed never left. To this day, students living in Jameson Hall who sneak down into the building’s sublevel at night claim to see her ghost haunting the pool.
ZACK:
I always enjoy a good ghost story, and while these are all we have for today, there are many more haunted tales from around Rutgers University. If you’re a current student, what are some of the urban legends you hear? For our alumni listeners, what was the popular tale during your time on the banks? There are some student organizations today that carry on the tales and traditions of days long past; groups like the Cap and Skull Society, the Rutgers University Glee Club, the Rutgers University Historical Society, the Scarlet Council and many others. As the nation’s eighth-oldest university, there are bound to be many stories bound by centuries of tradition. I look forward to discussing more of them with you in future episodes. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Scarlet Traditions. I’m ZACK: Morrison. Happy Halloween.
OUT.
