"GHOSTS" AT SCHOOL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2051, 4 December 1924, Page 3

"GHOSTS" AT SCHOOL.

PANIC AMONG CHILDREN. ASTONISHING RUMOURS. "ALL SORTS OF STORIES?' In consequence of the circulation of stones that "ghosts" had been seen at a Grimsby school, extraordinary scenes were witnessed there late one night recently. A crowd of between 1500 and 2000 people assembled and it required all the energies of a large force of police to prevent unruly persons from making a raid on the school premises to hunt for the supposed "ghost." All sorts of wild stories were in circulation among the crowd. One was that "a figure in white" had been seen gliding about the boys' playground; another that mysterious blue lights had been seen floating from room to room; a third that the dismembered body of a child had been found under a classroom-floor; and yetanother that an unknown Jew had been found hanging in the school belfry. There was not the slightest foundation in fact for any of the stories, but the position had reached such a pitch, and the attendance at the school had become so seriously affected that the Education Committee posted notices denying the rumours, and warning people against repeating them. The trouble commenced one Sunday night, when a woman declared that she heard groans issuing from the building. She called the attention of others, and they heard—or thought they heard—the groans. The police and the school caretaker were informed. The caretaker, accompanied by officers, made a thorough search of the premises without finding anything untoward or to account for the sounds. The mere presence of the police, however,, served to cause the assembly of a large crowd, among whom a variety of wild stories circulated. There was a good deal of excitement in the neighbourhood throughout the Sunday night, and during the Monday the various rumours were embellished to such an extent that they culminated at nightfall in the street being visited by people from all parts of the town. Mr Weston, the headmaster, stated on Tuesday that the rumours had seriously affected the attendance at the school, particularly in the infant department. In some instances mothers had taken their children to school and asked if it was safe to .leave them. He could not account for the stories getting into circulation and gaining credence, unless they had been started by some highly imaginative scholars. The caretaker said that he searched the premises thoroughly after receiving the report of the "moans" being heard, but found everything in order. Not a book, not a waste-paper basket was disturbed, and there was not a sign of any unauthorised person having been seen on the premises.