Specific location: 2nd floor in particular, or wherever the
bedrooms used to be - but story involves rest of building as well.
Background:
John Ahlum Schaeffer, F&M President from 1935-1941 had been involved
with Franklin and Marshall College for many years. He graduated from here
in 1904 and was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and Goethean Literary
Society. Later in his life , he came back to be
F&M's president. During his time as president, he oversaw the construction
of Fackenthal Library and Keiper Liberal Arts buildings. He was
described as tall and robust in appearance; and in temperment, he was described as restless and
impulsive. He habitually chain-smoked cigars, and used to relieve the
stress of being president by leaving the campus at lunch hour and speeding
recklessly through the Lancaster County countryside. From 1919 through
1966, Huegel Alumni House served as the college President's residence, so
Schaeffer lived there with his family.
Death/Morbid Stories:
On the evening of Sunday, April 6th, 1941, Schaeffer went upstairs early to
read in bed. His daughter Mary found him dead around midnight that night,
book still in hand. It was later determined that Schaeffer, who was in
good health as determined by his doctor, had died of a sudden, tragic, and
inexplicable cerebral hemmorage.
Ghost Stories:
From 1967-1985, guests of the college stayed at Alumni house, and
some reported strange sensations as they lay in bed at night.
