Sunday, October 29, 2000
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Sunday, October 29, 2000 |
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Tales of the supernatural By
MARY JANE HOLT
I've never been attracted to much of anything that could be perceived as scary. I've only seen one Stephen King movie, and have never read any of his books. If I'm flipping channels and hear the music (you know the kind of music I'm talking about), I quickly move on to another channel. Scary just doesn't cut it with me. Yet Halloween was always the favorite holiday for both my sons when they were growing up. I never knew if it was the candy, the dress up routine, or just all the mischief they thought they were entitled to get into when Halloween rolled around. But they loved it. And ghost stories? I suppose I always figured I had no choice but to let them have their place. I just didn't know how important that place was until I met the professor Dr. William Lynwood Montell, that is. I met him in mid-September when he was in Atlanta to promote his latest book, "Ghosts Across Kentucky." I had to know immediately if he had ever actually seen a ghost. Just one, he said, when he was six years old. And one other time as an adult, every hair on his body had stood on edge, but he only had sensed the ghostly presence that time, he didn't see it. This utterly delightful gentleman of the south, who has made storytelling his life, taught at Western Kentucky University for many years, but is "retired" now. Actually, he is presently researching and writing four more books, and is the most-ever requested statewide speaker for the Kentucky Humanities Council (KHC). His presentations this year are called "Ghost Stories from Across Kentucky," and "Stories As Generational Bonding Agents." He has authored more than 15 books to date on ghosts, and on folklore in the south. When asked what folklore is, he says it is the study of the 99.99 percent of the world's population whose names are never included in history books. For that reason, he's not interested in writing books about kings, queens, presidents, or governors. So what prompted this professor to write books about ghosts? He began actively collecting death premonition accounts and ghost stories while teaching at Campbellsville College, Campbellsville, Kentucky, from 1963-69. With the assistance of hundreds of students over the years he has compiled many of these supernatural accounts for publication. The first of four books to date was "Ghosts Along The Cumberland: Deathlore in the Kentucky Foothills" (1975). This book has been reprinted three times in cloth and three times in paperback. The clothback edition is now out of print. The latest collection is in "Ghosts Across Kentucky." Coming next year will be "Kentucky Family and House Ghosts." So what has my encounter with the professor taught me? According to Dr. Montell, "Supernatural stories are rich in historical detail about houses and related buildings, and provide details relevant to people's believed-to-be-true encounters with the supernatural. Some stories go back to pioneer times, while others are tied to ante-bellum homes and family progenitors who were present at that time. Some even reflect the bitterness of slavery conditions and fratricidal conflict during the Civil War. "Ghost stories contain a lot of historical content in that they describe folk practices and beliefs that have long been forgotten except by older residents. It is important to record and place these stories in print so that the historical and personal information contained in them will be preserved for future generations yet to come." Who would have ever thought that ghost stories had historical value? If you are in doubt at this point, try to remember a story or two that you have heard. Let yourself recall them in vivid detail. For instance, Mary Ella was my grandmother's oldest child who died at age 4 and Mama Everson used to give me icicle skin talking about her encounters with the dead girl. Right now, as I type these words, I can still envision the youngster standing by the fence gate, the one leading up to the house from the barn, just standing there longing to cross the line and come back... I truly never realized such stories had historical significance. As many times as I've read the Bible you'd think I would have recognized where the details are to be found by now. I am still learning. I trust your Halloween holiday will be safe, and as uneventful or eventful as you choose for it to be.
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