Though the frightful night of Halloween has passed us, we still have one more location at Centenary to discuss, and it’s the hauntings at Magale Library. If you’ve studied there late at night, you’ve likely felt an eerie feeling, especially on the second floor. Maybe you’ve felt a chill, or even that someone watching you. Or perhaps you’re one of the few people who’s actually seen the ghost on the second floor, the ghost of a little girl wandering the rows of books. 

The library was actually the first building I came to when I decided to write about hauntings on campus, because I’d heard a few whispers of happenings, but nothing I could confirm. I went to the back of the library, and asked Ms. Kat Williamson if she’d ever seen or heard anything. And without an ounce of hesitation, she told me “The basement.” While locking up one night, Kat heard a very clear knock in the basement when there was no one downstairs. And rightfully so, she was creeped out—who wouldn’t be in a basement such as Magale’s or any basement for that matter?

And Kat’s experience is not the only basement encounter; another librarian, Ms. Christy Wrenn, witnessed a door she had just closed and locked up open right next to her hands. “The classroom was dark; I shut one of the doors into it, and the other one SLOWLY opened as if to allow someone to go out,” she wrote in an email detailing this encounter in 2020. “This happened this spring. That was my first spooky encounter.” Christy also informed me that she’s heard the little girl on the second floor late at night when she’s concentrating on work; specifically, she’s heard the sound of a bouncing ball on the floor. But other than these noises, she’s never seen anything.

With all the haunts on Centenary’s campus, it’s unsurprising that in 2020, a paranormal investigation group called LA Spirits came to visit Magale. Beforehand, they had come and explored many of the sites I’ve spoken about (Marjorie Lyons Playhouse being a big focus), and it wasn’t until after reviewing their recordings of EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena) that they discovered the audio of a little girl laughing that had appeared in, you guessed it, Magale. Not only that, but there’s been lots of pictures of “orbs” taken, including by Chief Eddie Walker. Orbs are a common paranormal phenomena, and appear as floating balls of light- mostly in pictures. But it’s not unheard of for people to report seeing orbs floating around, and it appears this is the case at Magale.

But where does this haunting come from? The obvious, though very unfortunate answer is that in 1973, a librarian named Kathleen Marshall Owens suffered a cerebral hemorrhage at Magale, and passed away soon after at a hospital. She was a huge presence, not only at Centenary, but around Shreveport, serving as on the Board of Directors for the North Louisiana Historical Association, as a historian for Centenary and its surrounding areas, and also working in the archives of many United Methodist churches, which included a special archive housed right here at Centenary. She was very beloved, and with all the heart and soul she poured into Magale and the archives, perhaps a piece of her stayed behind to continue to enjoy the fruits of her labor. But perhaps the little girl is someone else entirely— who knows how many spirits are attached to the documents and items preserved in the archives below, or even in the many books, tables, and articles stored in Magale’s attic? It’s hard to say where any of these ghosts came from, and it’s even harder to say why they’re still here.

And thus concludes our series on the hauntings at Centenary. I’d like to thank everyone who helped to make these articles happen, who allowed me to ask strange questions and tell their stories of their own experiences. I’d also like to give a very special thank you to everyone who’s read these articles—I cannot express how surprised and delighted I am whenever someone tells me they’ve read an article! I hope you continue to read both my articles and everyone else's in the Congo; we all appreciate your support!

So we bid farewell to the ghosts, for now, but knowing that they haven’t left us, don’t be surprised if you hear a creak in Cline, a laugh in Magale, or even see a glimpse of someone in the Theatre. And, as always, stay spooky. 

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