Haunted Stories and Halloween Fun

The folklore collections found at the IU Archives document numerous stories and anecdotes collected by students. This is particularly true when it comes to Halloween experiences and urban legends in Indiana and the Midwest. Students, through the stories they share, have provided folklorists with insight into the traditions, customs, fashion, and tales told during the Halloween season. In this exhibit, we highlight some of the stories students have shared and records of their activities during Halloween. Examples included in this exhibit were predominantly pulled from two collections, including the papers of former folklore professor Linda Dégh and a collection of Halloween journals kept by students in 1982 as part of Professor John McDowell's Folklore 101 course.  Both collections center on the experiences and perspectives of student informants and teach us that students can shape popular local folklore. Explore these haunting and thrilling materials… if you dare!