By Kira Ford, Staff Writer

The topic of ghosts and paranormal activity has long been debated with very little conclusion. From old campfire stories to modern-day ghost hunts, there is scarce proof of the presence or absence of such things.

Lucky for us, Winston-Salem and our very own school are filled with eerie tales and – some may say – spirits lurking about.

Stories of hauntings and ghost sightings have been circulating around Reynolds since its opening in 1923. As most students know, Katherine Smith Reynolds Johnston had the school and auditorium built in memory of her late husband, R.J. Reynolds. Not as many know that on the day of the dedication of the auditorium, Katherine died during childbirth in New York.

She never got to see a production in the auditorium that she had built. In fact, the first event held after the dedication was Katherine’s funeral a week later.

“People from across the country filled the auditorium that day to pay their respects to Mrs. Reynolds,” chorus teacher Terry Hicks said.

Legend has it that when the power goes out, the only lights that remain on are the ones illuminating Mrs. Reynolds’ portrait in the back of the auditorium. Many students have claimed to have seen or heard Katherine’s ghost over the years, but there is no way to be sure.

“The auditorium has its creaks and groans as any building of its age does,” Hicks reasoned. “There have been many nights I spent in the auditorium and never have I run into anyone I wasn’t expecting.”

However, Reynolds isn’t the only school in Winston with spooky tales of spirits from the past. Neighboring middle school Wiley is said to have some ghosts of its own.

“The man who Wiley was named after died when he fell off the top of the bell tower,” sophomore Paul Borick said of a popular legend at the school that discounts news reports that Wiley died at his home. “Whenever you drive by Wiley at night, the lights in the bell tower flicker on and off.”

Many students attest to this and claim it isn’t just a faulty electrical system. So what is the real reason behind such haunting tales?

“People feel a certain eeriness in places where such violence or tragedy has occurred, but there is certainly nothing to be afraid of around here,” Hicks said.

Perhaps the school is a ghost-free zone, as Hicks claims, but it is hard to say the same about the neighborhood around it. The streets of Buena Vista are lined with beautiful, classic homes that sometimes come with a little more history than the buyers bargained for.

Junior Graham Young claims to know many homes in the area that have eerie visitors from time to time. One occasion especially spooked Young while he was at a friend’s house.

“We were sitting on the couch and the door in front of me started rattling like crazy,” Young recalled. “My friend said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s just my cat.’ When I looked down, his cat was sitting right beside me.”

Whether you’re a devoted believer about paranormal activity like Young or a skeptic like Hicks, it wouldn’t hurt to check over your shoulder while passing through the neighborhood on dark, spooky nights.