With the spookiest day of the year coming up, we are looking back on the history of Halloween on Grounds in this week’s From The Archives. From trick-or-treating on the Lawn to the ghost that haunts Pavilion X, the traditions surrounding Halloween at the University have brought the surrounding community together for plenty of celebrations and spooks.
1950s
Oct. 31, 1952
Hallowe’en Party Given by YMCA
This 1952 advertisement showcases the YMCA’s Halloween Dance. Promising that 150 girls from surrounding women's-colleges will be in attendance, they assure students there won't be an all male crowd at Madison Hall. The ad teases an exciting night filled with live music from a six-piece band, dancing and refreshments.
1960s
Oct. 31, 1963
“‘Trick or Treat’ Privilege Denied University Men”
In 1963, Charlottesville attempted to answer the age-old question — how old is too old to trick-or-treat? That year, the city passed an ordinance forbidding anyone over the age of 12 from wearing a disguise that concealed their identity or from participating in trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
1970s
Oct. 28, 1974
“‘It’s Enough To Scare Your Socks Off’”
By Joan Baecher
Photos by Bob Garsson
A theater production filled with “wicked laughter” and “neck-biting” took over Jackson P. Burley Middle School Halloween week, 1974. This playful Halloween rendition of “Dracula”, performed by The Children’s Community Theater, brought spooky fun to local audiences. The eccentric troupe, made up of everyone from University students to Alderman librarians, shared one main goal — introducing school-age children to the magic of theater. With low ticket prices and short scripts, the group made sure performances like “Dracula” were accessible to young viewers and their brave parents alike.
1980s
Oct. 31, 1983
“University ghosts color Lawn legends”
By Jason Lunday
Photos by Tim Cauley
This ghost-themed article from 1983 explores three supposed hauntings on the Lawn. The first story centers around the “Phantom of the Rotunda,” a solitary ghost who used to roam the Rotunda stacks but later disappeared when books were moved to Alderman Library. More recently, Pavilions VI and X became the sites of two reported supernatural allegations with a “lady ghost” and a “white foggy body” being seen and heard by residents. These hauntings are rather unsurprising for a University that “must have at least a ghost story or two buried somewhere.”
1990s
Oct. 31, 1995
“I want to suck your blood”
By Emily Heil
Photos by John Millen
In 1995, as students entered the age of internet chat rooms, staff writer Emily Heil explored a new home for vampirism. Stories once shared as Slavic folklore had found their way onto the “World Wide Web,” connecting vampire fanatics and wannabes across Grounds and beyond. While mainstream vampire fascination was driven by films like “Interview with the Vampire,” Heil’s piece highlights a return to the folkloric tradition of stories passed from person to person, now shared through glowing computer screens.
2000s
Oct. 31, 2001
“A Tradition of Trick or Treat”
By Laura Good
Photos by Christina Hu
This 2001 article acquaints readers with the bustling scene of trick-or-treating on the Lawn, an annual Halloween event where up to a thousand adorable trick-or-treaters flock to the Lawn. Many are young kids and families from the greater Charlottesville area, but some are the children of faculty and graduate students at U.Va. It is one of the most popular annual events at the University, bringing together people across the University and Charlottesville communities to celebrate the fall holiday.
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