Showing posts with label urban legends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label urban legends. Show all posts
Friday, February 13, 2015
Monday, August 12, 2013
Urban Legends: Post Mortem Class Photo
SS Note: Just got permission to post the Paranormal Guide's material on here, which includes the descriptions. Very excited, because they have some great stuff on there. Their link is in the photo above. Check it out and show some love by liking them! The description of this photo above will be in italics. Thanks again, guys, and keep up the great work!
Post Mortem Class Photo
Urban Legends
This is a school photo taken in 1924, of the students of Dunrobin State School, No. 3777, near Casterton, South Western Victoria, Australia. Some 80 years earlier, the land the school stands on was a massive 153,600 acres, used for sheep. Later, in 1912, the government purchased the land and subdivided it into smaller allotments. With a burgeoning population making their homes in the new settlement a school was needed, and students originally took lessons in a old woolshed on the Dunrobin Station.
In 1913 a purpose built school building was constructed, including an outhouse, water tanks and a flagpole. With only a small population, and only about 30 children attending the school, all students were taught in the one class.
As it is now, as it was then, every year a class photograph was taken. If you look closely at this picture, you may notice something quite strange, maybe a little unsettling about it.
The students all look a little morose, upset, not a genuine smile to be seen (unlike the picture taken the year before which you can see on the bottom left). Why do the students look so unhappy in this photo, when in previous years photographs they are smiling and full of life?
The answer may shock you somewhat – one of the students in the photogaph is dead.
In the back row, the girl farthest to the right with the headscarf, wears a completely blank expression, her eyes devoid of all emotion. She had passed away the previous day. No records explain how she died... all that we know is her last name is Howlett.
There is a wooden board behind her (not the window frame, the board would be well hidden), propping her up, her headscarf, aside from being a nice accessory, is also acting to tie her head back to the post, keeping it upright.
The expressions on the children’s faces, especially those closest to her, speak of the emotion going through their minds – they are no doubt saddened by the death of one of their friends, but also possibly somewhat discomforted by having her propped up amongst them.
It was not entirely unusual for one to have photographs taken of their loved ones after they had passed back in the days of old, in order to have a keepsake of what the person looked like, especially as back in the day, photos were not anywhere near as common as they are today.
However, many people believe the story of this 'post mortem class photo' to be completely fraudulent, a modern day piece of folklore cobbled together by those trawling for freakish finds on the internet.
There is no proof either way for or against the facts of this story. Regardless, post mortem photography is a very real thing. Although not a common practice nowadays, the year this class photo was taken, 1924, still falls into the timeframe of which this style of photography was common (though very much towards the end of its popularity).
What do you think?
A rather interesting yet macabre example of post mortem photography?
Or overactive imaginations coming together online to create this rather fascinating story?
(you can read more about post mortem photography here: https://www.facebook.com/
Ashley Hall 2013.
Photo: Dunrobin State School no.3777 1924 student photo.
Inset Left: The previous years photo, students much more happy and vibrant.
Inset Right: A close up of the girl at the center of this story.
Did you find this article interesting?
If so, maybe your friends and family will too!
Click the 'like' and 'share' buttons to spread the intrigue!
For more information about all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre through articles, discussion, videos, podcasts and competitions visit The Paranormal Guide:
www.facebook.com/
Urban Legends
This is a school photo taken in 1924, of the students of Dunrobin State School, No. 3777, near Casterton, South Western Victoria, Australia. Some 80 years earlier, the land the school stands on was a massive 153,600 acres, used for sheep. Later, in 1912, the government purchased the land and subdivided it into smaller allotments. With a burgeoning population making their homes in the new settlement a school was needed, and students originally took lessons in a old woolshed on the Dunrobin Station.
In 1913 a purpose built school building was constructed, including an outhouse, water tanks and a flagpole. With only a small population, and only about 30 children attending the school, all students were taught in the one class.
As it is now, as it was then, every year a class photograph was taken. If you look closely at this picture, you may notice something quite strange, maybe a little unsettling about it.
The students all look a little morose, upset, not a genuine smile to be seen (unlike the picture taken the year before which you can see on the bottom left). Why do the students look so unhappy in this photo, when in previous years photographs they are smiling and full of life?
The answer may shock you somewhat – one of the students in the photogaph is dead.
In the back row, the girl farthest to the right with the headscarf, wears a completely blank expression, her eyes devoid of all emotion. She had passed away the previous day. No records explain how she died... all that we know is her last name is Howlett.
There is a wooden board behind her (not the window frame, the board would be well hidden), propping her up, her headscarf, aside from being a nice accessory, is also acting to tie her head back to the post, keeping it upright.
The expressions on the children’s faces, especially those closest to her, speak of the emotion going through their minds – they are no doubt saddened by the death of one of their friends, but also possibly somewhat discomforted by having her propped up amongst them.
It was not entirely unusual for one to have photographs taken of their loved ones after they had passed back in the days of old, in order to have a keepsake of what the person looked like, especially as back in the day, photos were not anywhere near as common as they are today.
However, many people believe the story of this 'post mortem class photo' to be completely fraudulent, a modern day piece of folklore cobbled together by those trawling for freakish finds on the internet.
There is no proof either way for or against the facts of this story. Regardless, post mortem photography is a very real thing. Although not a common practice nowadays, the year this class photo was taken, 1924, still falls into the timeframe of which this style of photography was common (though very much towards the end of its popularity).
What do you think?
A rather interesting yet macabre example of post mortem photography?
Or overactive imaginations coming together online to create this rather fascinating story?
(you can read more about post mortem photography here: https://www.facebook.com/
Ashley Hall 2013.
Photo: Dunrobin State School no.3777 1924 student photo.
Inset Left: The previous years photo, students much more happy and vibrant.
Inset Right: A close up of the girl at the center of this story.
Did you find this article interesting?
If so, maybe your friends and family will too!
Click the 'like' and 'share' buttons to spread the intrigue!
For more information about all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre through articles, discussion, videos, podcasts and competitions visit The Paranormal Guide:
www.facebook.com/
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The Slender Man
A reader recently sent me the information on this scary specimen a few months back. She said this little paranormal beauty was the inspiration for the gothic favorite character, Jack Skellington of the Tim Burton classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. It even, somewhat, resembles the Pumpkin King, but let’s explore into the myth of the Slender Man.
The Slender Man is considered more of a mythical creature than a paranormal entity (like the Blue Lady or the ghost of the Virgin Mary is), but he does reserve a spot in everyone’s minds as a creature of thought and nightmares. Easily looking at the descriptive art of the Slender Man shows both fear and wonder. A brief account of the descriptions of the Slender Man is that the entity is thin and tall (I’m already jealous) and has these sticks for arms (some say he has tentacles like an alien); it has this huge pumpkin size head (on some pictures at least), and he is wearing a suit.
The Slender Man, however, according to articles about him, show that he is not as nice as Tim Burton's Jack Skellington is, but is rather intrigued to steal peoples hearts---literally. Yes, you see, according to legend when a person see’s this mythical man they go missing and when they are found they are usually impaled to a tree with their organs taken out and replaced systematically. How can you fight it though if what you see is not the same what other people see though?
Strange thing about this man is that no two people see the same face. That the face one will see is completely different than what the next person will see. The sight of him makes people go insane. They will scribble weird etchings with a man with tentacles for arms, a dark figure of fear and fright, but the face shows nothing. They will literally turn themselves mad over this creature, making themselves sick to their stomachs. There was a story circulating around forums on the internet about how this weird, deformed man shows up in a picture with all these children in a park, next to a library. The myth goes that one week later the library burns to the ground and all the children in the picture disappear.
You can sleep easy though as there is no real proof that this even exists. The person who originally posted this story was a genius at stirring a fire with people, because people from around the world started to take into this Slender Man figure. But the story proved to be false, but they are those who still believe in the Slender Man. Is he just a mad man's prophecy or is he something more? One thing is for sure, you don't want to go in the woods alone and find out. Until next time this has been another Scared Sheetless, happy haunting and keep it scary!
Want more scares? Enter if you dare at scaredsheetlessncn.blogspot.com or search me up on Facebook and feel free to add me as a friend. Thanks for reading.
Resources:
http://marblehornets.wikidot.com/slender-man
*4/15/13 update: Decided to delete the paranormal myths aspect of this article. I don't think there's anything paranormal at all about the Slender Man. Although I did check out the game, finally, and its pretty freaky stuff!
Responding to some comments, but let me make one thing clear: I'm all for joking around, which is why I let the "Your Next Anoynomous" comment slide. I admit, I chuckled. But others were just plainly...foolish. Like some 90% of comments made about this article have been deleted, because the comments were either insulting towards others, swearing (I swear like a sailor myself, but I do have to keep this site PG friendly).
But one comment made it seem like I actually believe in this. The question was, what's my evidence that people went insane? I never did say that was fact and I HAVE the evidence myself. Like I said at the end, this is all just an internet rumor that has spread like a wild fire, to now a very popular online game (which is where I think all of the traffic is from, is some people trying to find the game and find this article). I never once said, I believe in this, or I got the facts on this, etc. I'm just a paranormal reporter, I hear stories that I find interesting, and I write an article about them. I'm no Zak Bagans, I can't go to these places and see for myself, I just report what other people have claimed they have seen or heard. I never take credit for any of these stories unless I was actually there and witnessed it myself. Please keep that in mind when you ask, what's my evidence? Most of the time, I just go by what I hear. If you want to ask where the facts are about the Slender Man, then ask the person who originally told the story. I have no idea who the person is, all I know is that it's just a rumor that was on some forum and people believed it. If it's people doped up on drugs or what have you, then that's what it is. But it's a very popular story and that's why it is here.
The Slender Man is considered more of a mythical creature than a paranormal entity (like the Blue Lady or the ghost of the Virgin Mary is), but he does reserve a spot in everyone’s minds as a creature of thought and nightmares. Easily looking at the descriptive art of the Slender Man shows both fear and wonder. A brief account of the descriptions of the Slender Man is that the entity is thin and tall (I’m already jealous) and has these sticks for arms (some say he has tentacles like an alien); it has this huge pumpkin size head (on some pictures at least), and he is wearing a suit.
The Slender Man, however, according to articles about him, show that he is not as nice as Tim Burton's Jack Skellington is, but is rather intrigued to steal peoples hearts---literally. Yes, you see, according to legend when a person see’s this mythical man they go missing and when they are found they are usually impaled to a tree with their organs taken out and replaced systematically. How can you fight it though if what you see is not the same what other people see though?
Strange thing about this man is that no two people see the same face. That the face one will see is completely different than what the next person will see. The sight of him makes people go insane. They will scribble weird etchings with a man with tentacles for arms, a dark figure of fear and fright, but the face shows nothing. They will literally turn themselves mad over this creature, making themselves sick to their stomachs. There was a story circulating around forums on the internet about how this weird, deformed man shows up in a picture with all these children in a park, next to a library. The myth goes that one week later the library burns to the ground and all the children in the picture disappear.
You can sleep easy though as there is no real proof that this even exists. The person who originally posted this story was a genius at stirring a fire with people, because people from around the world started to take into this Slender Man figure. But the story proved to be false, but they are those who still believe in the Slender Man. Is he just a mad man's prophecy or is he something more? One thing is for sure, you don't want to go in the woods alone and find out. Until next time this has been another Scared Sheetless, happy haunting and keep it scary!
Want more scares? Enter if you dare at scaredsheetlessncn.blogspot.com or search me up on Facebook and feel free to add me as a friend. Thanks for reading.
Resources:
http://marblehornets.wikidot.com/slender-man
*4/15/13 update: Decided to delete the paranormal myths aspect of this article. I don't think there's anything paranormal at all about the Slender Man. Although I did check out the game, finally, and its pretty freaky stuff!
Responding to some comments, but let me make one thing clear: I'm all for joking around, which is why I let the "Your Next Anoynomous" comment slide. I admit, I chuckled. But others were just plainly...foolish. Like some 90% of comments made about this article have been deleted, because the comments were either insulting towards others, swearing (I swear like a sailor myself, but I do have to keep this site PG friendly).
But one comment made it seem like I actually believe in this. The question was, what's my evidence that people went insane? I never did say that was fact and I HAVE the evidence myself. Like I said at the end, this is all just an internet rumor that has spread like a wild fire, to now a very popular online game (which is where I think all of the traffic is from, is some people trying to find the game and find this article). I never once said, I believe in this, or I got the facts on this, etc. I'm just a paranormal reporter, I hear stories that I find interesting, and I write an article about them. I'm no Zak Bagans, I can't go to these places and see for myself, I just report what other people have claimed they have seen or heard. I never take credit for any of these stories unless I was actually there and witnessed it myself. Please keep that in mind when you ask, what's my evidence? Most of the time, I just go by what I hear. If you want to ask where the facts are about the Slender Man, then ask the person who originally told the story. I have no idea who the person is, all I know is that it's just a rumor that was on some forum and people believed it. If it's people doped up on drugs or what have you, then that's what it is. But it's a very popular story and that's why it is here.
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