Farrar School

Arrival

The team arrived at 3:44 pm on Thursday, August 21st. They arrived a little before their scheduled time but wanted to look around the area and take some pictures before getting to work on setting up equipment. About 15 minutes after they arrived Jim, one of the owners of the school, greeted them and instructed them that they could take pictures and look around outside but it would be a little while before Nancy would arrive to show them around and sign the releases.

At 4:45 pm Nancy arrived and she showed the team the Climate Controlled Room that they could settle into and enjoy a break from the heat as it was very hot and humid throughout the school. That is also where the team signed the legal releases. Nancy then showed them around. After the tour it was then time to get to work and start unloading the truck.

Once all the cases of equipment were brought into the 1st Floor Hallway everyone but Missy began to set up equipment on tripods. Missy used the Kestrel 3500 Weather Station to take outside weather conditions. The Kestrel Weather Station is a tool that measures temperature, wind speeds, barometric pressure and humidity. She then took baseline electromagnetic field (EMF) readings (see table below) using a Tri-field DSP-523 and temperature readings using a Mel-8704R. This was done while the whole team took a thorough look at the building and all its rooms making decisions as to where to place equipment.

View Environmental Data

Once this was done Noah began instructing everyone as to where their equipment would be placed. Gravy (having already placed his equipment on tripods) began the process of darkening the building with dark plastic sheets. Any windows, doors, or cracks were covered to avoid light contamination from outside sources.

Off the Gym is the Boiler Room in which a HDR-CX160 full spectrum Sony camcorder was placed along with a Tascam DR40 digital audio recorder in the RVPR (Rountree Voice Phenomenon Recorder), TriField 100XE Datalogger, which is connected to a laptop to measure and record EMF, and an EM Vortex which is a multi-coil device that creates a rotating field from 2 Hz to 24 Hz and has clockwise and counterclockwise rotating capabilities. This devise is supposed to act like a “siren” that will attract the attention of entities. The theory of using this device is that if you provide an energy source that paranormal activity will be more likely to manifest. Also placed in the middle of the Boiler Room on a table was a touch flashlight (which can be turned on by touching the side) and several trigger objects such as a Play Boy magazine, a deck of cards, dice, booze, cigar, and bullets to hopefully entice anyone who would have worked in the Boiler Room or may still remain there.

On the 1st Floor an H1 audio recorder was placed near the Apartment that the owners live in. This was done so PIM could easily reference back if any noises were heard coming out of the Apartment during evidence review.

In the Hallway on the 2nd Floor a Zoom H1 audio recorder was placed on the top of one of the lockers in the middle of the hallway. H1 audio recorders were also placed in Mr. Hawkin’s Room (on the 2nd Floor) and Room 206 (the room in which a boy was seen coming out of the closet). Several camcorders were placed as well. A Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum was placed in Mr. Hawkin’s Room, a Sony HDR-SR5 was placed in Room 206 facing the closet, and in Mrs. Martin’s Room a Sony HDR-XR200V was placed. Several other objects were placed in Mrs. Martin’s room on the desk such as a GQ GMC-300 datalogging Geiger counter which measures beta and gamma radiation, an EMF Pump V2 which emits EMF, and a touch flashlight. Some trigger objects were also added to the desk such as a coloring book and crayons, slinky, stuffed toy bear, toy truck, flash cards, a small doll, and a wooden ruler.

In the Auditorium, which is located on the 3rd Floor, a Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum camcorder was placed near the back facing the Stage. A Sony HDR-SR5 camcorder was set up on the Stage monitoring the trigger object bank. A Zoom H1 audio recorder was also set up in the center of the Auditorium. On the Stage several additional pieces of equipment were set up on a table such as a GQ GMC-320 datalogging Geiger counter, an EMF Pump, an Extech RHT50, which datalogs temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure, a touch flashlight and several trigger objects. These trigger objects included a toy horse, ball, Barbie, and jacks.

In the 3rd Floor Hallway a Sony CX-160 full spectrum camcorder was placed along with a H1 audio recorder. A Single-Axis EMF detector Mel-8704REM/ATDD/SDD which detects EMF, temperature changes, hot and cold spots, and acts as a shadow detector with a long range and short range red LED light that if broken will cause an LED light and audible alarm to go off, was placed on the landing of the 3rd Floor near the Principal’s Office.

In the Principal’s Office a Sony HDR-XR200V camcorder was placed facing the stairs leading to the 3rd Floor Hallway. In this room a Dark Matter Detector which measures EMF, temperature, barometric pressure, and has a high quality audio recorder, along with several trigger objects were placed. The trigger objects placed in this room were booze, bullets, cigarettes, cigar, harmonica, apple, and Bible.

Also on the 3rd Floor is the Ball Room in which there were already balls that had been placed before PIM arrived. People claim to see these balls moving around on their own accord. There are several old windows in this room but there are no heat vents that are working. A Sony HDR-XR200V camcorder and PIM’s own soccer and baseball were placed in this room in addition to the balls that were already there.

Claims of Activity

• The current owner Nancy Oliver stated having seen the figure of a young boy while standing on stairs near the Gym
• She also stated that in one of the classrooms the figure of a young girl with a long, frilly dress and curly hair was seen. The giggle of a child was also heard during the incident
• Former Janitor Bill Webb stated that he would frequently find the Gym lights on after hours even though he was sure he had turned them off
• He also heard noises that sounded like people were walking around on the lower floor
• People have claimed to see a shadow figure coming down the steps out of the Principal’s Office
• A boy was seen coming out of the closet in Room 206
• The sound of voices has been heard throughout the school
• Slamming doors have also been heard while nobody else is in the building
• Unnatural figures have been seen walking the halls
• Balls have been seen rolling around on their own in a classroom on the 3rd Floor that is now labeled the Ball Room
• A paranormal team claimed to hear music being played while in the Gym. It was hard to tell where the music was coming from

Investigation

Boiler Room – 10:09 pm

It was decided that the first EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) session of the night would be held in the Boiler Room. Before heading down to it the team decided to try and debunk the claim of music being heard in the Gym. The team decided it was possible that the music may have been coming from the Owner’s Apartment, so Gravy used his phone and Bluetooth speaker to play music in the 1st Floor Hallway in front of the Owner’s Apartment. Tony, Noah, and John went downstairs into the Gym to listen. First Gravy played the music at a normal level. He then slowly decreased the volume until it was barely audible. It was concluded that at even the lowest level of volume the sound of music was heard but it was very hard to determine where it was coming from in the building due to the high ceilings and extreme echo in the school.

At 10:20 pm everyone walked down to the Boiler Room. At 10:21 pm Noah did a sweep with his oscilloscope throughout the room. This devise is a Single-Axis EMF sensor that is connected to an oscilloscope which can determine the frequency of EMF fields. Man-made EMF will be at 60 Hz so that or any harmonics of 60 Hz (120, 180, 240 etc.) can be ignored as this is normal. No anomalous EMF frequencies were detected.

At 10:25 pm Noah called for five minutes of controlled silence. Controlled silence is a common practice used to tag or document the normal sounds of the building and its surrounding environmental noises. A lot of crickets and the sound of water dripping was the most apparent noise in the Boiler Room.

Everyone took a seat throughout the room with Noah in the small room off the Boiler Room. At 10:31 pm the first EVP session began. An EVP session is conducted by asking several questions but leaving a minimum of ten seconds between each question in the event a response is captured on a nearby device. Investigators speak in full voice and tag any abnormal noises they might make or hear during an investigation. Common noises that investigators tag are stomach growls, accidental whispering and shifting or moving noises they might create what could be mistaken as something paranormal during evidence review.

After a few minutes of introductions and questioning Noah and Gravy heard the sound of an exhale or breath but could not determine exactly where it had come from. Shortly after, at 10:40 pm, Missy felt something brush her back. She was seated with her back facing a wall with a small gap between herself and the wall. Noah asked if it felt like a hand but she said she couldn’t say if it was specifically a hand but it was not her vest or shirt shifting naturally. Moments later Missy and Tony heard the sound of jingling keys and Gravy though he heard a woman scream in the distance. The school is not located in a town with many people and it is set pretty far off the road. It is possible that an animal could have made the screaming noise. At 10:44 pm both Noah and John heard music in the distance. However, it could have been coming from the Owner’s Apartment.

At 11:00 pm Noah decided to leave the Boiler Room and sit in the Gym. He was feeling a bit dizzy and unwell. He was sitting very near the electrical box which was emitting a very high EMF but Noah does not normally have sensitivity to those types of things. Gravy took his place in the small room.

After Noah left, at 11:01 pm, Missy and Tony heard a long, drawn out exhale. Missy and Tony both said “What was that?” and described what they heard. At 11:02 pm Tony heard what he thought sounded like “Be quiet.” This was not captured on any audio recordings though. Nothing more was heard and at 11:09 pm they ended the EVP session.

END TIME: 11:09 pm

Everyone took this opportunity to check equipment throughout the building.

2nd Floor – 11:45 pm

The second EVP session of the night began on the 2nd Floor. Everyone picked a spot to sit throughout the 2nd Floor Hallway. They observed several minutes of controlled silence before beginning an EVP session. At 11:54 pm a cricket began chirping loudly in the 1st Floor Hallway. Noah got up and walked downstairs towards the 1st Floor to dispatch the cricket. Shortly before midnight it began to lightening outside. Thunder was heard in the distance as well.

At 12:03 am an EVP session began. Almost immediately Tony thought he heard a footstep in front of him. At 12:12 am Tony, who was sitting just outside of Room 205, when he heard what sounded like a desk moving slightly in Room 205 (Mrs. Martin’s Room). Missy and Tony went into the classroom to check it out. Missy sat in one of the desks and Tony said it replicated the noise that he heard when he was sitting outside of the classroom. Tony asked “If anyone is in the room please raise your hand.” Both Missy and Tony heard what sounded like a quiet “Yes”. This wasn’t captured on audio though. Missy also claimed to have heard what sounded to her like two footsteps on the 3rd Floor directly above her. Before leaving the room, Missy made a mark in the coloring book that was placed on the desk as a trigger object. She asked for someone to make a mark in the book while nobody was in there and then she and Tony exited the room.

At 12:25 am three distinct noises were heard from another floor but it was hard to tell which floor it came from. At 12:29 am they ended that EVP session and moved to the 3rd Floor Auditorium.

END TIME: 12:29 am

Auditorium – 12:32 am

Upon arriving in the Auditorium Noah checked the Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum camcorder that was placed in the back of that room. He noticed that the battery pack that was powering the camera was almost drained of power. Tony and Gravy walked down to the 1st Floor to get a fully charged battery pack. Once they returned they plugged the new battery pack into the camera. They then realized that it was the plug that was defective and they needed to replace that as well.After the camcorder was restarted and time stamped,the third EVP session of the evening began at 12:53 am. A very strange noise was heard around 12:55 am but nobody could tell what it was or where it came from. The school has very tall ceilings and noises echo throughout the building. Nothing further happened so it was decided to end this EVP session at 1:01 am and take a short break in the Climate Controlled Room.

END TIME: 1:01 am

Gym – 1:39 am

After taking a break and reenergizing the team decided to continue the investigation in the Gym. They spread out around the Gym and observed controlled silence. At 1:44 am they started an EVP session.

At 1:49 am Gravy said “Let’s play Simon says. Simon says knock three times.” Noah heard three knocks immediately. Gravy continued on with the game but without results. Then Tony said “Everyone line up by the bleachers and run across the room.” Nothing was heard.

At 1:56 am Missy and John heard what sounded like a child giggle. They attempted to communicate with whatever made the sound but no activity occurred. At 2:15 am the team decided to end this EVP session.

Noah then stated that SD cards in some of the camcorders needed to be changed and batteries needed to be checked. At 2:37 am John, Missy and Denys were changing the SD Card in the Sony HDR-SR5 camcorder on the Stage in the Auditorium when the soccer ball that was placed on top of a lamp fell off. Denys walked next to the lamp at the time that it happened and it is very possible that he bumped it or pulled on the lamp cord that was lying on the ground. The lamp is not very sturdy and PIM did not place it on the Stage nor did they place the soccer ball on top of the lamp. Thus this is not considered a paranormal event.

END TIME: 2:15 am

2nd Floor – 3:39 am

It took some time to change all the cards and batteries but at 3:39 am the team was ready to investigate the 2nd Floor. They spread themselves out down the hallway of the 2nd Floor.

They began with controlled silence. The storm that was forecasted for the evening seemed to be getting closer as lightening could be seen and the sound of strong winds, thunder was now much louder. At 3:46 am they began the next EVP session.

At 3:40 am Denys claimed to feel cold spots around him. Gravy and Noah walked over to him to check EMF and temperature. They did not find any fluctuations in temperature and the EMF was still at zero around him. Nothing else happened so it was then decided to walk up to the 3rd Floor.

END TIME: 3:59 am

3rd Floor – 4:02 am

The team spread themselves out throughout the 3rd Floor with Gravy in the Ball Room, Missy in the Principal’s Office and everyone else throughout the Hallway.

They began with controlled silence and during which it had begun to rain hard outside. They began an EVP session at 4:07 am. Many questions were asked but no activity occurred. They then decided to finish up in the Boiler Room for the final EVP session of the night.

END TIME: 4:13 am

Boiler Room – 4:19 am

The team arrived in the Boiler Room and quickly spread themselves throughout the room. At 4:19 am they had just begun controlled silence when a loud whimpering noise was heard by everyone. It was not heard again and it was unclear as to where it came from. It was shortly followed by a loud crash of thunder at 4:20 am. After ten minutes of listening to the storm and no activity occurring, the team decided to conclude the investigation at 4:31 am.

END TIME: 4:31 am

The team then broke down all the equipment and spent the night in the Climate Controlled Room. During equipment breakdown Missy checked to see if any marks had been made in the coloring book in Mrs. Martin’s room. None had been made.

The team left Farrar School at 9:00 am on Friday August 22nd.

Conclusion

The claims of activity at the Farrar School have been very interesting. It was great to be able to investigate directly the claims of activity that have been reported over so many decades. Though none of the activity was captured via equipment the night of the investigation, it is the professional opinion of PIM that further research would need to be conducted before any conclusion could be made about the paranormal activity at the school. Particularly since so many noises were heard by the investigators during the investigation that were not captured on their sensitive equipment.

PIM would like to thank Jim and Nancy Oliver for opening up the school to them for the evening. It was a fantastic experience and we hope to return some day to continue research at the Farrar School