Post by briankey on Mar 23, 2011 20:27:57 GMT -5
March 18, 1937 saw one of the most Tragic school explosions in History, some of you may know about this, for others, heres what happened, back during this time, Oil was king in Northeast Texas, it was said that that part of the state and schools in the area was the Richest in the Nation.
Then London Texas is located about 14 miles South of Kilgore off Highway 42, after the explosion the school was renamed, New London.
The area was full of oil derricks pumping oil 24/7, a byproduct was natural gas, which at the time was odorless and useless to the oil companies, so the oil companies turned a blind eye to London school tapping into the Natural gas to heat the school, the pipes ran thru a maintenance shop where kids learned to work with woods etc. little did anyone know, there was a leak, and over time the gas built up underneath the school, one afternoon on this date, at 3:17pm just minutes before they let out for the day, a shop teacher turned on a table saw which created a spark, and the school blewup killing estimated 300+ students and teachers, eyewitness acounts, some children vaporized, and others were blown to bits in the fireball and concussion, most kids died when the school apparently lifted up off its foundation, and crashed back down, dropping tons of concrete and other materials that crushed kids to death.
The explosion was heard over 12 miles away, parents, and oil field workers from all over responded to the school, mostly oilfield workers had their children in the school, it is said that once some parents found their child, they placed them in the back of there cars and just left Northeast Texas, never to return again, this is why even today, people are finding these kids graves as far away as Wisconsin, and other states.
Condolances came in from all over the World, even Adolf Hitler sent a letter of condolances, how strange that he would do that, knowing what he did to people.
This Tragedy is the very reason today, Natural Gas has a chemical added to it to make it noticeable.
Im writing this because I have a special connection to the New London school, my aunt left the school just minutes before the tragedy, she had a doctors appointment, and she knew lots of the kids killed, talking to her about it now, she is reluctant to discuss it, even if you go to New London today, after all this time, its a source of great pain to people.
My father also went to the school after the new one was built, he graduated from New London High School, I have a year book from that school.
Knowing the tragedy that occured, my sister and I several years ago visited the school, we knew the place had to be Haunted, we didnt go there to get a thrill up our legs searching for Ghosts, we felt badly about those kids who died, and our goal was to simply let those dead know they werent forgotten.
As we walked into the school, we signed in, had a nice chat with the Female Principal, we explained to her what our intentions were, we wanted to interview students, Teachers, she even told us who to talk to who had reported some strange happenings, she approved our visit, and we had free reign in the school.
With classes in session it was very quiet, so we started talking softly to any spirits that may be around, we introduced ourselves, and we told them why we were there, had relatives that went to this school, on EVP, we started getting feet shuffling around, as if kids were walking in the Hallway, the hallways werent cold, it was a mild, Temp. 78 by my thermometer. Suddenly we started to feel cold spots, Im not talking about a 10 degree drop, but a massive drop of 25 degrees, at one point, I stepped aside and the temp went to 77. at this time, we started hearing whisper on our recorders, couldnt make them out, and we never did get responses to our questions, just light whispers.
We decided to go upstairs, on the Stairway we felt more cold spots, and several times, something I had not experienced at the time, these coldspot were moving, as we got to the 2nd floor, I stopped, turned around and immediately walked into a cold spot, I stopped, and apologized for stepping on someone, but I did that to see if we were being followed, and yes we were, because several times, I stretched out my arm and felt that cold spot again, right behind me. I might add, we checked for A/C vents, none in the areas we experienced the cold spots.
AFter these experiences with the Cold spots, I then decided to talk aloud, but not loud enough to draw attention of any Teachers, I told those who we felt were standing with us, explained to them what happened to them, told them they were not forgotten, and that everybody Loved them, and that there was a monument dedicated to them that stands outfront of the school.
The Bell rang, the hallway became crowded with kids, one Teacher invited us into his classroom, we spoke to the kids breifly as to why we were there, we asked if anyone had any experienced anywhere in the school they want to share on recorders, almost the entire class raised their hands, even the Teacher wanted to say something.
Students reported to us about walking in the hallways, and getting the chills suddenly, we explained to them what that is believed to be. Some girls told us about being in the Bathroom alone, hearing girls giggling, talking, hearing stall doors closing and opening, happens so much one girl said, that it doesnt bother many of them anymore. The Teachers we interviewed reported having to stop their class because of all the invicible kids in the hallways talking and making noises, said it doesnt happen all the time, its not loud, but noticeable.
Our last interview was with the Maintenance man who said he gets to the school during the winter months about 3am, turns the heat on, smelt cigarette smoke comeing from the Boys bathroom, nobody there, once his duties are done, he goes to his office, said its not uncommon to hear toilets flushing at 3:30am in the school, this also reported by some of the kids who said toilets would flush while they were in the bathroom, nobody there.
I asked the man who has been working at the school for 24 years if any of this startled him, he told us that at first he was terrified, walking upstairs to check the bathrooms where the toilets flushed and finding nobody, but now, he just ignores it.
We spent 2 hours at the school, when we walked back to the Principals office to chat with her, we found her with a different attitude, all I could think of was, "Uh Oh", in walks a Sheriffs deputy and someone from the Superintendents office, again, "Uh Oh", seems that someone in the school was not happy there were Ghost Hunters stalking the Hallways, and ratted out the Principal and us to the Superintendent, they were respectful to us, we explained to them what we were doing, and they told us that they didnt feel, given the tragedy it was appropriate for us to be there doing this, but even when I assured them it wasnt out of disrespect, but we wanted to let them know they werent forgotten, it fell on deaf ears as I suspected it would.
The Deputy pulled me aside outside, he told me that sometimes at night, the motion sensors inside the hallways would go off, and he would respond to the school, locked up tight. said one night, while walking around the outside, he had an urge to look up at some of the windows, said he swears he saw some kids looking down at him, shinned his light at the window, nobody there.
We walked across the street from the school where there is a wonderful little museum, alot of items from the explosion is there on display, along with desks that still have dust from the falling debris on them, dirty clothing, photos of the kids who went to school, even Adolf Hitlers condolance letter. The man at the time who was the manager of the museum showed us a photo of his sister who was killed in the explosion, he never knew her, with a tear in his eyes, he told us that her death is the reason why he was born. Not knowing his reaction to this, but I asked him if he believed relatives would meet again after death, he said that he hoped so, I told him, I think you will meet your sister someday. There is an icecream shop in the museum, and the icecream was on the house for us.....
Even when I think about New London tragedy, it even hurts me to some degree, knowing my aunt had just left the school, said she witnessed the school lift up off its foundation and slam back down, the roof fell in, the walls fell in, and she could hear kids screaming, said for years she couldnt get those screams out of her mind, only time healed it. My Grandfather spent days helping remove the bodies from the rubble.
Such a tragedy that will hurt that town for a long time to come..
Then London Texas is located about 14 miles South of Kilgore off Highway 42, after the explosion the school was renamed, New London.
The area was full of oil derricks pumping oil 24/7, a byproduct was natural gas, which at the time was odorless and useless to the oil companies, so the oil companies turned a blind eye to London school tapping into the Natural gas to heat the school, the pipes ran thru a maintenance shop where kids learned to work with woods etc. little did anyone know, there was a leak, and over time the gas built up underneath the school, one afternoon on this date, at 3:17pm just minutes before they let out for the day, a shop teacher turned on a table saw which created a spark, and the school blewup killing estimated 300+ students and teachers, eyewitness acounts, some children vaporized, and others were blown to bits in the fireball and concussion, most kids died when the school apparently lifted up off its foundation, and crashed back down, dropping tons of concrete and other materials that crushed kids to death.
The explosion was heard over 12 miles away, parents, and oil field workers from all over responded to the school, mostly oilfield workers had their children in the school, it is said that once some parents found their child, they placed them in the back of there cars and just left Northeast Texas, never to return again, this is why even today, people are finding these kids graves as far away as Wisconsin, and other states.
Condolances came in from all over the World, even Adolf Hitler sent a letter of condolances, how strange that he would do that, knowing what he did to people.
This Tragedy is the very reason today, Natural Gas has a chemical added to it to make it noticeable.
Im writing this because I have a special connection to the New London school, my aunt left the school just minutes before the tragedy, she had a doctors appointment, and she knew lots of the kids killed, talking to her about it now, she is reluctant to discuss it, even if you go to New London today, after all this time, its a source of great pain to people.
My father also went to the school after the new one was built, he graduated from New London High School, I have a year book from that school.
Knowing the tragedy that occured, my sister and I several years ago visited the school, we knew the place had to be Haunted, we didnt go there to get a thrill up our legs searching for Ghosts, we felt badly about those kids who died, and our goal was to simply let those dead know they werent forgotten.
As we walked into the school, we signed in, had a nice chat with the Female Principal, we explained to her what our intentions were, we wanted to interview students, Teachers, she even told us who to talk to who had reported some strange happenings, she approved our visit, and we had free reign in the school.
With classes in session it was very quiet, so we started talking softly to any spirits that may be around, we introduced ourselves, and we told them why we were there, had relatives that went to this school, on EVP, we started getting feet shuffling around, as if kids were walking in the Hallway, the hallways werent cold, it was a mild, Temp. 78 by my thermometer. Suddenly we started to feel cold spots, Im not talking about a 10 degree drop, but a massive drop of 25 degrees, at one point, I stepped aside and the temp went to 77. at this time, we started hearing whisper on our recorders, couldnt make them out, and we never did get responses to our questions, just light whispers.
We decided to go upstairs, on the Stairway we felt more cold spots, and several times, something I had not experienced at the time, these coldspot were moving, as we got to the 2nd floor, I stopped, turned around and immediately walked into a cold spot, I stopped, and apologized for stepping on someone, but I did that to see if we were being followed, and yes we were, because several times, I stretched out my arm and felt that cold spot again, right behind me. I might add, we checked for A/C vents, none in the areas we experienced the cold spots.
AFter these experiences with the Cold spots, I then decided to talk aloud, but not loud enough to draw attention of any Teachers, I told those who we felt were standing with us, explained to them what happened to them, told them they were not forgotten, and that everybody Loved them, and that there was a monument dedicated to them that stands outfront of the school.
The Bell rang, the hallway became crowded with kids, one Teacher invited us into his classroom, we spoke to the kids breifly as to why we were there, we asked if anyone had any experienced anywhere in the school they want to share on recorders, almost the entire class raised their hands, even the Teacher wanted to say something.
Students reported to us about walking in the hallways, and getting the chills suddenly, we explained to them what that is believed to be. Some girls told us about being in the Bathroom alone, hearing girls giggling, talking, hearing stall doors closing and opening, happens so much one girl said, that it doesnt bother many of them anymore. The Teachers we interviewed reported having to stop their class because of all the invicible kids in the hallways talking and making noises, said it doesnt happen all the time, its not loud, but noticeable.
Our last interview was with the Maintenance man who said he gets to the school during the winter months about 3am, turns the heat on, smelt cigarette smoke comeing from the Boys bathroom, nobody there, once his duties are done, he goes to his office, said its not uncommon to hear toilets flushing at 3:30am in the school, this also reported by some of the kids who said toilets would flush while they were in the bathroom, nobody there.
I asked the man who has been working at the school for 24 years if any of this startled him, he told us that at first he was terrified, walking upstairs to check the bathrooms where the toilets flushed and finding nobody, but now, he just ignores it.
We spent 2 hours at the school, when we walked back to the Principals office to chat with her, we found her with a different attitude, all I could think of was, "Uh Oh", in walks a Sheriffs deputy and someone from the Superintendents office, again, "Uh Oh", seems that someone in the school was not happy there were Ghost Hunters stalking the Hallways, and ratted out the Principal and us to the Superintendent, they were respectful to us, we explained to them what we were doing, and they told us that they didnt feel, given the tragedy it was appropriate for us to be there doing this, but even when I assured them it wasnt out of disrespect, but we wanted to let them know they werent forgotten, it fell on deaf ears as I suspected it would.
The Deputy pulled me aside outside, he told me that sometimes at night, the motion sensors inside the hallways would go off, and he would respond to the school, locked up tight. said one night, while walking around the outside, he had an urge to look up at some of the windows, said he swears he saw some kids looking down at him, shinned his light at the window, nobody there.
We walked across the street from the school where there is a wonderful little museum, alot of items from the explosion is there on display, along with desks that still have dust from the falling debris on them, dirty clothing, photos of the kids who went to school, even Adolf Hitlers condolance letter. The man at the time who was the manager of the museum showed us a photo of his sister who was killed in the explosion, he never knew her, with a tear in his eyes, he told us that her death is the reason why he was born. Not knowing his reaction to this, but I asked him if he believed relatives would meet again after death, he said that he hoped so, I told him, I think you will meet your sister someday. There is an icecream shop in the museum, and the icecream was on the house for us.....
Even when I think about New London tragedy, it even hurts me to some degree, knowing my aunt had just left the school, said she witnessed the school lift up off its foundation and slam back down, the roof fell in, the walls fell in, and she could hear kids screaming, said for years she couldnt get those screams out of her mind, only time healed it. My Grandfather spent days helping remove the bodies from the rubble.
Such a tragedy that will hurt that town for a long time to come..