I've never

been attracted to much of anything that could be perceived as scary. I've

only seen one Stephen King movie, and have never read any of his books.

If I'm flipping

channels and hear the music (you know the kind of music I'm talking about),

I quickly move on to another channel. Scary just doesn't cut it with me.

Yet Halloween

was always the favorite holiday for both my sons when they were growing

up. I never knew if it was the candy, the dress up routine, or just all

the mischief they thought they were entitled to get into when Halloween

rolled around. But they loved it.

And ghost stories?

I suppose I always figured I had no choice but to let them have their

place. I just didn't know how important that place was until I met the

professor Dr. William Lynwood Montell, that is. I met him in mid-September

when he was in Atlanta to promote his latest book, "Ghosts Across

Kentucky."

I had to know

immediately if he had ever actually seen a ghost. Just one, he said, when

he was six years old. And one other time as an adult, every hair on his

body had stood on edge, but he only had sensed the ghostly presence that

time, he didn't see it.

This utterly

delightful gentleman of the south, who has made storytelling his life,

taught at Western Kentucky University for many years, but is "retired"

now. Actually, he is presently researching and writing four more books,

and is the most-ever requested statewide speaker for the Kentucky Humanities

Council (KHC). His presentations this year are called "Ghost Stories

from Across Kentucky," and "Stories As Generational Bonding

Agents." He has authored more than 15 books to date on ghosts, and

on folklore in the south.

When asked

what folklore is, he says it is the study of the 99.99 percent of the

world's population whose names are never included in history books. For

that reason, he's not interested in writing books about kings, queens,

presidents, or governors.

So what prompted

this professor to write books about ghosts? He began actively collecting

death premonition accounts and ghost stories while teaching at Campbellsville

College, Campbellsville, Kentucky, from 1963-69. With the assistance of

hundreds of students over the years he has compiled many of these supernatural

accounts for publication.

The first of

four books to date was "Ghosts Along The Cumberland: Deathlore in

the Kentucky Foothills" (1975). This book has been reprinted three

times in cloth and three times in paperback. The clothback edition is

now out of print.

The latest

collection is in "Ghosts Across Kentucky." Coming next year

will be "Kentucky Family and House Ghosts."

So what has

my encounter with the professor taught me? According to Dr. Montell, "Supernatural

stories are rich in historical detail about houses and related buildings,

and provide details relevant to people's believed-to-be-true encounters

with the supernatural. Some stories go back to pioneer times, while others

are tied to ante-bellum homes and family progenitors who were present

at that time. Some even reflect the bitterness of slavery conditions and

fratricidal conflict during the Civil War.

"Ghost

stories contain a lot of historical content in that they describe folk

practices and beliefs that have long been forgotten except by older residents.

It is important to record and place these stories in print so that the

historical and personal information contained in them will be preserved

for future generations yet to come."

Who would have

ever thought that ghost stories had historical value? If you are in doubt

at this point, try to remember a story or two that you have heard. Let

yourself recall them in vivid detail.

For instance,

Mary Ella was my grandmother's oldest child who died at age 4 and Mama

Everson used to give me icicle skin talking about her encounters with

the dead girl. Right now, as I type these words, I can still envision

the youngster standing by the fence gate, the one leading up to the house

from the barn, just standing there longing to cross the line and come

back...

I truly never

realized such stories had historical significance. As many times as I've

read the Bible you'd think I would have recognized where the details are

to be found by now. I am still learning.

I trust your

Halloween holiday will be safe, and as uneventful or eventful as you choose

for it to be.