The Exorcist, haunted halls, and midnight howls: Inside Georgetown College’s Halloween traditions

Who does not love an excellent scare, particularly if you’re in school? Don’t fear, we’re not speaking about finals (although these may be fairly terrifying). We’re speaking concerning the spookiest competition of the 12 months: Halloween! Yearly, you and your pals gown up in creepy costumes, exit for some enjoyable, or perhaps take pleasure in a bit trick-or-treating (let’s be trustworthy, we’re all children relating to sweet). However do you know there’s one college that takes Halloween to an entire new degree? Welcome to Georgetown College, residence to a spine-chilling custom that makes Halloween way over only a horror film marathon.
For the previous 40 years, the Georgetown Programming Board (GPB), a pupil run organisation at Georgetown College, has hosted an occasion referred to as Haunted Healy on the Saturday earlier than Halloween. Throughout this occasion, the second ground of Healy Corridor is remodeled right into a haunted home. College students volunteer to decorate up as terrifying creatures, chasing their friends and creating nightmares that may final a lifetime. Enjoyable truth: Based on the college’s official web site, this eerie custom relies on an city legend that claims the higher flooring of Healy Corridor are sealed off due to an exorcism that when befell there.
Talking of exorcisms, Georgetown’s Halloween celebrations don’t cease there. Do you know that the long-lasting 1973 movie The Exorcist was filmed in and across the campus? Discuss spooky connections! For years, GPB has hosted a late-night screening of The Exorcist on Copley Garden the evening earlier than Halloween. After the movie, college students head to the Jesuit graveyard to howl on the moon because the clock strikes midnight, formally ushering in Halloween. This custom is named Healy Howl.
In 2023, The Healy Howl, was ranked #1 on Area of interest’s listing of probably the most outrageous traditions at U.S. faculties, in accordance with the college’s official web site. Area of interest is an schooling advertising agency that connects college students and fogeys with colleges and universities
Right here’s one other enjoyable truth: William Peter Blatty (C’50), the creator of The Exorcist, was impressed to write down the novel after studying about an actual exorcism that occurred in Mount Rainier throughout his time at Georgetown College.
Now that’s a practice horror lovers gained’t wish to miss!