More than a dozen families gathered at the historic Ellis-Shackelford House Saturday evening for Arizona Humanities’ “Ghostly Stories” event, which aimed to educate the community on Phoenix’s paranormal history.
The family-friendly event included historical ghost stories by the “Hip Historian” Marshall Shore, Halloween arts and crafts, free books and story time in the house’s library.
Arizona Humanities provided a table of books to give out to the kids, who could each pick out three to keep in a free tote bag. Options ranged from short Dr. Seuss books to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.
Brenda Thomson, Executive Director of Arizona Humanities, a nonprofit that provides public humanities programs and resources, said all the books were donated. Arizona Humanities wants to encourage kids to read, she said.
“What we found is that reading is the foundation to everything,” Thomson said. “Kids that are actively reading with their parents and classmates perform better in school, tests and are more likely to stay in school and go to college.”
The Ellis-Shackelford House, built in 1917 on Central Avenue and Culver Street, houses Arizona Humanities. Guests could see a glimpse of early 20th Century living and learn about downtown Phoenix’s complex and unremembered history.
“Even when they are having fun, they are learning,” said Brenda Thomson. “Even though it’s a Halloween party, it actually has an educational component.”
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Marshall Shore told stories about famed Phoenix hauntings such as the ghost of Leona Jensen, who allegedly wanders the halls of the Hotel San Carlos, after jumping off the roof in 1928.
“It’s ‘edutainment’ — the blending of education and entertainment,” Shore said. “We want to blend spooky stories with history and educate the families that come, in a fun way.”
Shore incorporated each spooky story with a brief history lesson about the location and time period of the event, making experience much more about the history than about the fright.
“This is just a fun event to promote the opportunity for us to look at trick-or-treating as something different,” said Ellie Hutchison the program manager for Arizona Humanities. “You come here and get free books, and you get snacks, but most importantly get filled with stories and play with other families and hang out. This is about creating a safe space for families.”
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This is event was, in large a way, meant to encourage community members and other valley residents to become more involved with the work of Arizona Humanities. Thomson said the group launched a series called FRANK Talks — community conversations about topics important to the community, such as the relationship between residents and police, the history of presidential elections, and constitutional rights.
“If kids are learning humanities, whether through poetry, music, or art, they’re really learning about the history of the people that came before us, the history of the people who are here now, and what the world may look like in the future,” Thomson said.
Contact the reporter at Lerman.Montoya@asu.edu.
