From Jamie Berke,
Your Guide to Deafness.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

The deaf community has its own Halloween spirit in the form of Halloween signs, sign-language themed Halloween novelties, costumes, ghosts, stories, and more.

Deaf Ghost Stories

Ghosts at Schools for the Deaf

"Haunted Deaf School - Delavan, WI" is a ghost story involving a young deaf boy ghost at the Wisconsin School for the Deaf. The child had died of leukemia in the dormitory and reportedly haunted the dormitory until it was torn down and rebuilt. Ghosts have also reportedly been seen at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.

Deaf Ghost Stories

Did you know that there reportedly was a ghost in the home of Gallaudet University President I. King Jordan? The story, "The Presidential Ghost" from the March/April 2001 issue of World Around You, is available in PDF form on the WAY website. Plus, the Fookem and Bug Blog has a post on Ghost Stories on the Gallaudet Campus. The Fookem and Bug blog also has a series of original deaf ghost stories:

• ASL Student Rode with Deaf Ghost
• Ghosts Just Wanna Have Fun

Deaf Ghosts in Books and Film

The ASL film "Ghosted" is credited to filmmaker Raymond Luczak.

In books, the The Legend of Five Great Deaf Ghost Stories, by James Gillies Casey, is a compilation of five short deaf ghost stories.

The Ghost of Tomahawk Creek, an out of print book, is one of the entries in the Flying Fingers Club series. In the story, a group of deaf and hearing children learn about a ghost at the Kansas School for the Deaf.

Deaf Halloween Activities

ASL Rose.com posted suggested deaf-related Halloween activities in their October 2007 newsletter. Most of the activities focus on handshapes.

Deaf Haunted Houses

Some schools for the deaf (such as St. Rita School for the Deaf) and deaf organizations offer haunted houses for Halloween. Gallaudet University's fraternities and sororities traditionally hold a haunted house that's open to the public.

Deaf People Born on Halloween

At least one famous deaf person, Juliette Low, the deaf founder of the Girl Scouts, was born on Halloween in 1860.

Deaf Halloween Novelties

ASLStamp.com has Halloween-themed ASL rubber stamps. Two versions of finger-spelled "Happy Halloween" are available: one with the words "Happy Halloween" and one without.

Signs of Halloween

About.com Deafness has an article on Halloween-related signs. Basic Halloween vocabulary included:

• Ghost
• Witch
• Pumpkin
• Costume
• Devil
• Halloween

In addition, Gallaudet University's Clerc Center has a RealPlayer video of a child signing, finger-spelling, and using the word Halloween in an ASL sentence.

Halloween in ABC Stories

A popular "ABC story" (one told using letters of the sign alphabet) is "Haunted House."