"The theme of Mum Fest is Make a Little Magic," former assistant coach and teacher Bob Velloney said. "Well, Jack brought a lot of magic to Barberton. He described Jack Greynolds as more than a coach, a man who was also a great teacher. "His students learned in his classroom," Velloney said. "They learned a lot more than just basketball. They learned about life and they were much the better for the experience." Jack's son Jackie talked of growing up, watching the players his father was coaching and wanting to be like them and play for his father. Jackie did that, and went on to become a boys basketball coach himself, now at GlenOak. Playing for his father wasn't easy for him or any player. "On the floor he pushed you and he made you suck it up and be a man, and if you didn't, you didn't last," Jackie said, adding that players have told him it made them a better person. "He was unique," he said of his father. "He was a lot of different things."
The monument to Jack Greynolds sits outside the new Greynolds Gymnasium, built as part of Lake Anna YMCA on the site of the previous gym, where the Barberton Magics, under Greynolds, won the school's only state basketball championship.

For the past two years, the Barberton Historical Society has been collecting ghost stories for a book that is being published. “Ghosts of the Magic City” will include 23 of those stories. Some of those stories were highlighted in two tours sponsored by the historical society and the Barberton Herald. The first ghost walk, Oct. 13, began with dinner at Casa del Ranchero, then a tour of haunted downtown Barberton, beginning with the Tracy Block where historical society president Steve Kelleher told of Cynthia, the wife of a man killed in 1891, when he and other workers were blown off a scaffold when a tornado struck the area. A distraught Cynthia died a short time later, rumor has it by taking her own life. Her story and those of others are included in the book. The second tour, titled Death by Chocolate, Oct. 27, began with dinner in the cafeteria of Yoder Brothers, then took people through that and other buildings left from O.C. Barber’s Anna Dean Farm. Going through the Feed Barn, Steve Kelleher of the historical society told the story of a woman hanging herself there in 1925. As he was recounting how Nellie took her life because people were making fun of her hunchback condition, a device that registers surface temperatures was pointed at the corner of a car stored in that barn and showed the temperature rising steadily to 130 degrees. That was on a chilly evening in a building with no heat or electricity. Also, a review of video taken at the time showed what appeared to be the image of a girl in the corner where the heat rise was detected. More stories are told in “Ghosts of the Magic City.” To preorder a copy, send $21.95 which includes postage to Barberton Historical Society, P.O. Box 666, Barberton Ohio, 44203. Only 500 copies are anticipated in this printing, with almost half of them already pre-sold. Final delivery of the book should be in approximately 30 days.

It was a starry night with no moon as guests arrived for a haunted sleep over at Adam House Tavern, 3044 Wadsworth Rd. in Norton. New owner, Raphael Peoples planned the night so that others might have their own paranormal experience. Based on sightings and stories, some passed down word of mouth, some actually recorded with the Norton Historical Society, Rapheal feels an energy in the place, one that paranormal investigators, physics, and intuitives from PSI2 (Paranormal, Scientific, Intuitive, Investigators) set up equipment to record. There was a static feeling of anticipation as guests listened to acoustic guitar and earthy vocals by, Bongo Joe and Little Steven, www.akronblues.com. At the tables, some talked of the man at the end of the bar, said to be seen and felt by more than one of PSI2 members, and featured in their presentation of photographs. “He’s not mean,” said Michelle, an intuitive that says she sees, “He comes across as simply belonging here.” PSI2 members spoke of their specific gifts in a question and answer dialogue with guests. Michelle Caduff PSI2, sensitive explained pictures of string energy photographed in Cuyahoga Valley Metro Parks. “It’s very emotional to go there,” she said. “Some of the Indians are angry and direct their anger toward Mr. Perkins who drove them away from their land. Some are happy to be home. I sense a feeling of belonging.” Corrine Weschey, PSI2 member who reads cards at the tavern on Tuesday nights, demonstrated how to collect healing energy and formed an energy circle. Men and women alike placed their hands just above each other’s, right hand up, left hand down. A pretty woman, dressed in a black suit, became emotional, and Michelle, a PSI2 member, pulled her out of the circle. Michelle’s hands were just above the woman’s head and a look of pain crossed both their faces. Michelle moved her hands down over the woman’s shoulders and eventually down to the ground. The woman was shaken and had to sit down. Michelle looked in her eyes, telling her, “Let it go. Let it go.” Through tears the woman said, “I know I need to, I don’t know why I hold onto it.” Raphael Peoples set a beautiful table of cold cuts and finger food which guests enjoyed before the actual Ghost Hunt. Arnold Cudaff, PSI2’s tech man, explained the paranormal sensing equipment wired throughout. “My job,” said Arnold, “is to dismiss any human equation and prove what’s felt, sensed or seen.” Hair raising chills, and a few screams, mounted as one person on the hunt, felt a pulling sensation on their shirtsleeve, and another on the bottom of her pant leg. It will take Arnold several weeks to analyze the recorded footage and prove what was felt, but for those who felt it, it was as real as the type on this page. Guests, including those from the Herald, offer their thanks to Raphael and the Adam House Tavern for putting together an evening filled with mystery and good food.

Armed with sophisticated audio, visual, temperature, and electromagnetic field detection devices, five members of the World Paranormal Investigations organization set up shop in the Alexander Commons building in downtown Barberton. The team members of WPI were Greg, who takes a scientific approach to paranormal phenomena, Kathy, a spiritualist, Bea, a woman of Catholic background with past experiences in the paranormal, John, a wican spiritual medium, and Chris, an expert on electronic voice phenomena. WPI was started in July 2004 and operates with teams in the United States and the United Kingdom. If you have, or suspect a haunting and want WPI to investigate, you can contact them on their Website at www.wpiusauk.com. Five members of the Herald staff accompanied the WPI team and were fascinated with both the consistency and accuracy of WPI’s initial readings. The tour started out in the Herald building. WPI members walked throughout the structure as John announced a strong revelation of the name “Roy”. The Herald staff tried, but couldn’t come up with a connection to Roy. The team then ventured to the Alexander Commons building. As we walked to the second floor, we were astonished as the name ROY was painted on the east wall in large letters. WPI members were almost apathetic, telling us they were not surprised at John’s accuracy. “This happens quite often,” said Greg. The group then did a walkthrough, venturing throughout the secluded areas of the building, attempting to sense anything extraordinary. As Greg and Kathy sensed strong feelings in a particular room, John ventured off alone to another area of the building. John rejoined the group and revealed receiving another strong “impression”. John explained in detail seeing a woman dressed in a Victorian era dress looking out the front window. He then walked to the window and saw a scene from the late 1800’s on Tuscarawas Avenue below. “There were dirt roads, and a horse and carriage in the distance,” said John. Members of the Herald team then explained the very same woman had been previously seen by at least six other persons in the building. Once again, the WPI team was very nonchalant at John’s revelation. The WPI team then began to set up their equipment. “We’ll be here for about three hours tonight.” said Greg. “We’ll send you a complete report on our findings. There is definately activity in this building,” added Kathy. The team’s findings and report will be published in a follow-up story in next week’s Herald. When John was asked if he had ever been in the Alexander Commons building, he replied “No”. When asked the purpose of the necklace he was wearing. John said, “Protection”........

The following story is an excerpt from, “Ghosts of the Magic City” the new book of Barberton ghost stories by the Barberton Historical Society. Lightening strikes have always been a problem on the Anna Dean Farm. Over the years, the silos of Barn No. 1, Barn No. 2, and Barn No. 3, have been struck by lightening. The tower of Barn No. 2 was first struck by lightening in 1911 and Barn No. 3 was struck in 1916. The main tower of Barn No. 1, which is now Yoder Brothers, Inc.’s corporate headquarters, was struck by lightening in 1967 and the rear cupola of the Piggery got hit in September of 2004. However, a lightening strike once turned extremely deadly for two workers on O. C. Barber’s Anna Dean Farm. About 400 feet west of Barn No. 3, the huge cattle barn that was built near the intersection of Portsmouth Ave. and Ohio 619, in the middle of the field, grew a chestnut tree. In the autumn of 1912, two Anna Dean Farm laborers hitched up their thresher to the work horses and headed over to cut the alfalfa behind Barn No. 3 in the field where the tree stood. As the men were gathering the alfalfa, a fierce thunderstorm blew into the area. They were simply too far from Barn No. 3 to take refuge, or so they thought. This turned into a fatal mistake. With the lightening crashing all around them, the two men quickly dropped their reaper in the field and led the horses, still hitched together by their harness, to the protection of the chestnut tree. Within an hour, the storm passed and from Barn No. 3, someone spotted something moving under the tree where the men had taken refuge. Lying there were the two men, struck by lightening and now dead. The horses were lying on their sides unhurt, but tangled in their harness. Cutting loose the harness, the horses stood up. The chestnut tree was unscathed. Not even any fallen leaves lay on the ground. Within weeks, the big chestnut tree died, peeling off much of its bark, and dropping all of its leaves and small limbs. For some reason, O. C. Barber never cut that dead tree down. It stood there until the 1930’s, long after this part of the Anna Dean Farm became the Anna Dean Golf Course. To this very day, people say when the wind howls and a lightening storm returns to the Anna Dean Farm, you can still hear the faint screams of men and the whinnying of horses in this area. “Ghosts of the Magic City” has sold out.You may contact the Barberton Historical Society, P. O. Box 666, Barberton Ohio, 44203 for more information on future publications of Barberton Ghosts.

The Lake Cinemas 8 by Jessica King The Lake Theatre, now Lake Cinemas 8, was opened in 1938 (during the Great Depression) as an entertainment complex with theatre seating for 1,000, a restaurant, a barbershop, and a basement bowling alley and billiard room simply called The Lake. The very first movie, Sergeant Murphy, was shown to an invitation only crowd in May of 1938. It was a flashy modern building that offered escape from the woes of the Great Depression. Perhaps it is that same escape that still draws spirits to the building today. The Lake Theatre closed in 1980. The building stood sad lonely and abandoned for nearly 14 years. Rodents were the only living visitors to this once grand building. Dust gathered. The building was slowly crumbling like an aging starlet. In the early 1990s, as part of Barberton’s redevelopment program, Lake Cinemas 8 was born. More screens were added and the older cinema was restored, though the basement sat undisturbed, giving the dust and any other occupants a place to hide. One fellow had some very peculiar experiences while restoring the beautiful murals in the older part of the theatre. Several times, while walking down the hall that now sits behind the concession stand, he could literally feel someone walking behind him. He would look over his shoulder to find no one at all! A skeptic, he ignored these phenomena several times. Since the building was being restored, there were no chairs in the cinemas. All the massive ductwork for the heating and cooling system lay all over the floor. Alone one day, while 15 feet off the ground on a ladder working on a mural, he heard a noise that sounded as if someone was kicking the ductwork. He looked down. But there was no one there. Suddenly a piece of ductwork rolled slightly. He was off his ladder and out the door in less than 30 seconds and a skeptic no more. Hearing rumors of a haunting in theatres 1 and 2, another theatre worker walked bravely into theatre 1 (the big one behind the concession stand at the end of the hall). She had been in this theatre many times and had felt like there was always someone behind her when she knew that there was no one. Alone in the big dark theatre, she asked “Is there someone here with me?” Slowly, as if someone was carefully scripting, the word YES appeared on the screen. Though her she could feel her heart beating in her temple with fright, she asked again, “What is your name?” And then slowly, again, she watched the name JOE appear on the giant screen. This was all she could take! She ran from the theatre and never again spoke about Joe. Our beloved Lake Cinemas 8 is a great place to see a movie ... and maybe have a little unexpected companionship. Perhaps it has the same draw to spirits that drew the poor people of the Great Depression that draws us still today. Lake 8 Cinema is a place for us to escape our everyday lives and spend two hours with someone new, someone funny or crazy; maybe a talking cat or a guy driving his family cross-country in an RV. Perhaps we are not the only ones who need to escape our lives ... or should we say afterlives? “Ghosts of the Magic City” is a new publication from the Press of the Barberton Historical Society. During the month of October we will be featuring excerpts from this new hard bound book. To order your copy please send $21.95 post paid to the Barberton Historical Society at P. O. Box 666, Barberton Ohio, 44203.

BARBERTON – Her shadowy figure has emerged from the dark corner she's thought to lurk in, from an upstairs room inside the Alexander Commons building. She's been spotted peering out a window overlooking Tuscarawas Avenue and those who've seen her, say she's wearing a flowing, high-collared dress, once in fashion during the Victorian era, and that she's downtrodden, hanging her head, as if she's mourning the loss of a loved one. The Tracy Block, part of Alexander Commons, was named for its developer, Benjamin Franklin Tracy, and was the city's first commercial building. While under construction, Sept. 15, 1891, high winds, possibly from a tornado, threw a worker off the roof. He fell to his death onto Tuscarawas Avenue. "The Victorian woman might be the widow of the guy," said Steve Kelleher, president of the Barberton Historical Society. Kelleher made the possible connection between the sightings of the woman and the roofer after reading a Sept. 21 Herald article conveyed the revelations a psychic medium and an intuitive made about the building. The pair accompanied newspaper staff members into the building Sept. 13 – almost 115 years to the day the roofer is thought to have plunged to his death. The article, also revealed that the building's current owner, Jim Krivanek, admitted he'd thought he a saw woman in the window while waiting at a stop sign on Tuscarawas just before sunrise one day. His account of the woman wearing a "big," old-fashioned dress from the 1800s bore an eerie resemblance to the woman, psychic medium Ann Miller described seeing during the walk-through of the building. The woman, she said, standing in the corner near the window, was saddened by the loss of her husband. Krivanek had said too, that a construction crew walked off the job about 12 years ago and never returned after reporting seeing a woman standing at the top of a staircase. The sound of music The Tracy Block served as the Magic City's first municipal building, where city council met in Room 13, the sheriff's quarters were housed and the jail was tucked safely away in the basement. The building, Kelleher said, was once home to the Woolsey and Blazer Drug Store, Laughlin's Bookstore, early telephone companies and the rather unusual combination of doctor's offices along side funeral parlors. Hence the once commonly cited phrase: “if the doctor can't cure you in one room, the undertaker could take care of you in another." Upon entering on the third floor of the building, Miller's daughter, Brenda Brand, an intuitive from Canton, quickly reported the sound of music and people dancing. Not having done any research prior to the excursion, the words: “Barberton Band and Dance” discovered labeled on wooden door and later during the tour, was at the time deemed enough evidence. However, Kelleher said Tracy Hall had been the site of plays, musicals and dancing before the Barberton Opera House was established in 1902 and the Fisk Jubilee Singers frequently performed at the hall. Military men 'displaced' During the tour, Miller came across the spirits of two World War II veterans and a captain of a ship that remain inside the building. She'd relayed the war vet's stories. Sergeant Williams, a soldier in World War II, confided that he wanted the renovation work on the building to be completed. Another soldier, displaced by the demolition of his childhood home, told Miller he's found peace inside the old building. Although, Kelleher couldn't find any record of any World War veterans' organizations having ever used the building, he discovered that the Dickerson Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, comprised of Civil War soldiers, met every Saturday afternoon in Room 13. The Civil War had been over for 27 years when Barberton was incorporated in 1892, Kelleher said, and those who survived the war were likely 50 and older. Since the group had met upstairs, where many of the rooms today are torn apart, left in shambles from an unfinished renovation project, Kelleher surmised the soldiers, perhaps the same spirits Miller encountered, could be feeling "displaced" from Room 13.