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The independent Catholic school will host its sixth "haunted school" event on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27. “It’s kind of scary, but it’s not scary like the big haunted houses,” Jan Novotny, principal, who has a drama background, said. “I’d probably have a heart attack.” During the event, a guide with a battery-powered lantern leads attendees down the darkened hall to eight viewing stations, which are “housed” in the classrooms, Novotny said. Visitors walk through the classroom doors and into the various haunted spaces. Behind “the fake walls” are the rest of the classrooms, she said. Some of the haunted sights include a “spooky library,” a “spooky science lab” and a graveyard, Novotny said. But the scares don't end there. Students from Saint Joseph Academy wear masks and halloween costumes Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while preparing for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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"All of a sudden you’ll turn around and there’s a ghost or a witch behind you,” Novotny said. Because of its connection with various religious traditions – the pagans honor Samhain and many Christian groups call Oct. 31 All Hallows Eve (the day before All Saints Day, when the “hallowed” are recognized), the celebration of Halloween can be a bit thorny. But Novotny sees Halloween as simply a day to have fun. A devout Catholic, Novotny has fond memories of dressing up for Halloween parties when she attended Catholic school “and nobody had any qualms about it,” she said. Students at Saint Joseph Academy help prepare for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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“In the 50s and 60s, we dressed up as everything, from ghosts and angels to gypsies and fortune tellers,” Novotny said. “It was just a game we played.” And, from an educator’s point of view, this event teaches students about theatrics while they raise money for their school. “They learn not to break character,” Novotny said, “and to be in their places when word goes down the hall, just like a real production.” In fact, the students at St. Joseph Academy receive weekly acting lessons from Novotny’s daughter, Lori Carmine, who is the park manager of the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre in Joliet. “Right now they’re reading Greek plays and making Greek masks, worn by ancient Greeks when they put on plays,” Novotny said. “And they’re studying ancient Greece in history.” Several Halloween decorations can be seen Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at Saint Joseph Academy in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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To Novotny, hosting a haunted school ties into the study of the arts. “We believe the arts are important,” Novotny said. “This is a way of putting on a show without having to memorize lines and things like that; it’s improv. Kids know who they are and they can act out their parts until the show is over." The haunted school also lets the kids decide how deeply they delve into their characters. “Some are more creative than others,” Novotny said. “Some just move quietly through the place or hide behind tombstones, but the older ones get pretty ‘hammy.’” Jamie Carter (right) wears a mask while helping other students at Saint Joseph Academy prepare for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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About 150 come out for the haunted school, Novotny said. Actors include current and former students, staff and parents, she added. The event raises about $300 to $500, “which is a big help for us,” Novotny said. So Novotny doesn’t believe hosting a haunted house glorifies the demonic? Students from Saint Joseph Academy wear masks and halloween costumes Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while preparing for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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“Oh, heavens no," she said. “It’s a show. Just like you have the three witches in ‘Macbeth’ or you have “Casper the Friendly Ghost.’ Most people know their stories. "We take the kids to Mass every morning. We’re certainly not doing anything against dogma. We’re not saying any of this is real. This is a game people play on Halloween.” Jamie Carter, a student at Saint Joseph Academy, wears a halloween mask Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while helping preparing for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)
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IF YOU GO WHAT: Haunted School WHEN: 2 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 and 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 27 WHERE: St. Joseph Academy, 403 N. Hickory St. Joliet COST: $5 for adults and $ for children age 4 through 14. Children three and under are free. Family admissions available. Refreshments will be sold. INFORMATION Call the school at 815-723-4567. Jamie Carter (right) and other students at Saint Joseph Academy help prepare for the school's sixth annual haunted school fundraiser Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, while in Joliet, Ill. (Eric Ginnard)