Vera is something of a local celebrity. She haunts Pacific
University’s Knight Hall, playing tricks on those inside and flipping on
the lights.
Or so the stories say.
Stories of Vera have
swirled through Forest Grove for more than a century, said Jeff Grundon,
senior associate director of admissions. As a student at Pacific
University in the 1970s, he wasn’t sure he believed the stories, even
when his friends said they met her at night.
But when his office as an employee was moved to Knight Hall 20 years ago, he started noticing things.
He
has etched the date of the first incident into his brain: July 5, 1993.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he couldn’t open a
door.
Grundon said a pileup of events made him a believer. Strange smells, silly laughs. Lights on when he turned them off.
Once,
he watched his briefcase slide three feet of its own accord. Another
time, a fan turned itself on when he was working with a colleague and a
student.
