Boys Industrial School in Lancaster

Ohio has no shortage of lore attached to prisons.  Our most famous haunted correctional facility, the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, tends to hog the spotlight when it comes to legendary Ohio prisons.  However, one institution in the southeastern corner, is often overlooked.  

The Boys Industrial School, known today as the Southeastern Correctional Institution in Lancaster, harbors a unique past.  Its revolutionary influence on our juvenile justice system remains today. 

And, it appears, the spirits of those who once lived and worked there, remain as well.  Come hear the tale of one former corrections officer, Mr. Nathan White, and his unexplained encounters while working in the location’s original buildings.

It seems some spirits were never released.

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Transcript

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Hello and welcome to Ohio folklore. I'm your host Melissa Davies. Today, we're exploring an Ohio correctional institution with the surprising history. Although it now stands as a medium security prison for Ohio's adult population, it was originally built and designed as a primary juvenile facility. In 1857, our state government established the Ohio reformed school. A plot of land five miles south of the town of Lancaster, was designated for the project. Boys within the criminal justice system between the ages of eight and 18 were accepted into the program designed to reform and rebuild their lives. The first inmates would walk through its front gate in 1858. Prior to the creation of this facility, juvenile offenders had been housed alongside adults. This left already troubled young man vulnerable to the worst impulses of hardened criminals. The Ohio reformed school was constructed in hopes of providing safe haven for these wayward youth. It embraced an enlightened view of the juvenile justice system. Unlike adult facilities, there were no walls and no fences around the Open Campus. Groups of 40 Boys lived in cottages named after major rivers within Ohio. Staff included not only prison guards, but educators, residential directors, and others. The whole approach reflected the village concept of raising children. The hope was that a community of supportive adults could guide these youths. Perhaps they'd find their way. This program established just south of Lancaster, would in fact become so successful that by 1901 28, other states began emulating Ohio's unique approach to correcting and rehabilitating juveniles. The general idea was to provide a focus on schooling, as well as an instruction and a trade. Half of the boy's days were filled with typical classroom activities. The other half required active work in a trade, like the on campus farm, the barber shop, the woodworking shop, among others. Military Training was also incorporated into daily routines. With so much filling their days and no idle time left for shenanigans. These young man couldn't help but be set on the right path, right. I'm talking about the boys Industrial School, known today as the southeastern Correctional Institution in Lancaster. If you go there today, much of what you'll see is what you would expect from a modern Correctional Facility, including high fencing and barbed wire that encloses large modern buildings designed for imprisonment. However, a few of the structures are original to the juvenile campus. These buildings stand out as examples of 19th century architecture. There are remnants of a facility whose original design held elements of hope for those who had lost their way. The juvenile facility was officially transformed into an adult correctional institution in 1980. However, over its long, 122 year history prior to that, the community in and around Lancaster had developed a relationship with the institution. When it came time to close it. A heartfelt dedication ceremony was held in the honor of the 1000s of staff and over 100,000 juveniles who had passed through its gates. The Ohio Historical Society placed the bronze plaque on the south lawn of what was once the honor dormitory. It noted the institution's mission to quote help a boy find his way. The first juveniles to enter the facility, a group of 10 Boys traveling and open wagons from Cincinnati, finally encountered a set of crude log cabins resting in the wooded hills of Appalachia. Here, they learn to live off the land, develop a trade and find a productive path toward adult life. Many over the institution's lifespan did just that that many, of course, did not. We'll get into more details about that soon. But for now, let's dig into the fantastic claims that are attached to this historic location. Let me introduce you to Nathan white, former corrections officer at the southeastern Correctional Institution. He worked there from 2013 through 2015. He offers valuable insights into those historic buildings, most of which are not accessible to the public. Although we can't go to visit them in person, we can get to learn more about them through his eyes. Nathan so generously shares unusual and unexplainable experiences he had on multiple occasions, it seems that some lost souls get linger within the campuses original structures. In fact, it's notable that ghostly sightings are only reported in the original structures which remain there. So let's journey with Nathan. Beyond the towering fences, past secured entry points and into these haunting structures. Come hear his story. So are you originally from the area? I was born in Columbus, my family, we move to the Baltimore area, which is about 2030 minutes north of the BIS prison. So I've lived in the area my whole life, my dad was born and raised in the Lancaster area. So super familiar with the area. How would you describe the reputation the place had even before you went to work there? You know that it was a state prison. I knew I knew a little bit of a history that it used to be the boys industrial school. That's where the the name for the road that it's on actually comes from. So I knew that it had been there for years and years. I never knew it really knew that. Some of the dark aspects of the place I guess, until I actually started working there and witness and stuff. And people would showed me showed me a few things. And it definitely I used to not. I wasn't like a big believer, I guess, and spiritual stuff and working there. I had seen and heard too many things. That Changed My Mind real quick. Oh, wow. What an experience that must have been for you. Kind of Tiffany of sorts or something? Yeah. Yeah. My wife's always been pretty in touch with like, spiritual type stuff, and, you know, seeing and hearing things. And then now, ever since working there, that definitely opened my eyes to what there really is out there. From what you can recall from when those experiences first started happening, can you tell the story of events. The one main one that always sticks out to me is I was working on the yard, we had multiple officers that would work the yard on third shift, just kind of make sure all the dorms were secure. Nobody was trying to escape. And the one main thing that I had to do was there's a part of the prison that they call Westgate. And that is actually the like the oldest section. They have a lot of newer buildings that are built, but the West Gate portion is where majority of the original building from the BIS is still there. So I'm doing my checks. I'm walking around, we had to check, make sure everything's still secure. And I go to start walking back. And I looked over after I got done checking a building that I knew I had just secured. And I see a light on in the back. And I'm like, I know that wasn't on Well, I just checked. So I walked back over that way. And I see this figure in there walk in with a white shirt on. All of all of our lieutenants and captains all had white shirts on thing and one of them snuck out here. They're trying to you know, they would try to test us make sure we were actually doing our jobs and everything was still secure and I'm like what the heck. And the lieutenant that I thought it was. He wasn't even working on shift that night. So Oh, and I went back in the building, there was nobody in there. I'm going to turn the light back off, walk back out, and then everything was fine after that. Okay, so I went and talk with another officer about what just happened and why, you know, you're gonna think I'm crazy. And what happened, and I told him, and they're like, well, and may choose to wear white, like uniforms at the prison. And like, that's crazy. So, you know, they told me that and I'm like, I wonder, you know, a sell something. And they're like, it's possible. I mean, they had, this officer had worked there for I think he said, like, 2021 years. And he had seen and heard all kinds of random noises, random figures around in the older buildings. Okay. So he just, he's like, he probably ended up seeing some kind of like a spiritual figure. And that's so interesting. You know that you noticed that in mostly the older buildings, which would have been on the campus of the boys industrial school, when it was an operation. And I've never experienced anything in the newer buildings. And then some, even some of the older buildings, you would just get, like a heavy feeling come over you. But I've never actually saw or heard anything. And some of those. That was really the only, I guess, like figure that I ever really saw. I heard a lot of stuff. I mean, I did see. So they had the wardens mansion, which actually the state of Ohio, they let it go to crap, and it has kind of deteriorated. So they decided that they're just going to tear it down. Which is very unfortunate. I mean, it's a it's a beautiful house. But I did want to I saw a shadow past pop by a window there one time. But I never actually, like, went to check on that. And I'm like, That building always creeped me out anyways, because nobody ever hadn't used it, like 10 years since I work there. Okay. So I seen that in this house and looked like there were some efforts to try to preserve that building, and maybe to do a museum with it. But that all never really came together. I'm assuming. Yeah, they, some of the older officers that had worked there. When they had first started, they actually use the old wardens house. And they used it for like their training sessions. Okay, so some of them had actually been in it before it got to the point that it's at now. But they had the training all to a different building a little bit newer. And after they move that training out of there, as far as I was told, that's like the last time anybody had been in there, like doing work or anything like that. But yeah, everything. Everything then was you know, it's just it's still state property, we still had to make sure the doors were locked. But other than that, I mean, that was it. But I know we were always told don't go in there. It's full of black mold. And, you know, floors are caving in feelings. We're starting to plaster was falling off ceilings and walls. Yeah, it would be such an effort to try to restore it. Which is a shame, you know, for it to be torn down that. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's a it's a great piece of history. But unfortunately, the state of Ohio didn't, didn't fail, I guess that the money was, should be used to restore something like that. Do you remember any of your co workers sharing their unusual experiences with you? Yeah, the one it always creeped me out because we have one dormitory. That was an original building. And it was called M dorm. Like the letter M. And luckily, I never experienced that. I mean, I I heard noises, but never experienced what they experienced. They had what they called was the key man. That was a spirit in this building. You know, we we had a key ring with a bunch of keys on it. So like it would jingle and the officers would hear these keys, jingle and like footsteps with her like you know all the inmates should be asleep. There's no real magic here like stopping of like boots going up and downstairs. Right? And so they would hear these keys jingle everything would have already been locked up. Because they had like day rooms and stuff that would have to be locked at a certain point. I never want to serve the ticular. He said, he went to check that just do it as normal checks every 15 to 30 minutes. And he went to the day room, but they room door was unlocked, opened, and the light was turned on. And he's like, I know for a fact that I had locked everything turned everything off cut, like, can we had control to like the power? Or even if he wouldn't flip the switch on, it wouldn't turn stuff on. And he's like, I did that, you know, the certain time that we were supposed to that night. He's like, I went back up there, the light was on. The door was open and unlocked. Two days, I guess scared. Scared me. Because that that is the one dorm that you actually work by yourself. But every other one, you would have at least one other officer work with you. But it was such a small dormitory that they're like, You know what, we only need to put one officer in there. Okay, so having things unlocked, that should be locked could be a real risk. Especially working there by yourself. Yeah, I mean, just because like in the day room, that's where they would have their microwave. And that was there. Like, I guess like a living room kitchen types of I mean, they didn't have access to knives or anything. But yeah, there was definitely stuff in there like the you know, they could have just picked up the microwave and bang and chuck it down the stairs or you know, whatever, whatever crazy stuff they wanted to do that night. I mean, and this happens enough that it had a name in terms of the key man. Yeah, right. It happened to multiple officers. I never had anything unlocked or anything. But there was a couple instances where I actually heard the keys jingling. And I would always take the keys and I had them on the hook on my belt. But then I would stick the keys in my pocket. So that they didn't jingle and you know, wake up the inmates while I was doing my rounds. And I was sitting at the desk. And I heard these jingle probably two or three different times. But then the hair up on the back of your neck. sort of gives you goosebumps all over. Yeah, and when you're there by yourself that's that's even worse, I would guess. Yeah. The first time I ever heard it, I actually called for another officer close like, I'm like, Look, I don't know what's going on. In mace got something we need to go through. And that was actually the first time they told me the story. They said they said it was an officer. I don't know if like the officer was killed there anything. They never told me that. But I mean, it's just one of those fables, but you know, they pass down? Yeah. And that was done. You said the end dorm or something? Yeah, the letter in like in Mike. Yeah. So out of the dormitories. That really is like the only original building that they use. And as also as a deeper element, because I think a lot of people would have assumed okay, maybe an inmate trying to mess with me or they're shaking something that sounds like keys. Yeah, so that's why you called for another officer. And it was only then that you learned about the folklore around. You know, this key man. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz like, I heard it this faintly at first, I was like, Okay, what is this? You know, I'm trying to run through my mind of what would an inmate have that could make? I mean, that's a very distinct noise. That's true. And I'm just trying to run through my head, like, what would it then they have that would make this noise. And there was nothing I mean, you know, they had stuff, but it was pretty much all like plastic. And the only metal that they had was their bed frame. And they had like, foot lockers that were metal. Okay, you know, that's not gonna make a key jingling sound walking around. So, yeah, that's what's much too big and heavy to imitate keys. Hmm. So, you know, I can see it's been a kind of accumulation of a few experiences, like you said, where you mean, you're not a ghost town or you're not out there with these devices that blinking on machines. It's just finding you in a way. Yeah, yeah. I definitely don't go searching for it. I mean, I'm not I'm not scared of a whole lot, but I'm not going to go searching for any kind of spirits, whether good or bad. I mean, not just okay. That's usually not my thing. I mean, I've seen you know, I experienced a lot down there and there's Been a couple other places in my life since, but I've experienced like very minor things. But yeah, that that person down there just, I don't know there's something about it, you could feel it, it really made an impression on you. And like you said, it's changed the way you see the world in some ways. Definitely, definitely opened my eyes to like the spirit world. The spirit world. It's a dimension that fascinates so many. Some few individuals through no fault of their own, confront experiences they cannot explain. These folks are just going through their daily routine, like getting through another workshift when they find themselves catching a glimpse of the other side. And when these experiences accumulate, for many separate individuals, folklore takes root. That's the organic process by which the telling of stories lays fertile ground for legendary folk tales. In my experience, when we identify a location steeped in such lore, there's a deeper history just under the surface, waiting to be revealed. In our research for this episode, I was fortunate to stumble on compelling true stories. They offer insight into why forlorn spirits, should they exist, may yet be imprisoned at this historic Ohio location. You'll recall from Nathan's interview that one of the most well known legends among the correctional staff was that of the key man. This spirits callsign was the distinct jingle of keys, like those suspended from a belt while doing rounds. Many corrections officers assigned to M dorm, one of the few original buildings on campus. Here are this eerie sound in the dark after inmates have been secured in their cells. And on some occasions, this spirit is known to unlock areas which have just been secured, turning on lights whose power had been shut off. What kind of spirit might these unexplained experiences represent? Just who might have a reason to linger in this space. I believe I have a few ideas. In June of 19 2316 year old Frederick Mills had been making plans for an escape from the boys Industrial School. He'd been in prison for auto theft and carrying concealed weapons the previous April. He was bent on returning to his hometown of Akron, Officer John Kirschner, a veteran prison guard of 24 years, had supervised Mills from the time of his arrival, guiding him in the trade of agriculture. From his first day there, Mills had been an exemplary inmate on his best behavior, kind, respectful, and eager to please authorities like officer karsner. This engender to kind of trust to form from the start and feelings of goodwill toward the troubled youth. At the time, each guard was assigned a group of about 10 inmates to mentor Officer karsner was well liked among the inmate community, and was a much sought after mentor. In addition to their duties, patrolling and securing the facility. Guards were encouraged to teach the young men new traits. For mills. This meant learning to raise chickens. That's why he and Officer karsner often met in the poultry barn at 4:30pm. Following the end of karsner shift. There, the officer would instruct the lab on how to spot chickens who are sick, how to best clean out their coops, and all the other minute details of chicken farming. Mills, for his part, had no interest in chicken farming. He hated it in fact, yet he knew that his best chance for escaping this mundane life meant fostering a sense of trust with his captor. And the few months since he'd been incarcerated, the officer came to appreciate Mills his obedience and reliability. He felt no real threat from the boy and mills knew it. When Mills spotted an unsupervised wagon parked on campus. He applied his skills in auto theft and dismantled an 18 inch long iron bar from the brake system. Sliding the blunt object up his sleeve. He went Get away from the wagon and back to his dormitory. He'd made plans to use it against his mentor when they were alone in the poultry barn the next day. In his excitement to be free, Mills had confided in a few of his fellow inmates and told them of his plan. They discouraged him from even thinking about it, claiming he'd never succeed. He'd soon be spotted in his prison garb anyway, after leaving the edges of the Open Campus. The boys warnings weighed heavily on Mills when he entered the poultry barn that afternoon. Officer karsner was already there, sweeping out one corner of the coop. His face was toward the wall when Mills arrived at the scheduled time. As he walked toward karsner, with his feet unsteady, and his palms sweaty, the heavy bar slipped through his fingers and crashed on the wooden floor for a split second. Bills thought sure his plan was discovered. With the contraband now exposed, he'd surely be punished. To a surprise officer karsner didn't even turn around. He kept sweeping and said casually, you all right. Yeah, was mill soft reply. And for a moment he stood there, listening to the sound of the officers broom against the floorboards as he stared at the weapon. After some time, he stepped away from it, grabbed a basket and began collecting eggs. All the while. inside his mind was a heated debate between his growing conscience and his basest of impulses. In a flash, an evil force came over him, focused on his own self interest. Mills quietly set the basket down, walk toward the iron bar snatching it from the floor. The boys stepped quickly to the officer, whose back was still turned to him. He struck him from behind on the head. The first couple of blows, took the officer to the floor. He then quickly knocked unconscious, and yet the boy cut bearing down on his head with the bar, leading to two fractures of the skull. It was later estimated that Mills had struck him in the head at least eight times after the officer had fallen unconscious. When the terrible act was over, Mills removed Kirshner shoes, socks and trousers. He took off his prison uniform and put on the officer's clothes, and then took karsner his watch and case. On leaving, he placed a heavy padlock on the outside door, which normally signaled that the building had been cleared and closed by the guard for the day. No one would suspect that anything was a mess, as Kershner had already completed his shift. Mills was free to wander beyond the bounds of campus and into the wooded hills. Mel's escape may have gone without a hitch, were it not for the heavy consciences of two inmates who were assigned to his same dormitory. They had also been mentored by Officer karsner and looked up to him and appreciated his gentle disposition. They were among the small group Mills had confided in about his plans. When 20 minutes had passed beyond the time, Mills normally returned from chicken duty. The worried boys took off for the poultry barn. Finding the door locked. They headed around the corner to a small window and peered in. Costner's motionless body lay there on the floor, a pool of blood draining from his head. The alarm was sounded immediately. Superintendent Boucher called all available staff to join and a manhunt for the assailant. While the desperate search went on, and credibly officer karsner regained a level of consciousness while being treated by the institution staff physician who'd been called to karsner side there in the poultry barn. He named the inmate who had attacked him. He described having been ambushed from behind. before losing consciousness again. He noticed his watch and keys had been taken to surgeons from Lancaster had been called in to consult and a procedure to repair the skull fractures commenced at 11pm that night. Remarkably, he survived the operation Only two laps back into unconsciousness. He was dead by 230 the next morning. John karsner had never been married or had a family. The Bachelor from Pickaway County was known to view the inmates as his sons. Sometime around 830 The next night to local police officers near Hamburg spotted mills in the moonlight, stopping and starting alongside the road toward Lancaster. Moving closer to Him, they could see what looked like a club in his hands. Brushing him together on foot, they quickly overcame him and remove the object. He gave no resistance when they made their arrest. They returned him to the boys Industrial School. Along the way, he admitted to having left officer karsner for dead. He was yet wearing the officers clothes, all except the shirt which had been too bloodied in the act. In the end, it wasn't enough of a disguise to shield him from detection by authorities and conducting a full body search. They found Costner's watch and keys as well. A hearing was scheduled with Judge Snyder for 1pm In the afternoon, charges for murder were bound over to the grand jury on a $10,000 bond. Mills was then placed in custody of Sheriff Sparky and booked into the county jail awaiting trial. Disagreement ensued among legal circles as to whether he could be tried as an adult, or whether he'd need to be remanded to the boys industrial school until the age of 18. At which time the prosecutor could file an indictment many clamored for immediate justice. Controversy swirls over the lack of security and safeguards at the institution. In the end, Frederick Mills pled guilty to second degree murder in a Court of Common Pleas and was sentenced to life in the Ohio penitentiary. This teenager, raised by a poor single mother had no family members there at a sentencing hearing. Only two court appointed attorneys stood next to him as the sentence was read. At age 16, he would become the youngest inmate to enter the Ohio penitentiary under murder charges. After serving only 15 years of a life sentence, Frederick mills would be released on parole on November 1 1938. The board had taken into account his young age at the time of his offense, and granted release from his sentence. This case, among other notable killings of prison guards through the years, prompted a proposal to change the age range for inmates at the boys Industrial School. In 1939, it was suggested that the upper limit be lowered from 18 to 16, citing that most violent offenses within the juvenile justice system were committed by older teens. The move was applauded by law enforcement authorities and civic leaders in Lancaster. They grown weary of repeated escapes from the institution just down the road. On some occasions, escapees were known to commit violent crimes there in Lancaster, before they were re apprehended. Only four months after the proposal was announced another guard Alec Strom stead was bludgeoned to death by 218 year old inmates, Robert Lee, and William Hart. And with all that dismal news, you might think the relaxed reform based approach of the boys industrial school was doomed. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The age limit would remain as it had been from ages 10 to 18. By 1950, this first of its kind reform school for juvenile offenders in the US would grow to a campus of 1600 acres, including 55 buildings, housing 632 inmates. The school became known for academic excellence, and the Ohio National Guard offered training for recruits who showed an interest in the armed forces. Trade programs were robust, including a self sustaining farm on campus, as well as workshops for automotive repair, carpentry, and the like. reforms in these programs resulted from a thorough investigation of the institution's practices that Back in 1939. Changes in staffing and other safety precautions were implemented. under mounting pressure from the slayings of guards. The administration followed the investigations recommendations. It was a resounding success. This reform minded institution would go on to operate for another 30 years under such programs. So just what are we to make of the fantastic claims which brought forth from the southeastern Ohio location nestled within densely wooded hills. Today, the spot is very practically used as a medium security prison housing adult offenders only. Although new buildings located behind high fences are decidedly bland and institutional, one can still spot older buildings, made distinct by their character. With ornate flourishes and tall chimney stacks that tower over peaked roofs. These buildings stand out among the rest and proclaim a history not yet forgotten. For staff and inmate within such buildings, claims of ghostly sounds and weird electrical occurrences are common. Some, like Nathan White, who was interviewed earlier, have seen visions of unexplained figures and locked and secure buildings. These figures vanish on closer inspection. What are we to make of such repeated claims? If we're believers in the spirit world, then we may assume that restless souls still inhabit this space. My research indicates a significant number of guards were killed on the property, especially before reforms were made following an investigation in 1939. I'd like to think that these men's deaths helped spur the development of programs that connected with these wayward use these guards devotion to at risk youth, their willingness to put their own lives on the line in hopes of helping others is worth remembering. The whole thing could have very easily gone another way. Mounting political pressure could have forced heavy handed changes, turning this facility into simply a place of punishment and warehousing of inmates. In a way, it's remarkable that this kind of outcome didn't happen, given how such forces can take a life of their own. The story of the boys industrial school as a whole is a kind of moral victory. The state and its responsibility to reform and rehabilitate troubled youth did not abandon the cause, even in the face of the killings of its officers. It relied on the juvenile justice system to address these offenders accordingly, then doubled down on the mission to rehabilitate juveniles instead of simply punish them. Although the boys industrial school closed in 1980, the effects that has had on the highest juvenile justice system today are undeniable. Many family courts now send troubled youth to diversion and community service oriented programs designed with the goal of diverting them away from a life of crime on to another path. Many juveniles yet today come from places of poverty, trauma, neglect, and abuse. programs meant to offer support, in addition to justice served is a benefit to us all. That's a message the creators of the boys industrial school would likely support perhaps the lonely spirits who still inhabit this place would want the same for our youth today. We can only wonder this concludes today's episode on the boys industrial school and Lancaster. I hope you've liked it. If so, please rate review and subscribe to Ohio folklore on your chosen podcast platform. You can find Ohio folklore at Ohio folklore.com And on Facebook. And as always, keep wondering