On October 31, 1967 the Halloween spooks were out in full force and plans were unfolding by a select and small group of grade 12 girls to provide a make-over to the plywood clad press box that stood above the bleachers at Mercer Stadium. Paint had been purchased (bright orange in true Hyack colour) and a rendezvous time had been circulated. The press box was situated high above the busy 6th Street across from a fully lit parking lot next to the high school and full of the cars of the evening's night school attendees. At a previously arranged time the painting group, each dressed in dark clothing, assembled under the bleachers. The plan was to get in, get the work done and get out! The work had to be done swiftly to avoid detection. After all these students were all accomplished scholars and rumour had it that one among them may have even been the high school president!
But, wait! They had the paint and brushes but no ladder and thus no way of reaching the top of the press box to complete the painting job. The problem was soon solved by carrying two empty 55 gallon drums found under the bleachers along with a wooden plank. Carried up the stairs of the bleachers (all hands on deck for this as the drums were heavy) and put in place to hold the wooden plank between them as a makeshift platform, the paint cans were opened, jobs assigned and the make over began. All in all the job took about 1 hour. It is worth noting that these gals were perfectionists and when they finally stood back to admire their finished work it was hard to imagine the little press box without its orange glow!
The orange goblins, speckled with orange paint themselves, packed up their paint and brushes, returned the barrels and plank to were they found them and slunk away into the night to await the unveiling the next morning as school got underway. If memory serves, it was a bright and sunny day. Two of the culprits, driving one of the girl's grandfather's 56 Oldsmobile, affectionately called 'Moose' after its massive presence, drove up 6th Street, past the entrance to the stadium, so they could admire the press box with its orange coat of paint before school began. The press box, glorious and with its new coat of orange paint, couldn’t be missed in the morning’s sun. Unfortunately, it was missed! As the girls settled into their school day and awaited some indication that their night time work had garnered attention, and perhaps a little praise, not a word was spoken. Weeks went by and the only recognition that something had changed was when the school's maintenance team painted a thin black line along the top of the box to complete the application of Hyack colours - orange and black!
As a follow-up to the painting escapade a small piece that referenced the sudden mysterious appearance of the orange press box was reported in that year's high school annual but the culprits were never named. Perhaps that was for the best but each of those involved in the night's escapade still remember living on the edge for one brief moment, afraid that they might get caught and then disappointed that their handiwork was never applauded. Such is the nature of Halloween and what can happen when night falls and the goblins are about ...
Jane G and Lynda J