'Ghosthunting 101' Offered at Chemeketa College in Salem

From Salem News.com: 'Ghosthunting 101' Offered at Chemeketa College in Salem
The first semester students are exploring claims of ghostly activity at The Elks Lodge in McMinnville Oregon.
Bernard Powell
Bernard Powell, center, with his team.

(SALEM, Ore.) - OPHIR, a paranormal research group in Oregon's capitol city, is now teaching classes in this unique and extremely interesting field. The classes are offered at Chemeketa Community College in Salem.

The group, which was founded in 2007, began teaching "Ghost Hunting, An Introduction to Paranormal Research" this past June, and has since been asked to instruct Fall and Winter courses.

The class covers such topics as the history of paranormal research in the U.S., equipment and techniques used by early investigators, types of hauntings, modern technology and the potential dangers associated with paranormal investigation. The class also explores the importance of obtaining the proper permissions to investigate at various types of locations.

At the end of each course, OPHIR will take members of their class along on a real investigation and will be show them what is important "in the field" practices, such as how to take baseline readings of the environment before hand and how to debunk, or rule out natural causes and explanations without mistaking them as paranormal.

The first semester students are exploring claims of ghostly activity at The Elks Lodge in McMinnville Oregon.

Students will conduct a paranormal investigation alongside OPHIR team members and get hands on experience with some of the latest experimental equipment used in the field today, as well as get to preview a few projects that the group has been working on.

There is also talk intermediate and advanced classes being offered at Chemeketa come spring 2012.

The next semester begins Sept 29 and runs through October 27, 2011 and will be held at Judson Middle School on Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm.

For Details and updates visit http://Team-OPHIR.com
To register for classes go to http://chemeketa.edu