Clarice Rountree from Big Spring Texas

Clarice Marie Petty Roundtree was born in Big Spring Texas and died in Big Spring Texas at the age of 59 in 1990.  She was very much a part of the community and taught at the local high school where she taught English and Spanish. She had a fascination with the unexplainable, the invisible and what some say are ghosts.

 locals knew of her fascination and her collection of local stories of people’s personal experiences and local haunted houses. She Wrote ‘ from research I have done on ghosts and ghost stories, I have come to the conclusion that nearly all ghosts appear with a birth, a death, a marriage, or a new home. These ghosts are always friendly unless they have returned for revenge on one person. They appear in many forms and can do nearly anything that can be thought of. Most people say they do not believe in ghosts, but when questioned extensively or if caught off guard, they are really not too sure what they believe. I suspect that each and every one of us has had at least  a little Superstition in our thoughts.’

On the Facebook page of the Heritage Museum of Big Spring there is a post about Clarice and her fascination with ghosts. Included is one of the many pictures that she had that she would say ghosts appeared and other objects would appear they were ever changing haunted photos. Agree with the person who made the post on the Facebook page, it looks like in that particular picture it’s a double exposure but out there somewhere is a book that she wrote with all the other photos but no one knows where. I am going to try to find them!

 this is the post, click on the link to read all the comments about people who knew Clarice.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php/?story_fbid=10156865258922941&id=172236552940

 Clarice Rountree taught high school English at B.S.H.S. She spent many hours researching the supernatural and ghosts long before television made ghost hunting into entertainment. 

One of these stories involved a photo that she possessed.  It had been taken on April 17, 1972, on the outskirts of Midland, Texas. A woman had taken a polaroid picture of her son and two daughters holding chickens. 

Since that time, 17 “manifestations” appeared in the original photo, two reprint negatives and 11 reprints.  Different people kept the pictures at separate locations. 

Among the clear images seen were a clock on a mantel piece, a suspended doily, a window with a blowing curtain, an arm and hand and a casket containing a wide-eyed, grinning corpse.  Mrs. Rountree also identified a tricycle, dogs, a cat, a Mohawk’s profile, children women and men.

Judging from the hairstyles, the manifestations appeared to be from the 1930’s.  Mrs. Rountree said the images become clearer over time as well as new images appearing.

The oldest daughter, in the original image, was kicked in the mouth by a horse but she was unharmed. A horse threw the other daughter into a fence, seemingly injuring her neck however, she too was unharmed.  Rountree said the chickens stopped laying eggs and refused to enter the chicken yard. When the chickens were sold, they started laying eggs again.  Mrs. Rountree said that manifestation (in pictures) are usually protective spirits.

Mrs. Rountree wrote a book titled “Shadows of the Unseen.” 

I was told that Mrs. Rountree’s work was donated to a University.  I have not seen the book online.