Millikin University’s English Club – which is ran and coordinated by junior Matthew Gremo who is majoring in English Education – has provided students many fun events for students and faculty alike to come together to share a love of literature.

One of the events that Millikin’s English Club is most known for is the Banned Books Reading. During Banned Books Week in late September, both Millikin students and faculty members come together to read and discuss why books that are frequently challenged are actually very insightful. However, one of the more popular events that English Club throws is Poe in the Pit, which occurred on Oct. 29 in the pit located beneath Staley Library.

Poe in the Pit, which usually occurs a couple of days before Halloween, gives both students and faculty members a chance to celebrate the upcoming holiday by acknowledging one of the most prolific horror and mystery writers in American history, Edgar Allen Poe.

The main pretense of the event is for people to engage in the work of Edgar Allen Poe, by reading his short stories and poems out loud in the pit, with only a small fire and candles as lighting in order to create an ominous and spooky environment.

According to Gremo, when asked during an interview about what stories were read during the event, Gremo responded that many of Poe’s more famous works were read aloud to the group. Reportedly, stories and poems of Edgar Allen Poe including “The Black Cat,” Annabell Lee,” “The Raven” and “The Tell Tale Heart” were read aloud by students.

Additionally, in order to break away from just singular Edgar Allen Poe stories and poems, while also giving students a chance to show off some of their own individual work, many students also decided to read some of their own stories and poems during the event. Although the reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s as well as students individual works is usually the main highlight of the evening, there were also other aspects of the night intended to engage students.

In order to further celebrate the upcoming holiday, Poe in the Pit also featured many other fun activities intended to celebrate Halloween. This event featured a costume contest, in which students were encouraged to dress up and be ranked, according to whoever had the best costume.

Also at the event was a tarot card reader, usually done by one of the members of English Club. The tarot card reader gave students and faculty members a chance to see their future, whatever that may entail.

Furthermore, Poe in the Pit also featured the selling of merchandise from one of Decatur’s local bookstores, Novel Ideas, giving students and faculty the chance to support a local business while obtaining great Halloween related literature merchandise.

Poe in the Pit was ultimately a success, with over 25 students in attendance. Although Poe in the Pit is a celebrated event on campus, this was the last year that the pit could be used for the event.

As Millikin University announced the erection of a commons area, the pit will ultimately be destroyed in the process. However, according to Gremo, the event will still be held for years to come, with the idea, thought of by English Club vice president, Ryan Morgan, of having the event held in pilling chapel for students to enjoy.