Pool Lore

We all have a theory about why the pool is closed and we cannot have any access; I think our staff has some of the most interesting ideas of what “might” have happened. The actual reason is insurance and liability issues (boring right?), but let's look at some of the imaginations of our teachers!  

Mr. Murphey- My friend and colleague who talked me into working at NSA, Kara Kindall, used to run the theater conservatory and she had many conspiracy theories about the NSA orphan ghost and that the school used to be a psyche ward or an orphanage. That would explain the strange rooms with no windows and why we have two gyms and a pool, I suppose. But I think without an athletic team, it doesn’t make sense to have a pool, although that would be a fun lunchtime, after school, or PE activity! 

Mrs. DuBois- A drowning or murder would be too obvious for NSA. Clearly, the defunct pool grew ghastly green soupy algae, which became a breeding ground for a new life form of non-artistic, brainless ‘students’ who began crawling out during PLT and covertly infiltrating classes. Or more likely, a group of students found a hidden portal in the deep end that led directly to the month of May of their senior year, and soon all students were entering the portal, graduating early, and teachers were left twiddling their thumbs. 

Jeremy, Miss J, Austin, Dr. Thomas, etc.- haunted. 

Ms. Venable- After hours teachers would fill the pool with Jello and wrestle. GROSS! 

Mr. Rehn- The pool isn’t closed down. It’s devoid of substance. Very few people know the story of a maintenance worker named Les Certain. While repairing the pool filter one day, Les disappeared. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Les accidentally created an existential vacuum. He and the water have never been found. It was decided to leave the pool undisturbed for precautionary reasons. I managed to explore that space unharmed once because I am more than Les Certain. 

Mr. Stinson- The pool was once a place where the poor young child laborers of yesteryear would sneak into after a long day of working on dangerous machines with their tiny hands. One day, a young boy named Ellis snuck in to go for a swim. Little did he know the pool was about to be drained for cleaning. Little Ellis was sucked into the drain and was never seen again. Some say you can hear a child crying for help at night... These are facts. 

Mr. Z- I know from my biology background that the pool has a severe infestation of Naegleria fowleri, aka the “brain-eating amoeba”. It can cause a rare but nearly always fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM occurs when the amoeba enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain, destroying brain tissue and causing swelling. I would be wary of drinking any tap water from this dilapidated building since the amoeba can lie dormant for years only to reawaken and “strike down with great vengeance.” 

Mr. Wade- I know there is no record of any suicides or homicides within the building, and I don't believe in ghosts. My theory is more practical than dark, so hopefully that doesn't disappoint you. 🙂 Since the maintenance of swimming pools is very expensive, and since our pool is much larger than someone's backyard pool, the cost of keeping it filled and even the risk of accidents and liability to the school are the most likely culprits to putting an end to the use of our pool. Tennessee Preparatory School was opened on the campus in 1955, and the current NSA building was added to Tennessee Preparatory School in 1985. When TPS closed down in 2002, the pool was drained because Metro Schools moved some of their offices into the building. MNPS executives had no need for an indoor pool. And it was too expensive to refill the pool when NSA moved in for the 2012-13 school year.