“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The 51st envelope experiment was held during the session. The object was placed as usual between two pieces of Bristol and sealed in double envelopes. It was a newspaper article by Peggy Gallagher, published in the Elmira Star-Gazette and Advertiser on May 4,1966; today. The photo of Mrs. Bessie Berry was not included in the test envelopes. It appeared on the same page of the newspaper, just above the center column of the object itself, but was attched to another article about Mrs. Berry.

(Jane had of course seen the article used as object in this evening’s paper. We had discussed it at supper, and also noted that Peggy Gallagher had written it. As stated the photo of Mrs. Berry was not used in the experimental envelope. This photo was included in another article; the photo was centered above the middle column of the object. At the time I prepared the envelopes I thought of including the photo with Peggy’s article, but decided against it at the last minute.

(“Quick. Something quick.” Jane associated the word quick here with the fact that Mrs. Berry is the first Negro on the local school board; quick meaning first. In the last paragraph of the object-article Mrs. Berry also talks about being the first Negro to work in child welfare in Elmira.

(“A connection with sep, as in September, or the number designated by that month.” The number is 9. Near the bottom of the first column in her story Peggy writes that Mrs. Berry learned of her election victory soon after the polls closed at 9 PM. The election was also nine hours long; this is mentioned specifically in the other article about Mrs. Berry, printed just above the article used as object.

(“A picture of a woman.” As stated a photo of Mrs. Berry was included in the other article about her, printed just above Peggy Gallagher’s story. I had considered enclosing the photo in the envelopes with the article but decided not to at the last moment. See the session’s opening notes.

(“A connection with an antidote.” The idea of antidote or change is expressed in the article through Mrs. Berry’s quotes and Peggy’s comments; particularly in the last half.

(“Someone or something tall.” Jane and I haven’t met Mrs. Berry and do not know if she is tall. The headline on the envelope object contains the word top. Jane may have associated top with tall, as she did quick with first in the opening impression.

(“Only what I have said. picture in terms of a photograph connection.” Seth answered thus to my first question. I sought elaboration on the picture of a woman data interpreted on page 138. Here Seth connects the picture with photograph. This eliminates the drawings of two women on back of the envelope object, and we think refers to the photo of Mrs. Berry already described.

(“A distant connection—distant, now, with the year 1947, with the photograph of the woman.” Not knowing much about Mrs. Berry, we could make no connection here.

(“There are also others, or at least one more.” At the risk of repetition: There were two articles concerning Mrs. Berry in the paper. One was by Peggy Gallagher and this is the one used as envelope object. Just above Peggy’s article the other article was printed. This second one included the photo of Mrs. Berry. The second article also included another photo—this one of a man who was also elected with Mrs. Berry. The two photos ran side by side.