“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(The object for the 77th envelope experiment was a copy of an article from The Saratogian, the daily newspaper of Saratoga Springs, NY; it was printed in September, 1950 and was saved by Jane as a souvenir, and also because she wrote it. It describes her election as president of the Day Students Council for Skidmore College, in Saratoga. See the rough copies on pages 168 and 169.

(I have indicated the highlights of both sides of the object by typewriter; actually it was printed in two columns, instead of the one I have indicated. Jane saw the object about three weeks ago when she was sorting out some papers. I picked this item after finding it lost among some newspapers, and about to be thrown out. I placed it between the usual two pieces of Bristol, then sealed it in the regular double envelopes.

(Jane began speaking in trance with her eyes closed, her pace and voice average.)

(Break at 9:27. Jane was dissociated as usual. Her pace picked up some, and her eyes opened occasionally as the delivery progressed. She resumed at 9:34.)

(Her eyes closed at 9:38, Jane took the envelopes from me for the 77th experiment. She held it lightly against her forehead as usual, in a horizontal position.)

(Break at 9:55. Jane was out as usual and her eyes remained closed. She held the envelope to her forehead until almost the end of the experiment. She said she had no images except for the profusion of small colored squares. Her pace had been good, the pauses brief.

(See the rough copy of the envelope object on pages 168 and 169, and the notes on page 170. Seth did not return after the break, so Jane and I were left to make our own connections between the object and the data. In fact, we cut the session short because I was not feeling well. But we feel Jane did well.

(As stated, the object is an article taken from The Saratogian of September 1950. Jane wrote it, since she had a part-time job with the newspaper while attending Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. The object concerns the election of Jane as president of the Day Students Council in her junior year, and the photo at the top of the article shows Jane and the other three female members of the council. They wear the “uniform" in style then—blue jeans.

(The typing below the photo and on the back sums up the content of the news stories on the object. Jane last saw the object about three weeks ago, but did not know it was in my possession particularly, when I decided to use it as an object. I folded it once as indicated on page 168 before inserting it in the usual double envelopes.

(There follow the connections Jane and I made:

(“A connection with many small colored squares. This reminding Ruburt however of your op painting.” As stated, Jane had images of small colored squares. We cannot connect them with the object however; although it is easy to connect them with my optical painting of last year, which hangs here in the apartment. The painting is made up of many three-quarter-inch squares of brilliant color.

(Jane believes circumvention can also relate to these interpretations: the circular effect obtained in the photo on the object, by the placement of the four girls, as shown on page 168; and the word GLOBE in caps in the ad in the lower left corner on the back of the object.

(“To do with a particular week. Or a seven or fourteen-day period.” Jane said this data is Seth’s attempt to get at the “day" references which are prominent on the front of the object. Note the headline indicated on page 168: “Skidmore Day Students Elect Council members," plus other day students and council references in the article.

(“Connection with a mountain. Or high peak. And a triangle.” Jane, again, says this is a reference to her election as president of the Day Students Council—it represents her top achievement in college, as far as honors went, she said.

(Omitted as a possible interpretation of the Mountain, or high peak data, above: Jane noted that on the front of the object one of the girl’s names is Patricia McFarland. Jane’s thought being that McFarland could be broken into “far land" and the idea of a mountain.

(“With a bear. I do not know to what this refers.” Jane pointed out that, as in the case of McFarland, bear could be derived from the name of one of the girls mentioned on the front of the object: Orlyn Barron. She also appears in the photograph.

(“A name or place beginning with a D.” One of the four women elected to the council, and shown in the photo, was Frances Donahue. Jane also thought the several references to Day Student Council might bear on the data.

(“An initial attempt, followed by others.” Jane was a bit dubious here, but said the photo heading up the article on the front of the object pictured the first meeting of the newly-elected Day Students Council; this meeting of course was followed by others.

(“A light or wall switch.” See the photo indicated on the object on page 168. A table lamp is visible directly in back of Jane. On the back of the object—page 169—in the lower left corner, see again the ad for Globe electrical fixtures, etc.

(“An immediate engagement connected with another engagement.” Jane was not sure, unless this data was another reference like the initial attempt, above.

(2nd Question: Can you give us some more on the 7 or 14-day period? “Strongly connected with, or mentioned, on the item.” Again, Jane says this refers to the day concept, in the article on the front of the object, concerning the election of Jane and others to the Skidmore Day Students Council, etc.

(4th Question: Can you say more about the four people? “Two males and two females, I believe.” The four people indicated in the photo—see page 168—are female. Jane speculated that two of the first names mentioned in the article on the front of the object, could be taken as male names by some: Frances, and Orlyn.

(5th Question: What’s that about a triangle? “I was after the mountain shape, which seemed to be triangular. A triangle with a feeling of height, or the apex or high point of an episode.” As stated, Jane felt this referred to her election as president of the Day Students Council—the high point of her college tenure as far as honors went. It was, Jane said, a big deal. This election is the subject of the article on the front of the object.

(8th Question: Can you say anything more about the colored squares? “Purples and yellows—many colors. Orange and red.” As stated, no connections unless Jane refers to my op painting. It contains all of these colors; and no connections with the object as far as we know.

(11th Question: Can you say anything about the two females? “An apparent misdeed, connected with one or them. Younger rather than older.” This can be a reference to Jane herself. She appears in the photo on the front of the envelope object, and the news story thereon concerns her election as president of the Skidmore College Day Students Council. See page 168.

(Jane was elected to this post in her junior year at Skidmore. She was expelled from college at the end of her junior year, through being blamed for something of which she was innocent. Thus the words “apparent misdeed" in the above data are important. She was in her early twenties at the time of course.