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1935 Sharplin Experiment Results

The text reads: Jihn (Leonard) The best of the few personally evidential reactions were: Enemy. Temperance, temperance, temperance My father was a staunch advocate of total abstinence, but twice was brought into bitter conflict with fanatical teetotallers during the last years of his ministerial work. He felt this very keenly. He was the only one to give this particular reaction word. Town. Newport, Leek, Leek Ride. Town (Presumably intended for Ryde, in the I.O.W.) Valley. Island, Newport, Island, Island He was the only one to give these reactions. They look like memories of his residence in Newport, I.O.W. and his frequent journeys to Ryde, also of his three years resident in Leek. Among the opposite reactions were - Ill. Throat. For many years he was troubled by occasional loss of voice. Hair. Bald, grey. These words describe his appearance in later years. Drive. Trap, trap, trap. To reach his country appointments he always drove a pony trap when not walking. Coat. Tails, black. He always wore black coats with coat-tails. No others gave these reactions. The following, which no others gave, are suggestive of ministerial thought and work; Call. Contribution, subscription. Debt. Church, chapel, building. Road. Narrow, heaven. Read. Scriptures, scriptures. Write. Sermon. Grave. Victory. Two reactions were given by both John and Etta and by no others, they were - Sail: John. Work. Work, work Etta: Work, successful The association looks like a memory of the frequent sales of work in which they were both active. Sister: John: Margaret, in law Etta: None, in law John had a sister-in-law named Margaret. Etta, who had no sister, had two sisters-in-law. Neither Feda nor Mrs. Leonard gave these reaction words.

These notes are from the 1935 Sharplin experiment conducted by C.D. Thomas. This experiment compared mediums and their controls amongst each other based on their responses to stimulus words. This study appears to be a retest of a 1933-4 experiment.

Results from the 1935 Sharplin experiment, sent to Hereward Carrington from C.D. Thomas, June 10, 1936, Folder “Whately: Correspondence-D.C. Thomas folder, Box 13, Eileen J. Garrett Parapsychology Foundation Collection, Collection 331, Special Collections, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore, MD).

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