The Sunday School Teacher

The following case is a very important one, because the percipient did not know his teacher was dead. Unfortunately the mother took an unreasonable position in regard to narrating the facts. The state of mind of religious people on such a matter is incomprehensible, except on the ground that they take a selfish view of the question of survival after death. This determination not to help others in such matters only tends to confirm the sceptic’s judgement both that there is no evidence for the belief and that the believers in it have only a selfish interest in a future life. Unfortunately this is too often true. In the present instance we have the statement of another witness and tho it is not as complete as desirable, because she had not appreciated the value of the incident, the refusal of the mother to testify is a negative confirmation of the facts.—Editor.

Farragut, Iowa, Feb. 4, 1907.

Dr. James H. Hyslop,

Dear Doctor:—
I am on the track of a very strange circumstance that happened in the family of a cousin of mine living in Greeley, Colorado.

It seems their child was dying and a very short time before death told his mother that the teacher (public school teacher) was in the room. The child’s mind, so far as they could tell, was clear. The strange part is that a very short time before, perhaps an hour or so, the teacher had suddenly died. Her death was unlooked for and the child knew nothing of it, and so far as I can learn none of those with the child knew of the teacher’s death. Would such a circumstance properly vouched for be of any value? I find it very hard to persuade people to relate or tell about such things. This family above mentioned are worthy people, the mother being for years a teacher in the Greely Col. schools.

Inclosed [sp.] find stamp and please let me know if such case properly looked up would be worth the trouble.

Yours truly,
Dr. H. L. Coleman.

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Farragut, Iowa, March 25/07

Dr. James H. Hyslop,

My Dear Sir:—

On other side of this paper I send you name and address of lady who was mother of child that saw teacher just before he (child) died.

I have written several letters to relatives in order to have them use their influence with her to give me all the facts in the case, but so far without result. As the lady is my cousin, it might be she would feel freer to write to you—a stranger—than to write to me, tho’ I have not seen her for many years.

She was—so I understand—for a number of years in the high school of her town and is a woman of some education and refinement, but like many others, thinks that psychic phenomena “should be let alone.” Please be careful not to offend her, as she will know I sent her address to you, and I don’t want her ill will. Of course regard all as strictly private unless she write you otherwise.

Yours truly,
Dr. H. L. Coleman.

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I wrote to Dr. Coleman asking him to make an effort to secure the lady’s statement of the facts, for obvious reasons, and the following is his reply after making the attempt.—Editor

Farragut, Iowa, March 15/07

Dr. James H. Hyslop,

My Dear Sir:—

I am sorry to inform you that I have resorted to every means to obtain from the mother of the child a full account of the vision, but she absolutely refuses to give me any information. She belongs to the class of people who regard such things as Psychical Research as unholy and wrong, tho’ in other matters she is a woman of education and standing society. She is strictly orthodox (a Methodist) and no influence myself or any of my friends can have on her will in any way change her views. I feel sure the case was one of great value. A cousin who talked to her about the matter told me as follows:

The day before the little boy died he and his mother and the nurse were alone together in the room. The child said his Sunday school teacher was in the room with them, told how she was dressed, etc. At the time this took place the teacher, who had suddenly died, was lying in her casket. The child had not been informed of her death. The child talked to her much as one would talk to himself. The boy was regarded as very bright and was highly regarded by his Sunday school teacher. The child was about 8 or 10 years old. I will take the liberty to send you part of the letter from one of the cousins who has been trying to help me find out about the case. Part of the letter is personal, which you will please pardon; as I can send you nothing of value for the S. P. R., as it all came in too much round about way, I will return the stamp you sent me. If later I can find out anything more or introduce you into the case will do so, but can’t now.

Yours truly,
Dr. H. L. Coleman.

I will try to answer the question you asked as near as I can; had been talking to her myself I could have remembered it and wrote it down, but Annie didn’t pay much attention to it.

The child saw his teacher the day before he died; he did not know she was dead; he saw her soon after her death; he described the way she was dressed as she lay in her coffin. No one said anything to him about it. He talked as if talking to himself. No one saw child except the mother and nurse. This child was about eight years old and very bright; and a pet of his teacher. Now, Harry, I have written about all Annie can tell me and you will have to content yourself with this. If I get to see Clara this coming June I will talk to her myself.

Your cousin,
Elsie

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Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, (York: Vol. 10, 1918), p. 590-593.