SORRAT was an organization founded by James G. Neihardt in 1961, where sittings similar to seances were held at his home in Columbia, Missouri. Familiar table movements and other gross physical phenomena occurred. Another sort of psi experiment involved placing objects in a securely locked box. After a time, these objects were inspected and were found to be altered in some way. (1) Dr. Thomas Richards was also a director of this organization at one time. His mailing address was: 309 West Ninth Street, Rolla, MO 65401.
Corliss reports that in a 1999 issue of the Journal of Scientific Exploration, I. Grattan-Guinness reported his involvement in a SORRAT letter-writing experiment. Grattan-Guinness wrote questions on plain sheets of paper, sealed them carefully in envelopes, writing across the seams, and applying sticky tape. These envelopes were self-addressed, postage applied, and sent in a larger envelope to SORRAT headquarters in Missouri. There, they were supposedly placed in a secure "isolation room." Three to five weeks later, the envelopes came back to Grattan-Guinness in the regular mail. Many were posted at offices with colorful names, such as Carefree, AZ, and Deadwood, SD. After examining the envelopes for signs of tampering, Grattan-Guinness opened his mail. The enclosed sheets of paper contained answers to his questions. Often the responses were vague — like those given by mediums and oracles. Occasionally, the envelopes contained extraneous objects, even sheets with questions posed by other SORRAT members during this extensive experiment. (1) (2)
1. Corliss, William R. "SORRAT", Science Frontiers, No. 125 (Sept - Oct, 1999)
2. Grattan-Guinness, I.; "Real Communication? Report on a SORRAT LetterWriting Experiment," Journal of Scientific Exploration, 13:231, 1999.)
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