McDOUGALL COMMENTS ON NEW PSYCHICAL SOCIETY

In an interview given yesterday, Dr. William McDougall, Professor of Psychology, outlined the purposes of the new society for psychical research which is being formed in Boston and Cambridge.

"The new Society", said Professor McDougall, "will be known as the 'Boston Society for Psychic Research'. It will be modeled as far as possible after the English Society in its aims and standards and will be entirely distinct from the old American Society."

American Society Has Degraded

The American Society for Psychical Research, founded by Sir William Barrett and Dr. Hodgson and maintained for many years with distinguished ability by Dr. James Hyslop, appears to have fallen on evil days and no longer to be actuated by pure and disinterested motives. For this reason, Dr. McDougall explained, it has been thought necessary in the interests of science to found another society which shall be committed to no dogma or hypothesis and whose business shall be to investigate and record facts by scientific methods and with the help of special sciences and of photography.

"A large, albeit select membership in the society is desired from Harvard University," Professor McDougall continued. "Many members of the faculty have already been invited to join, and undergraduates who have a sincere, scientific interest in psychic research may be considered for election by submitting their names to the office of the Boston Society which is located at 346 Beacon Street, Boston.

Laboratory to Be Founded

"A laboratory, for investigation of psychical phenomena, is to be founded and experiments will be carried on there. Dr. Walter Franklin Prince, the author of the famous case of 'Doris', has consented to be the Research Officer of the new Society. He will be assisted by Dr. Gardner Murphy, formerly fellow of Harvard and now assistant Professor of Psychology at Columbia."

A scientific council is at present being formed of the most distinguished investigators in this line of research for the Society. The significance of the new movement was next touched on by Dr. McDougall.

"I regard this undertaking," he declared, "as one of exceeding importance in the field of science. It is a genuine attempt to investigate the psychic field. It will be carried out with a strictly scientific attitude. It will possess every possible advantage to assist research. And if it fails, I predict that an end will be made of scientific investigation for many years to come."

Dingwall Will Visit Boston

In addition to American investigators, Mr. Eric J. Dingwall, Research Officer of the English Society, expects to spend part of each year in Boston in the service of the Boston organization.

Boston, furthermore, is a singularly auspicious spot in which to launch a psychic society, for it has always been rich in psychic material. It is sufficient to mention the names of Mrs. Piper, the most famous medium who ever lived, Mrs. Soule, Mr. Foss, and "Margery".

Whether "Margery" will be investigated by the new Society depends upon her own inclination. Dr. McDougall decalred himself prepared to hold further sittings with her if she so desires.

Dr. McDougall closed by repeating his invitation to members of the University to join the new Society. No obligation will be incurred, and joining the Society will mean keeping informed as to the new developments in the ever fascinating field of psychic research.