It is recorded that in China in 1100BC a method of spirit writing called Fuji was used, this entailed the use of a device with a stick that would write Chinese characters in ashes or sand. Likewise the Greek philosopher Pythagoras is recorded to have used a table on wheels adorned with letters and characters to contact spirits from beyond our plain.

Today a talking board or Ouija board is recognised as a table top device with characters laid out that which, when combined with a triangular pointer, enables it’s user to contact the dead, or as the spiritualists would correct me, Spirits From The Other Side. So how did this come about and how did such a device in the twentieth century become recognised as a children’s parlour game ?

The Planchette

The triangular pointing device is known as a Planchette and it seems to stem back to the 1850’s although how it got its name is somewhat unsure. The original Planchette consisted on a small triangular board raised on two legs, with its third leg being a pen or pencil. By placing their fingers on it members of a séance would ask questions hoping the device would move to write out the replies. Its name like its origin is dubious, one version is a Frenchman called ‘M Planchette’ invented it, while some records show ‘Thomas Welton’ laid claim to the device and published a booklet called ‘The Planchette’ to endorse this.  With no official records of such a Frenchman, or a copy of Mr. Welton’s booklet still in existence today’s historians favour the name stemmed from the French word  ‘planchette’  its literal French translation being ‘Little Plank’.

The Ouija Board

The history of the ‘Ouija’ board however seems far better documented, although the actual inventor is still a mystery in itself.  There are two contended accounts for this title. 

Ernest Charles Reiche, a cabinet or coffin maker from Chestertown who’s interest in the afterlife and need to have a more portable device to communicate with the dead brought about the creation of the first Ouija Board. This information is documented in a The New York World Magazine article written by Edgar Goodman on May 23rd 1920, where it is stated:

“Col. Washington Bowie, who was a leading figure in the company that originally manufactured the ouija board, narrated, while testifying in the case of Fuld vs. Fuld, that in the early part of 1890 Mr. E. C. Reichie, a cabinetmaker of Chestertown, Kent County, Md., invented the ouija board. In that year spiritism was in the flush of its early glory, and tables rapped and pranced on every side. Mr Reichie, although not a spiritist, noticed sympathetically that a large table was a heavy thing for a frail spirit to juggle about. His meditations, attuned to cabinetmaking, took a practical form. He devised a little table – the ouija board.”

The more documented Ouija history puts its creation down to Elijah J. Bond of Baltimore, who applied for the first US patent on 28^th May 1890. He assigned the rights to two fellow masons and local business men Charles W. Kennard and William H.A. Maupin. The two combined forces with Colonel Washington Bowie and on October 20th 1890 they appeared in court to file for incorporation papers for the Kennard Novelty Company which went on to produce the first version aptly titled ‘Ouija : A Wonderful Talking Board’. The patent was granted on February 10, 1891.

William Fuld

This was to be a short lived company ownership and by 1892 the Kennard Novelty Company was to be taken over. A name now synonymous with Ouija came into the spotlight. One of Kennard’s employees, William Fuld and his brother Issac took over the company and renamed it ‘The Ouija Novelty Company’.

On 19th July 1892 the patent was re-issued to William Fuld, the company continued under the leadership of the Fuld brothers until nigh on nine years later. On 18th July 1901 the Fuld’s ended their partnership under somewhat of a cloud and the company was once more to be renamed. This was to give way to the name that would adorn the Ouija Board throughout it’s life span under William Fuld … ‘The Baltimore Talking Board Company’.

It must be stated that William’s brother Issac did try to hold onto some of his association with talking boards. He set up his own company called ‘Southern Toy Company’ making a talking board called ‘Oriole’ based on Kennard’s original design. After a legal battle with his brother William Fuld however he was forced to cease this production in 1920.

Williams association with the Ouija Board came to a tragic end when he died falling from the roof of his home, while overseeing  the work  on a flagpole . The company was then to be taken over by his sons William A. Fuld & Hubert Fuld.

The company continued under the Fuld descendants until 24^th February 1966 when Willaim A. Fuld sold the company to Parker Brothers, best known for the game Monopoly.

The board has gone through many changes over the years, as have the owners. In 1991 Hasbro took over ownership of Parker and so the patent of the Ouija Board.  They still make the board today in various guises included a green glow in the dark version, and a pink version sold through Toys R Us aimed at young girls. A version that caused much contraversy in 2010. An interesting issue when we consider since it’s introduction  it has always been marketed as a parlour game.

Many films have portrayed the Ouija board as a device to communicate with evil including the Exorcist, 13 Ghosts, Witchboard, What Lies Beneath and most recently Paranormal Activity.  Is there any fact behind this and occultist Aleister Crowley’s association with the board ?  Watch this space for the next article on Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board.

By Paul L. Griffiths 2010

Research & Interview

When investigating a haunted location as part of your preparation try to collate as much information as you can. This can be via research on the web, books and via interviewing people who are associated with the location or who have experienced something. My personal belief is mediums should never be briefed on the location, but the investigator should know as much as he or she can.
When researching a location make notes, get copies of the material or if on the web print it out so you can refer to it later. When interviewing again make notes or even better record the interview so again you can refer to it later.

Preparing for A Paranormal Investigation

When possible visit the location in the clear light of day. Knowledge of the layout is always beneficial. Draw or obtain a ground plan of the location, this will enable you to plan the vigil better by knowing in advance how to split up your group etc. Mark on the plan sources of drafts, natural sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), temperature readings in each room and area in case of natural cold spots and even mark up creaking doors and floorboards, this enables you to dismiss natural ocurrances from possible paranormal ones. This technique of preparation is known as Base Line Testing.

Paranormal Investigation Equipment

NotePad or Dictaphone
To record the events of the vigil. Make note of times you start each part of the investigation and anything that is picked up on. I would also recommend make a note of start and end times on your camcorder and start and end point of photographs from the counters This is useful later if two areas are similar you have a reference point to identify the time and exact location.

Digital Camera
With the introduction of digital cameras there is much discussion of Orbs, something that couldn’t be caught on a film camera. To catch these orbs or other light anomolies and analyse them later use the highest mega-pixel setting on the camera. This allows you to be able to zoom in on anything caught on camera. Dust and water droplets, as well as flies and spiders can often be mistaken as such and it is only when you zoom in you find your orb or anomaly actually has legs or wings! ( See the Orb Zone Theory. )
Good advice is to use a camera that focuses and shoots as quickly as possible. Some cheaper models can be quite slow and you need to capture anything you see as quickly as possible.
On a recent investigation it was also found that the use of a polarising or UV filter that protects the lens of SLR cameras is not recommended

Camcorder
A night vision (Low LUX) camcorder can be used to record vigils in the dark and also to act to record personal feelings when solo. The cost of these has greatly reduced allowing the novice to be able to afford DVD or memory card based models.

Digital Thermometer
These are now relatively cheap and are essential to obtain temperature changes quickly. More advance models are laser thermometers, they give you temperature of where you point the laser, thus are very use for taking fast readings of different areas without moving.

EMF Meters
There is heavy research that suggests there is a connection between the paranormal activity and changes in electro magnetic fields. These fields are all around us and these are higher near electrical equipment, cables and power outlets. This is why when you carried out you baseline tests you recorded natural sources of EMFs. The EMF meter comes in various guises using LEDs and meters, some with fixed settings, the dearer models with differents ranges etc.. The criteria for such a meter is that it picks up changes between 2 to 6 mG, the recognised readings for paranormal activity.

Walkie Talkies and Remote Listening Devices (Baby Monitors)
These are two fold one they allow members of your group to communicate. Secondly they allow you to listen to anything that may be occurring in a room currently unoccupied.

Motion Detectors
These are two part devices that emit an infrared beam between each device, when the beam is broken an audible alarm sounds. These are useful to ensure no-one enters a locked off area. Another use is to detect if a spirit bases through the beam, Phil Whyman, a high respected paranormal investigator, however pointed out recently if a manifestation is transparent will it break the beam ?

Tape Recorder & MP3 Recorders.
These are used for recording possible EVPs. Electronic voice phenomena (EVP)’ are “spirit voices” that are said to manifest themselves on audio recordings. It is a widely used technique to set up a recording device when conducting a séance to see if anything is picked up that is not heard audibly.
The most important thing to remember when analysis your recordings is if you hear something be sure to get others opinions on what you have recorded. NEVER share your view on what you think you can make of the recording, i.e. create suggestion. If you all think you hear the same without conferring, then the result is positive.

What to Look For

Outward Manifestations.

These are often in the forms of noises (crying, growls, whispers etc) and knocks, smells, light anomolies and orbs and moving objects.
Sudden changes in temperature and ‘cold spots’ are good scentific evidence that something is abnormal.The feeling of being touched is probably one of the most alarming things, but for other members of the group and sceptics, there is obviously no evidence of this is purely relying of trust. However injuries (scratches and brusies) are not uncommon and provide more tangible evidence.

Actual manifestation

In the form of a haze or spirit form is the most positive evidence you can get. This can be transparent or solid in form, may not be complete or even on the same ground level as yourself.

Three Types Of Haunting

When investigating there are three types of haunting you may well encounter

Active Hauntings
These traditional hauntings involve the prescence or a sentient spirit.

Imprint Hauntings
These are where an imprint has been left behind and what you encounter is a ‘playback’ of an event that took place, more often than not of a violent or emotional event. The theory behind this is the because the event was traumatic the persons energy was ‘burned’ into the environment.

Poltergeist
This type of haunting involves throwing objects, movement of larger objects and/or disturbing noises rather than actually being visible. (The word poltergeist is in fact German for noisy ghost.) Poltergeist activity is actually triggered, normally by one person who created the connection, and research has shown that often this is a child. Also the activity may stop as suddenly as it starts. It should be noted when investigating that this is regarded as the most dangerous type of haunting to be involved with and many feel it is connected with demonic forces. Caution should be taken if you attempt to communicate with it

Analysis

Once you have conducted an investigation the investigator should always be rationional and open minded with his analysis; was there something there, what was it and why was it here. Here you see the importance of researching a location first.

Paul L. Griffiths, 2008