Was having his dinner and being nearly finished said he

didn't care to eat any more, as he had a pain in his actum

pelopthis. He explained that his actum pelopthis, actum

quotatus, serbalopsis, and boobalicta are parts of the body

where you sometimes have queer feelings; they don't serve any

purpose. He said he also had a place called the boobalunksis, or

source of headaches; that the hair usually springs out from

around the herkadone; that the perpalensis is the place where

socks end, and the bogalegus is the place where legs and tummy

come together. He also named one other part, the cobaliscus or

smerbalooble, whose function is not explained. The definitions

are exactly as he gave them in each instance.

On February 23, 1917, his mother wrote:

He has not referred to these places since. I do not know where

he got the idea for such names, unless possibly from _The Water

Babies_. He would probably refer them to some Bornish source.

The invention and classification of the Bornish language already

referred to is another example of D's "wordical work." He has also

invented hundreds of words which have not been included as Bornish.

An example of his hand-writing, illustrative of words he has

invented, classified, and recorded for pleasure, is here shown.

FIG 6. ONE OF D'S VERBAL INVENTIONS.

[The word defined is written as "Ob(b)iquicki(e)us" (the

"e" is circled, perhaps suggesting a later revision to combine

the "o" and "e") The definition which follows is: "Obiquickeous

is a cube sensibilitant word. One of the most important words.

It is an adj. and a noun."]

_Invention of games_. D has invented many games. To illustrate

this aspect of his mental capacity, there are his designs for

three-handed and four-handed checkers. [4] D held that these would

be better games than two-handed checkers because they are more

complicated. A description of the games invented by D, together

with his mathematical calculations concerning the chances and

probabilities in each, would fill many pages.

_Calculation and mathematical ingenuity_. It is difficult to

say that D is more gifted in one mental function or group of

functions than in others, for his ability is so extraordinary

in all performances that without means of measurement one cannot

tell in which he deviates farthest from the average.

However, it is to be observed that the quantitative aspects of

experience have always played a very striking role in all his

performances. Even in dealing with color he turned to mathematics

and made his values quantitative. Throughout childhood he spent

hours playing with numerical relationships. These calculations

cover hundreds of pages. There is reproduced here a sample of such

work, chosen at random from scores of like material. There is no

doubt in the mind of the present writer [[L. S. H.]] that D could,

by practice with short-cut methods, easily become a lightning

calculator. By age of 12 years D had finished college entrance

requirements in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry,

all with high marks.

FIG. 7. Playing with numbers, Child D, age 7, to find what

number under 100 has the greatest number of factors, counts

up factors in each and awards "highest honors" to 96.

[This figure lists the numbers 86-100, and shows the numbers

factored. The winning numbers he included are 96 (6 [factors]),

48 (5), 24 (4), and 16 (4). It appears that he ranked the

"winning" numbers not according to the actual numbers of the

places (i.e., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places), but rather by the

order of the primes representing them, i.e., 2 is first place,

3 is second place, 5 third, and 7 fourth. Additionally, the

notes "H. C. F" and "L C. M." are to the left of the 96 and 16,

respectively, likely indicating "highest common factor" and

"lowest common multiple" of the factors of the "winning"

numbers.]

_Tendency to classify and diagram_. To classify the data of

experience has always been one of D's chief interests. One such

tabulation was of parts of speech in various stories and poems. [5]

Figure 8 is a sample taken from many pages of reclassification of

birds. The caption, "Proper Scientific Name," represents the

name considered by D to be better than those now recognized by

ornithologists. His classifications of words, numbers, colors,

musical notes, objects, and so forth would fill a large volume.

He often constructs diagrams to clarify or condense meaning.

FIG. 8. A SAMPLE OF D'S CLASSIFICATIONS

[PART 1 OF 2, Columns 1-3].

Classification of birds seen in summer 1918. Classified in Feb.,

1919. "Proper Scientific Name" is the improved name given by D--.

Found Name Genus or, Scientific

Here (Popular) [Species,] etc. N a m e

* Towhee Species Erythopthalmus

X Wh.-eyed towhee Sub-Species E. Alleni

X Green-tailed " Genus Oreospiza

X Blue Grosbeak Species Caerulea

* Indigo Bunting " Cyanea

X Painted " " Ciris

X Lark Bunting " Calamospiza

Melanocorys

* Barn Swallow " Erythrogastra

* Tree " Genus Iridoprocne

* Red-eyed Vireo Species Olivacea

Wood Warblers Family Mniotiltidae

* Black & White

Warbler Species Varia

* Yellow Warbler Species Astiva

* Sh.-Billed

Marsh Wren Genus Cistothorus

* Red-br. Nuthatch Species Canadensis

FIG. 8. A SAMPLE OF D'S CLASSIFICATIONS

[PART 2 OF 2, Columns 1-4 ("Scientific name" repeated)].

Scientific Name Proper Scientific name Equal

Erythopthalmus Pipilo Eryth. **?

E. Alleni P. Leucophtalmus ***

Oreospiza Pipilo **?

Caerulea Cyanea ***

Cyanea Caerulea ***

Ciris Pictus **?

Calamospiza Melanocorys Melanospiza Leucoptera ***

Erythrogastra Leucurus ***

Iridoprocne Hirundo ***

Olivacea Erythropthalmus Yes

Mniotiltidae Dendroicidae **?

Varia Striata **?

Astiva Xantho or Auro Yes

Cistothorus Telmatotytes ?

Canadensis Borealis Yes

[no previous columns] Erythrogastra **?

_Interest in science_. By the age of 10 years D's chief interest

had come to center in science and it continued to center there. His

classifications of moths, birds, and the like and his observations

of their life cycles are "monumental." There are volumes of these

recorded observations as in Figure 9.

FIG 9. ONE OF D'S RECORDS OF OBSERVATIONS. LIFE CYCLES OF BIRDS.

[Here, the species of birds are listed in a column, with

months of the year listed and spread out horizontally, with the

first, 15th, and last days of the month underneath each month,

and sometimes the 10th and 20th also. The species include:

Holbcel's Grebe; Horned Grebe; Pied Billed Grebe; Loon; Loon

Black-Thr.; Loon Red-Thr.; Puffin; Black Guillenot; Murre;

Murre Brunnich's; Razor-billed Ank; Dovekie; Skua; Jaeger

Pomarine; Jaeger, Parasitic; Jaeger, Long-tailed; Gull, Ivory;

Gull, Kittawake; Gull, Glaucous; Gull, Iceland; Gull, Kumliens;

Gull, Gr. Bl.-Backed; Gull, Herring; Gull, Ring-Bileed; Gull,

Laughing; Gull, Bonaparte's; Gull, Little-Casual; Gull, Sabine;

Tern, Gull-Billed; Tern, Caspian; Tern, Royal; Tern, Cabot's;

Tern, Trudeau's; Tern, Forster's; Tern, Common; Tern, Arctic;

Tern, Roseate; Tern, Least; Tern, Sooty; Tern, Black. Each bird

has a line or lines to the right of its name, corresponding to

the times of year.]

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate his interest in physical science.

They have been taken from his notebooks and state problems which

occurred spontaneously to him and for which he tried experimentally

to find solutions. During a series of experiments "to determine the

path of a tack," it is reported that "the house was full of tacks"

which had been used in attempting solutions.

FIG. 10. COPY OF WORK DONE BY D "FOR FUN," MARCH 28, 1921,

AGED 11 YEARS 1 MONTH.

of the problem: "Determine the appearance of a finger, F, to two

eyes, E#R# and E#L#, focussed on a pole R at point P#S# along

lines E#R#R and E#L#R."

[Diagram of solution.]

Thru [sic] R pass plane PL // to the plane of the eyes. Draw a

line from E#L# (which is nearer to F than E#R#) to F, cutting

PL in O. Draw E#R#O; thru F pass a plane // to PL and crossing

E#R#O in A. Thru A pass F' // F.

F' and F are the positions of F to E#R# and E#L#.

D.

So it can be shown that 2 other eyes would see F in positions F

and F''.

.'. 4 eyes focused on R see F as F, F, F' and F''.

D.

FIG. 11. THE PATH OF A TACK. WORK DONE BY D AT AGE 11 YEARS.

Discussion

of the determination of the course of a freed tack, T, connected

with other tacks by rubber bands.

A. Fig. 1.

[Diagram including points T, T'; band B; and ray L.]

When connected to a tack T' by band B.

Draw T[,] T'[,] or L.

T freed will travel along L, answer.

B. Fig. 2.

[Diagram including points T, T', T''; bands B, B'; and ray L.]

When connected to 2 tacks T' and T'' by 2 bands B and B'.

Answer: Along L, the bisector of T' and TTT''.

C. Fig. 3.

[Diagram including points T, T', T''; band B; and ray L.]

The same as B, but only 1 band B.

Answer same as to B.

D. Fig. 4.

[Diagram including points T, T#1#, T', T''; and ray L.]

When connected to 3 tacks by any number of bands.

Draw T'T#1#, and treat as in B and C.

D.

SCHOOL HISTORY

In the September following his ninth birthday D entered upon

formal instruction in the junior high school. In the autumn

following his tenth birthday he entered senior high school, from

which he was graduated at the age of 12 years, with a scholastic

record which won for him two scholarships.

He was admitted to a large Eastern college at the age of 12 years

6 months (1922-1923), and made a superior record throughout

the course. It was very interesting to see that D continued

to discover means of obtaining social contacts in spite of the

great difficulties due to his extreme youth and his intellectual

deviation. Thus it is not easy to plan how a 12-year-old boy might

successfully participate in college athletics when the median age

of college freshmen is over 18 years, but this problem was not

too difficult for D. He presented himself to compete for the post

of coxswain on the freshmen crew where, other things, being equal,

light weight is an advantage.

He was graduated from college, with Phi Beta Kappa honors, in 1926,

at the age of 16 years 2 months. At that time he was ambitious for

a career in science.

EDITOR'S SUPPLEMENT

D undertook graduate work, with distinction, in the field of

chemistry. He became an industrial chemist with an important

position in the research phases of the motion-picture industry.

Word has been received of his death in September, 1938.

[1] This child was described in some detail in Chapter IX of

_Gifted Children_, 1926, and the earlier part of the present

account is taken from that chapter. In the later part additional

items are given, taken from the author's 1924 manuscript, and there

are a few editorial additions.

[2] A facsimile of a page from this paper is reproduced on page

244 of the author's book, _Gifted Children_ (The Macmillan Company,

New York; 1926).

[3] A note shows that on March 16, 1926, at just 16 years of age, D's

height was 71.5 inches and his weight 115 pounds, stripped. EDITOR

[4] See _Gifted Children_, pages 246-247.

[5] _Ibid._, page 245.

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHILD E

Child E when first seen was a boy 8 years 4 months of age. He was

born June 17, 1908, and the first psychological measurements were

made November 4, 1916. The circumstances that led to acquaintance

with him were as follows:

A child of exceptional intelligence was desired for demonstration

before a class at Teachers College, Columbia University, engaged in

the study of the psychology and treatment of exceptional children.

[1] E was suggested because of his remarkable school record.

The consent of the parents was secured and the psychological

examination was made before a class of about thirty students.

This was not, of course, the ideal circumstance under which to

perform a mental test for scientific record. The presumption would

be that the audience would tend to reduce the child's performance,

so that whatever error there might be from this source would be in

the direction of making the child appear less exceptional than he

really was. Of course no one knew beforehand that such a phenomenal

record was about to be made; for had such an unusual result been

expected this child would have been kept for examination under more

favorable laboratory conditions. [2] For an account of this

testing, see under "Mental measurements," [this chapter.]

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Little or nothing is known of E's paternal relatives. His father

was separated from them before age of recollection.

Of E's maternal ancestry fairly complete genealogical records

are available. [3] Five persons bearing the surname of the mother

settled in New England before 1650. These were probably all

related to each other. The individual who was E's direct ancestor

first appeared in New England in 1639 and settled at Cambridge,

Massachusetts. This family attained great distinction in the six

generations recorded in the New England genealogy. A son of the

first ancestor in America was a royal councilor and the greatest

merchant of his day in New England. A grandson was royal governor

of Massachusetts, and later of New Jersey; he was also a patron

of learning. A great-grandson was chief justice and lieutenant

governor of Nova Scotia. A great-great-grandson was a royal

councilor of Nova Scotia; some of his children settled again

in England, of whom a son was a distinguished naval officer,

attaining the rank of rear admiral in the British navy. These

genealogical records, and other records of New England families

which intermarried with this family, have not been brought up

to date.

The maternal surname appears first about 1176 in the records of

England, and was apparently Norman-French in origin. The remote

male ancestor [4] from whom the mother of E derives the middle

part of her maiden name was born in Providence, Rhode Island,

March 11, 1753, a descendant of early colonial settlers in America.

He was graduated from Rhode Island College (now Brown University)

in 1773 and later took a medical degree at the University of

Pennsylvania. In 1783 he was appointed Professor of Materia

Medica and Botany at Brown. In 1819 he was elected a delegate

from the Rhode Island Medical Society, of which he was vice

president, to the convention which formulated the National

Pharmacopoeia. He took an active part in the organization and

proceedings of the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of

Domestic Industry. In 1824, with his son, William, he published

_The Farmer's Guide_, "a comprehensive work on husbandry and

gardening." He participated in the Proceedings of the American

Academy of Arts and Sciences, and delivered many lectures on

botany. He died at the age of 81 years, leaving among descendants

a large proportion of persons in the learned professions.

_Father_. E's father, while still a college undergraduate, produced

a Latin play which was performed in a Boston theater. Since

graduation from college he has maintained a keen interest in

educational matters. He organized a special library of insurance

in Boston which is now used as a reference library all over the

world. He is at present [[1939]] engaged in business; has written

several books; is a university lecturer on insurance; has served

on many important city commissions. Unusual mental endowment is

clearly indicated by the fact that he rose entirely by his own

direction and effort to a post of honor in an intricate field

of knowledge. He was 45 years old when E was born.

_Mother_. E's mother was a qualified physician and a specialist in

bacteriology. For some years she held a position as bacteriologist

in one of the municipal departments of New York City. After

the birth of her son she devoted a great deal of attention to

his education and welfare, keeping records of his development,

supervising his health, and acting as his teacher. She often

accompanied him to school, sometimes registered for courses

along with him, or herself took courses calculated to make her

more useful in his training. She gave an exceptional amount of

attention to his formal educational program and cultivated with

him numerous extracurricular intellectual activities. During E's

college career the two were often seen together on the campus.

EARLY HISTORY [5]

E was his parents' fourth child, three girls having been born

before him, all having died. Birth was difficult. He was bottle

fed. His parents were both in middle life at the time of his

birth. He cut his first tooth at 8 months--a lateral incisor.

He walked at thirteen months.

Up to the age of 2 years E did not say a word. He then began to

talk, and before he was 3 years old was able to read such books as

_Peter Rabbit_. Conversation with him was carried on in German,

French, Italian, and English equally. When he did begin to talk he

could say in these four languages all the words he knew.

_Health_. E's health has been exceptionally good from infancy. He

has had no disorders or diseases except measles, and an occasional

attack of indigestion. He is exceptionally free from colds.

_Physical measurements_. The figures given below as _averages_

are for a boy of 8 years 4 months who is the same height as E.

The average height for a boy of this age is 49.7 inches. The

measurements here given for E were transcribed from the gymnasium

records of the school he was then attending.

CHILD E AVERAGE FOR

MEASUREMENTS OCTOBER AGE 8 YEARS 4 MONTHS

30, 1916 AT HEIGHT 54.3 INCHES

Weight 89.3 pounds 70.5 pounds

Height 54.3 inches 54.3 pounds

Girth of chest 31.8 inches 25.6 inches

Girth of chest,

expanded 32.4 inches 26.8 inches

Lung capacity 100 cubic inches 112.0 cubic inches

Strength, right

forearm 30.9 pounds 39.7 pounds

Strength, left

forearm 22.0 pounds 37.5 pounds

It will thus be seen that E is considerably larger than the average

boy of his age, though of less lung capacity and forearm strength.

_Other characteristics_. E has clear, well-molded features. He

does not like physical exercise of any kind but has had special

attention along this line, such as lessons in swimming, dancing,

and horseback riding. He sleeps eleven hours and goes to sleep

immediately upon going to bed.

SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT

E went to kindergarten from the age of 3 years to the age of 5

years. From 5 to 6 he was out of school on account of school

organization (he could not be accepted in the first grade). From

6 to 7 years he attended an open-air, ungraded school and did the

work of the second to the fourth grades. From 7 to 8 years he was

in the fourth grade in regular school classes, and at the time of

first observation by the writer, when he was 8 years old, he was

in the sixth grade.

He was thus three full years accelerated in school grading,

according to age-grade norms, but was still three years retarded

in school according to his Mental Age. (Terman makes special note

of the fact that superior children are almost invariably retarded

in school grading according to Mental Age.) His mother stated that

under private tutors E had at this time covered the work of

the seventh and nearly all the work of the eighth grade. His

school standing, on his last report preceding this initial account,

was as follows (the highest attainable rating is 1, the lowest, 4):

Courtesy 1 Composition 2 Penmanship 3

Promptness 1 Grammar or Industrial Arts 1 [7]

System 1 Language 2 Fine Arts 4 [8]

Spelling 2 Mathematics 3 [6] Music 2

Reading or Geography 1 Physical Educa-

Literature 1 History 1 tion 4

Science 1

In addition to his regular school work E, by the time he was

8 years old, had covered the following special work in language

and mathematics, either with a tutor or with his mother:

Mathematics: Algebra as far as equations; geometry.

Latin: Partial knowledge of the four declensions (he has been

taught by the direct, informal method, and reads easy Latin).

Greek: Worked out the alphabet for himself from an astronomical

chart, between the ages of 5 and 6 years.

French: Equal to about two years in the ordinary school.

German: Ordinary conversation.

Spanish: Attended class with his mother--reads and understands.

Italian: Reading knowledge and simple conversation.

Portugese: Asked his mother to take this course at the Columbia

Summer School because he could not be registered himself.

Hebrew: A beginning.

Anglo-Saxon: A beginning.

Astronomy: He has worked out all the constellations from

MacCready, and displays a very great interest in this subject.

One evening this winter he noticed a new planet near the

Twins. He said it was Saturn but his mother thought it was

Mars. E went home, worked the position out from the chart

and found it to be Saturn.

Miscellaneous: He has a great interest in nature, wherever found,

and is already able to use Apgar intelligently.

His writing is not equal to his other accomplishments. He is

very slow at it and for this reason dictates most of his "home

work" to a stenographer.

History is his chief and absorbing interest among school subjects.

MENTAL MEASUREMENTS

At the time E was first tested, at Teachers College, Columbia

University, in November, 1916, the Stanford revision of the

Binet-Simon measuring scale was used for the determination of

the child's mental level.

_General intelligence_. The examiner [[L. S. H.]] began with the

"ball-in-the-field" test. E responded at once with the superior

solution, thus giving a preliminary cue to the quality of his mind,

and the examiner proceeded immediately with the other tests at

the 12-year level of intellect. E passed all the 12-year tests

with facility and ease, giving responses of excellent quality.

From the 12-year level the examiner then worked forward in all

the higher levels through Superior Adult. This is, of course,

a long examination, and in view of the actual age of the child

it was deemed best to give the tests at two separate sittings,

when it was seen that he would cover the whole upper range of

the scale. The examination was therefore accomplished in two

sittings of about fifty minutes each. The final record of E

shows that he measures on the scale as follows:

Levels 1 year

to 7 years YEARS MONTHS

8

9

10

12 12

14 16

Adult 15

Superior Adult 12

--- ----

Total 15 7

Since his actual age is 8 years 4 months and his Mental Age is

15 years 7 months, his IQ is 187. On the curve of the distribution

of intellect he stands eleven times the probable error (11 PE)

removed from the norm, a position occupied by but one child in

more than a million. He stands as far removed from the average

in the direction of superiority as an idiot stands removed from

the average in the direction of inferiority.

An analysis of his performance shows that E had extraordinary

appreciation of the exact use of words and of the shades of

difference between words. He gave correct meanings for 64 words

out of the 100 in the vocabulary test. His vocabulary thus includes

11,520 words. The score of the Average Adult is 65 words. Thus he

just missed scoring on this Average Adult test. Samples of his

definitions are as follows:

scorch--is what happens to a thing when exposed to great heat.

quake--is a kind of movement, unintended.

ramble--is a walk taken for pleasure.

nerve--is a thing you feel by--for instance, cold.

majesty--is a word used to address a king--your majesty.

Mars--is a planet.

peculiarity--is something you do that nobody else does.

mosaic--is a picture made by many small pieces of marble.

bewail--is to be extremely sorrowful.

tolerate--is to allow others to do what you don't like yourself.

lotus--is a kind of flower.

harpy--is a kind of half-bird, half-woman, referred to in Virgil.

fen--is a kind of marsh.

laity--is _not_ clergy.

ambergris--it comes from a whale.

straw--the stalk of a cereal plant.

lecture--someone giving a very long talk about something to an

audience.

E also has a prodigious ability for comprehending and formulating

abstract ideas, and for working with symbols. He gave the

differences between the abstract concepts under Average Adult

as follows:

_a_--laziness and idleness. Laziness is that you don't _want_ to

work; idleness is that you _can't_, for a while.

_b_--evolution and revolution. Evolution is making things from

the beginning; revolution is changing them.

_c_--poverty and misery. Poverty is when you don't have anything;

misery is how you feel when someone insults you.

_d_--character and reputation. Character is what he _really_ is;

reputation is what they _think_ he is.

E succeeded in reversing the clock hands three times without

any error in less than a minute for each trial. He was able to

reproduce the thought from the selection beginning "Many opinions

have been given about the value of life" as well as a Superior

Adult. He solved the three mental arithmetic problems under XIV, 5,

in less than a minute each, absolutely without error. These

performances serve to illustrate his precocious power over symbols

and over abstractions.

His attention, concentration, and capacity for sustained effort

are illustrated by the fact that he was able to repeat five digits

backwards twice out of three trials absolutely without error,

before a class of thirty adults. His memory span for digits

repeated forward is at least 8. (He was not tried with more than

8 digits.)

During the examination he showed neither embarrassment nor any

tendency to "show off." He was alert, interested, and gave his

attention strictly to the business in hand. He always knew when

he had failed on a test, and gave up with great reluctance.

For example, he was unable to solve the problems under XVIII, 6,

in the time allotted; but he carried these data away in his head,

and held to them tenaciously till he had solved the problems.

In several instances after he had given his reply he recast

it in better form. In short, he exemplified in remarkable degree

all the characteristics which Binet finally chose as symptomatic

of intellectual power; i.e., (1) the ability to make and maintain

a given direction; (2) the capacity to make adaptations for

the purpose of obtaining a desired end; and (3) the power of

auto-criticism.

_Special tests_. Following the procedure described by Seashore,

and using the set of forks recommended by him, E was tested for

pitch discrimination, being given seven trials with the whole

series of forks. His record was as follows, ## meaning a correct

answer and -- meaning a false one.

VIBRATION DIFFERENCES

30 23 17 12 8 5 3 2 1 .5

Series

1 ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ##

2 ## ## -- ## ## ## ## ## -- --

3 ## ## ## ## ## -- ## -- -- ##

4 ## ## ## ## ## -- ## -- ## --

5 ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## -- --

6 ## ## ## ## ## -- ## ## ## --

7 ## ## ## ## ## -- ## -- ## ##

His threshold for pitch discrimination would thus seem to be not

greater than five vibrations, and would probably be found to be

as low as three if a more complete test were possible. This is

a very good record, according to Seashore's standards.

E gave free associations to the first 50 words of the Kent-Rosanoff

list of words, both stimulus and response words being oral. The

stimulus words and responses follow:

STIMULUS RESPONSE STIMULUS RESPONSE STIMULUS RESPONSE

table dinner smooth surface needle slim

dark night command army red color

music soft chair cushion sleep fast

sickness fatal sweet sugar anger sick

man tall whistle blew carpet bagger

deep ocean woman lady girl pretty

soft couch cold coal high mountain

eating dinner slow train working people

mountain snowcapped wish I sour lemon

house brick river Hudson earth big

black dog white color trouble great

mutton beef beautiful dress soldier brave

comfort your window glass cabbage green

hand dirty rough surface hard surface

short man citizen U. S. eagle swift

fruit orange foot bare stomach ache

butterfly moth spider black

At once after giving some of these responses E explained why he

had given them. Thus he explained that "carpet bagger" had to do

"with Civil War history." After giving "beef" in response to

"mutton" he smiled and said, "That's a joke, isn't it?" When asked

why he thought it a joke he replied that he thought very few people

would give that answer. After the test he was told that 97 people

in a thousand gave "beef" in response to "mutton," and he at

once said, "Ten per cent, that's not so very many."

It was impossible, for lack of time, to give E the complete

list of 100 words usually given in this test. Using the 50

as a basis for calculation, 78 per cent of the responses are

"common responses" in the Kent-Rosanoff sense of the word,

a number of common responses which children do not usually

show until after the age of 10 years. His "median of community"

(a measure not yet standardized for age levels) is 1.4 per cent.

E was given the Pintner form of the Knox Cube Test, and achieved

11 of the 12 lines arranged by Pintner. The average record for

the 16-year-old is only 8 lines, and this is the highest level

for which this test is yet standardized.

The usual "tapping" test was given, tapping continuously with

the right hand, with the stylus, for one minute. The record was

239 taps only, which is lower than the average 8-year-old record.

Given three minutes in which to make up words out of the letters

A-E-I-R-L-P, E made the following: a, rip, pie, lie, ale.

He was given thirty minutes in which to put together the pieces

in the Stenquist Construction Box II, and was not able to put any

of the pieces together. He began at one end of the box, examined

each set of materials in turn, tried to put them together in an

indiscriminate way, put them back, and went on to the next set

of materials. He remarked, "I don't seem to be able to put any

of them together. It seems that all I can do is found out what

each of the things is for." He recognized that various sets of

pieces were "a mousetrap," "a lock," "a bell," etc., but made a

zero score from the point of view of construction. At the end of

twenty minutes he gave up and turned away from the materials.

It is interesting to compare the child's record in construction

tests and his comments regarding these tests, with his school

record in industrial arts and fine arts. E receives the best

possible rating in industrial arts because he has keen insight

into processes and can explain how to construct a mechanism or

perform an operation clearly and minutely, though he is unable

to carry out his own instructions. For instance, he can tell

exactly how to make a boat, but he cannot make the boat himself.

There is thus an interesting distinction here between "constructive

ability" and "manual dexterity." Similarly, in fine arts E has many

ideas for decorative schemes, but he is unable to execute these

ideas with his hands.

SOCIAL HABITS, TASTES, ETC.

E does not care to play, and would never do so unless forced.

He is very impersonal and agreeable in his attitude toward other

children. His chief diversion is reading and his favorite book

at the age of 8 is _Ivanhoe_. He has no hobbies at this age. In

the spring of 1916, after careful and thoughtful preparation, he

was confirmed in the Episcopal church. His desire is to be a

clergyman and to become a missionary. When asked what he would

consider the most fun in life, he replied "To have statistics

of my imaginary country." This country is on Venus. It is inhabited

by people and has a navy like ours. E does not volunteer much

information about his interests. All these items had to be elicited

by questioning.

LATER MENTAL MEASUREMENTS

In the spring of 1920 E took the Thorndike Mental Tests for

Freshmen, for entrance to Columbia College. An official letter

from the Director of Admissions at Columbia College states that,

"In the Freshmen Tests he was number two, out of 483 entering

Columbia College." He was at this time 12 years 0 months old;

the median age of his competitors was about 18 years.

ON September 29, 1921, E was examined by means of the Army Alpha

(Forms 5 and 6, Examiner L. S. H.) for the purpose of recording

his mental development. On Alpha, Form 5, he made a score of

194 points, finishing several of the tests, without error, before

the time limit. On Form 6, which was taken subsequently, on

the same afternoon, his score was 201 points; and with these,

too, some of the tests were finished in about two thirds of

the time allowed, without error. As the method of scoring Alpha

does not provide for a time bonus, this cannot be taken into

account in the formal score.

In April, 1927, at the request of the writer [[L. S. H.]] E took

the tests of the IER Intelligence Scale CAVD, Levels M-Q. This

series of tests is described in a recent publication. [9] Briefly

it may be said here that this instrument was chosen for the purpose

in hand because it is the most thorough method available for

approximating in quantitative terms the intelligence of the best

among college graduates.

E's score on this test, at Levels M-Q, was 441 points. The score

of the average adult is not yet known, but the median score of

college graduates in professional schools of first-rate standards

is 415 points, with an upper quartile at 421 points. The best

scores yet made by college graduates hover about 440 points. [10]

Thus E rates plus 4 PE in relation to college graduates in

first-rate professional schools, ranking with the best minds

revealed in any group so far tested. These groups may each be

expected to include some of the best intellects existing. The

comparative groups are, of course, older than E. Some of them

are composed of persons over 30 years of age on the average,

while all are past 20 years. E was 18 years 9 months of age

on the date when he took the test, in comparison with these

groups. The number of years lived in an intellectual environment,

other things being equal, probably affects results to some extent

in favor of those who have lived longer.

A score of 441 points on the IER Scale corresponds to a score

of about 116 points on the more widely known Thorndike Tests

for College Freshmen. The top one per cent of college graduates

make a score of 108 or better on the latter test. E, therefore,

surely rates at least in the top one quarter of one per cent

of college graduates. [[E, it will be noted, was at this time

at the average age of college freshmen.]]

At the age of 8 years E rated plus 11 PE in general intelligence

(by Stanford-Binet) as compared with the generality of 8-year-olds.

It seems likely that in these later measurements he rated at about

the same status, in relation to the generality of 18-year-olds,

since his status is plus 4.3 PE in relation to highly selected

groups of college graduates.

E, at the age of 18, was probably mature--or nearly mature--

intellectually. However, in view of recent findings in regard

to the growth of intelligence among pupils in high schools, we

cannot be sure that at this age he has quite reached the maximum

of possible accretions of power from inner growth. [11]

LATER PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS

On September 29, 1921, E's physical measurements were as follows:

Standing height 64.2 inches

Sitting height 31.7 inches

Weight (summer clothing) 166 pounds

At this time his health continued to be excellent; in fact, he

has never had a serious illness of any kind.

E was measured again in October, 1926. By this time he had probably

achieved his maximum stature. His age was then 18 years 4 months. He

was still in excellent health, the only illness in the intervening

five years being a "light case" of scarlet fever. At this time the

measurements were:

Standing height 6 feet 1 inch

Weight (stripped) 194.75 pounds

LATER SCHOLASTIC RECORDS

In the spring of 1917 E finished the sixth, seventh, eighth, and

ninth grade work at the Horace Mann School, New York City. He was

then just 9 years old. Thereafter he attended the Friends Seminary,

New York City, and was graduated from the high school there in the

spring of 1920, with an excellent record and excess credits, at

the age of 11 years 10 months.

By this time E had also passed the comprehensive examinations of

the College Entrance Board for Harvard College. The official

communication from Harvard authorities, making statement to this

effect, has been seen by the writer. E's maternal ancestors had

attended Harvard (one of them having graduated from there at the

age of 18 years, according to records), but E expressed a desire to

attend Columbia and received permission to take the mental tests

with the applicants of 1920. He was admitted to Columbia College

with the freshmen of 1920, with 14 points of advance credit toward

a B.A. degree.

There is at hand an official statement of E's academic status

on June 1, 1921, at the age of not quite 13 years. He had then

46 points of academic credit toward a B.A. degree in Columbia

College. During his freshman year he made 32 points, maintaining

consistently a grade of B, except in two subjects. In physical

education his rating was C, and in contemporary civilization

he made A the first semester. [12]

E attended the summer session of 1921 at Columbia, making five

credit points, all A grade, and in September, 1921, was a sophomore

with many points of credit in advance of minimum sophomore status.

In addition to having passed the comprehensive examinations for

college entrance, he had passed the examinations in trigonometry,

solid geometry, chemistry, and physics, and was at this time 13

years 3 months of age.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITES

E was of course a conspicuous freshman because of his extreme

youth, and he was hazed by the sophomores for refusing to wear a

prescribed necktie. One of the New York newspapers commented on

his conduct under hazing as follows:

He has demonstrated that he is nevertheless a regular fellow.

He did it first by bringing about a conflict in which he himself

was the much buffeted prize of battle, and then by glorying in

his bruises instead of making them the basis of a grievance.

He is a good sport as well as a good scholar, and being both he

ought to go far.

E also participated in the class play, given in 1921, humorously

consenting to impersonate himself.

Manual work had no more charm for him at this date than it had

when he was 8 years old. That he _can_ work with his hands and

with materials when motivated is suggested by an incident connected

with the Liberty Bond drive. His teacher relates that E wanted

to pay for his own bond; so he made jelly, working at it until

very good jelly was made, and sold it for the purpose specified.

In recent years E has developed a keen interest in detective

stories.

TEACHERS' COMMENTS

Comments from E's teachers during the last five years up to this

date [[1921]] are indicative of their estimates:

The regular course of study has been so easy that he has, in

several subjects, notably English and history, accomplished a

great amount of voluntary work outside the course.

An excellent mixer with other students.

His weekly visits have been a pleasure and anticipation, and his

ability to understand without English the spoken Latin and the

authors as I have read them aloud to him has been extraordinary.

Has done very remarkable work in science, particularly in theory.

I predict for him a great scholastic record in college.

I consider it a privilege to have had something to do with

teaching him.

Possesses a _power_ in Latin that few persons ten years his

senior can boast.

Has shown devotion to the best interests of the school.

SUMMARY UP TO 1921

In the five years which have elapsed since E was first tested

mentally he has shown no tendency to become mediocre. His gifts

have not grown less; he maintains his superior status in mental

tests. As for achievement, he has passed during this interval

from the sixth grade of the elementary school, half through

the second year of college. Average children, the country over,

born when this child was born, and measuring 100 IQ when he

measured 187 IQ, are now in the seventh grade of the elementary

schools.

E still wishes to be a clergyman and to go abroad as a missionary.

To this end he interests himself especially in history, the

languages, and anthropology.

It is an interesting theoretical question as to how far human

intelligence may vary from the norm in the direction of superiority.

The case of this child has been placed on record largely because

it seems probable that such cases represent very nearly the extreme

possible limit of variation in the human species as it now exists.

At 8 years of age his IQ stood at plus 11 PE (1 PE being, according

to Terman, equal to 8 IQ [13] ). The probabilities are usually

regarded as slight that cases beyond 5 PE will occur. Perhaps the

range in human intellect is much greater than probabilities would

lead us to guess.

Since the initial report of this child's qualities, readers have

occasionally asked with what meaning the word "prodigious" was

used in reference to him. It was used in the dictionary sense of

"wonderful," "extraordinary."

In these reports there is no intention to approve or to disapprove

the educational regimen pursued. Who knows what should be the

educational treatment of a child standing at 11 PE in intellect?

The sole intention is to record the identification and development

of a deviation so extreme that the chances are theoretically almost

nil that it would occur at all.

EVENTUAL SCHOLASTIC RECORDS

In June, 1923, E was graduated from Columbia College, with the

degree of B.A. He took general honors, Phi Beta Kappa honors, and

the English Seminary Prize, awarded by the Society for Promoting

Religion and Learning "for the best essay in sermon form on an

assigned topic." He was within eleven days of his fifteenth

birthday when he was graduated. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa

at the age of 14 years, probably the youngest person ever elected

to that organization.

E was graduated with excess credit (8 points) toward the M.A.

degree. This degree was awarded him in June, 1924, when he was

not quite 16 years of age, more than enough work for it having

been accomplished. He was matriculated for the Ph.D. degree

before he was 16 years old, and by the age of 18 years 9 months

had practically finished all the requirements for that degree

except completing the dissertation. The dissertation topic had

been then approved, in the field of history, and E was at work

on the material.

In October, 1926 (aged 18 years 4 months), E entered upon his

professional studies for the ministry in the theological seminary

of his choice. Since the age of 15 he had done special work at the

seminary. He had read prayers in one of the city churches as a lay

reader since the age of 16 and was at this time a candidate for

ordination as deacon, but this ordination could not take place

before the twenty-first birthday.

In the initial report of E it will be found that he had decided

before he was 5 years old to be clergyman. It now appeared that

his professional course toward that end would be completed in 1929.

FIG. 12. A MEMORANDUM FROM E.

Professional course will be finished in 1929.

The subject of the thesis on which I am now working, is

definitely approved and published (decided June, 1925); the

other requirements are practically finished.

__Apollonius, [Diocetes?] of Egypt__ (3rd century B.C. Egyptian

history, 1923)

Worked on order of Pliny's letters (1924-25)

At present reading Greek papyri.

Making my [illegible] in Modern European History, worked

on Irish constitutional history (1924-1925)

RESEARCHES OF E

When E was 10 years old he made an original contribution in

connection with the Pentateuch, and was made a member of The

Oriental Society of Research in Jerusalem.

At 13 years of age E was first admitted to the Bodleian Library,

at Oxford, for purposes of research.

In 1923 E presented his M.A. essay--"Appolonius, Diocetes of

Egypt"--which pertains to Egyptian history of the third century

B.C. and is on file in the Library of Columbia University.

E has also done research (1924-1925) on the order of Pliny's

letters; on Irish constitutional history (1924-1925); and was

in 1926 and 1927 reading Greek papyri.

The subject of his dissertation to be submitted in partial

fulfillment of the requirements of the Ph.D. was reported as

"Feudal Estates in Byzantine Egypt." [14]

SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT

A summary of E's development over the period from 1916 to 1927,

given in the table [below], shows clearly that the superior

magnitudes, both of mental caliber and of physical size, so

markedly present at the age of 8 years, are maintained as growth

terminates.

CHILD E NORMS FOR PRIVATE

SCHOOLS [15]

Born June 17, 1908, as

shown by birth certificate

and hospital records.

November 4, 1916

Height 54.3 inches 49.5 inches

Weight 89.3 pounds 54.2 pounds

Intellect IQ 187 (S-B) IQ 100 (S-B)

Scholastic status 6th grade, 3d grade,

elementary elementary

September 29, 1921

Height 64.2 inches 58.2 inches

Weight 166.0 pounds 89.5 pounds

Intellect 194 points, Army 47 points,

Alpha, Form 5 Alpha Army

Scholastic 4th semester, 8th grade,

status college elementary

school

October 26, 1926

Height 73 inches 67 inches

Weight 194.7 pounds 150 pounds

April 1, 1927

Intellect 441 points, IER Not yet known

Tests

Scholastic status B.A. 1923 Has left

M.A. 1924 school to

Ph.D. candidate go to work

Also finishing

first year in

Theological

Seminary

EDITOR'S SUPPLEMENT

Although no follow-up inquiry has been made since the year 1927,

a few items gleaned from clippings found in the author's files

are relevant. These are newspaper accounts, chiefly in connection

with E's being ordained as deacon, and later elevated to the

Protestant Episcopal priesthood. These articles recite that E--

Received his B.A. at the age of 15 years.

Received his M.A. degree the following year.

Was ordained deacon on December 21, 1929, at the age of 21.

Received his Ph.D. the following year at the age of 22.

Also received the degree Bachelor of Sacred Theology, in June, 1929.

Was elevated to the priesthood in the Protestant Episcopal Church

at the age of 24 (June 19, 1932) at a special ordination service

at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City.

As a graduate student too young for the priesthood, he had held a

fellowship in the General Theological Seminary, teaching Greek

and history.

There is also an announcement of his marriage in September, 1939.

See also Editor's Note on publications, foot[note 14].

[1] See Preface, [paragraphs 2-5.]

[2] EDITOR'S NOTE. This child was observed by Leta S. Hollingworth

over a period of nearly a quarter century. She published three

accounts of his development, and the present chapter is in the main

a composite of these three reports, to which are added such

supplementary items as are available. The articles referred to

are as follows:

Garrison, Burke, and Hollingworth. "The Psychology of a Prodigious

Child." _Journal of Applied Psychology_ (June, 1917).

Hollingworth, Garrison, and Burke. "Subsequent History of E------

Five Years after the Initial Report." _Journal of Applied

Psychology_ (June, 1922).

Hollingworth, Leta S. "Subsequent History of E------ Ten Years

after the Initial Report." _Journal of Applied Psychology_

(October, 1927).

[3] Bartlett, J. G. "The Belcher Families in New England." _New

England History and General Register_, Vol. 60, pages 125-136,

243-256, 358-364.

Belcher, Jonathan. "The Belcher Papers." _Collection of the

Massachusetts Historical Society_, Vols. 6 and 7.

Appleton's _Cyclopedia of American Biography_, Vol. 1 (1887).

(Jonathan Belcher.)

[4] Drowne, Henry R. "Family Record of Solomon Drowne." _New York

Genealogical and Biographical Record_, Vol. 5, No. 35, pages

171-172. New York; 1904.

Drowne, Henry T. _Genealogy of the Family of Solomon Drowne,

M. D., of Providence, Rhode Island, with Notice of His Ancestors;

1646-1879_. Providence Press Company, Providence, Rhode Island;

1879.

[5] Developmental history and history of personal health were

elicited from the mother, who, being a physician, is especially

competent to speak on these points. The family history and the

facts concerning his extra-school linguistic achievements were

also given by the mother.

[6] Private tutors grade E as 1 in mathematics.

[7] In industrial arts credit is given for _knowing_ industrial

processes, as well as for ability to carry out the processes.

[8] In fine arts credit is given for manual dexterity only.

[9] Thorndike, E. L. _The Measurement of Intelligence_. Bureau of

Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York; 1927.

[10] I am indebted to Dr. Ella Woodyard and to Professor Ralph

B. Spence of Teachers College, Columbia University, for this

information.

[11] Thorndike, E. L. "On the Improvement of Intelligence Scores

from Fourteen to Eighteen." _Journal of Educational Psychology_

(1923).

[12] It is worth saying that in contemporary civilization the final

examination had been objectively standardized by Dr. B. D. Wood,

expert in educational measurement, and did not depend on the

estimate of instructors. "E's score on the objective examinations

of both terms was in the highest tenth of the highest percentile"

(B. D. W.). The instructor's estimate, as well as the result of the

objective examination, enters into the term grade and, indicated

above, in this course; so that the final grade in the second

semester is but B.

[13] See note [1, preface].

[14] EDITOR'S NOTE. This dissertation was published in 1931

by the Columbia University Press under the title _Large Estates

of Byzantine Egypt_.

Among later publications, of which there is record in the files,

are:

"National Elements in the Career of St. Athanasius," _Church

History_, pages 3-11 (December, 1933).

"Dura--An Ancient City of the East," _Natural History_ (The

Journal of the American Museum of Natural History), Vol. XXXIV,

No. 8, pages 685-701 (December, 1934).

_Militant in Earth_. Pages 255. Oxford University Press, New

York; 1940. A book which "shows how Christianity has presented a

spiritual and social front against opposing phases of civilization,

whatever they may have been during 2000 years."

[15] Norms for height, weight, and scholastic status are taken

from B. T. Baldwin, as established at Horace Mann School, Francis

Parker School, and the elementary and high schools of the

University of Chicago.

CHAPTER NINE

CHILD F

Child F was a boy whose ability was identified as the result of

a mental survey made with group tests in P.S. 14, Manhattan. [1]

His score in these tests was unbelievable, and he was summoned

for testing with the idea that he must have been coached. An

individual Stanford-Binet test, however, showed a phenomenal

record similar to all other tests given him, including an Army

Alpha. He was referred to a Special Opportunity Class at that

time being organized in P.S. 165, Manhattan.

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Although detailed study of F's ancestry is available, a brief

summary of the facts appears to be all that is here needed, for

the ancestry throws little light on the boy's extraordinary

mental ability.

F's paternal grandfather was of Scottish parentage, born in Canada.

He was a reasonably successful worker in the printing trade,

appears to have been well balanced and socially adjusted, and

showed no exceptional traits. He had little education and no

special interests. He died of apoplexy at 51 years of age.

F's paternal grandmother, born in Albany, New York, had a public

school education (probably). She is still living [[1924]], clerking

in a store after her husband's death. She appears to have no

special interests outside her home life; is said to be quick and

nervous, easily excited, and prone to worry.

F's maternal grandfather was born in New York State, of German

parentage. He is still alive [[1924]], at the age of 70, and

is very active. His education was limited, but he is an excellent

reader and is well informed. He is fond of music, is an active

churchman and a choir leader. He is said to be quick-tempered,

impulsive, and affectionate. He mixes well with people, and has

some leadership qualities. He has always worked as a paper hanger

and painter, his business being on a small scale.

F's maternal grandmother was born in New York State; the nationality

of her parents is not recorded. She had a public school education.

Her interests are limited to home and Red Cross activities. She is

friendly and sociable, impulsive, affectionate in disposition,

and has a keen sense of humor.

F has several uncles and aunts, none of whom presents any qualities

of striking interest. All appear to be normally effective and

well adjusted, competent on a small-town scale, enjoying their

homes, and taking part in local activities and organizations.

F has one brother, younger than himself, born April 2, 1920. He

was given a Stanford-Binet examination, May 13, 1924, by Leta S.

Hollingworth, being then 4 years 1 month of age. His Mental Age

was 6-0, yielding an IQ of 147. This brother has strong musical

inclinations, was a choir boy, and subsequently took instruction

in singing.

_Father_. The father of Child F was born in Albany, New York. He

had a high school education and business college training. He has

always done clerical and office work, especially bookkeeping. He

is fond of athletics, reads only newspapers and magazines, is

quick, alert, and active, has an even temperament, is seldom

worried. He has no interest in clubs or organized activities.

Seems to take an interest in his children. (In later years the

father lost the balance and evenness of temperament here reported

and became unemployed much of the time. He died in March, 1935,

at the age of 41, "apparently accidentally drowned.")

_Mother_. The mother of F went to high school for two years and

earned a teacher's certificate. She taught two years in rural

schools but disliked this work and had no patience with children.

She liked music, however, and studied piano and voice for a short

time, but now pays little attention to it. She has always regretted

going to high school, believing that if she had devoted that time

to music, she might have had some success in it. Her interests

are limited to home affairs. She says she has few friends and

does not mix well with people. She appears calm and does not

worry, is sensible in her dealings with her children, takes

no part in organized activities, but always sends the children

to Sunday School. She is a very good home manager, and runs

things effectively on small resources.

PRESCHOOL HISTORY

F was born in upper New York State, November 14, 1914. The period

of gestation was of normal length; at birth he weighed according

to the father 9 pounds, according to the mother 11.5 pounds. No

records of early infancy were kept, so that many such details are

given from memory, either by the father or by the mother. The

child was the mother's first-born. She reports that much of

the infant's weight at birth was due to his enormous head, which

necessitated instrument birth. Birth was difficult, the mother

was severely injured, and the child's head "was so distorted

from the instruments that it was weeks before it could be molded

into normal shape."

F was bottle fed from birth to one year. His first teeth appeared

at about 10 months. He talked (short sentences) at about 12 months,

learned to walk alone (several steps) at 14 months, learned to read

at between 4 and 5 years of age. His childhood illnesses were

measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, and scarlet fever, all

between 6 and 8 years of age. Cried little as a baby. His mother

says "he was a lovely baby to take care of." No sensory defects or

signs of physical weakness. Adenoids were present, to be removed

shortly after the initial interview in 1924 (age 10 years). He

sleeps soundly.

EARLY SCHOOL HISTORY

F started school at the age of 5 years 10 months, in a two-room

rural school in upstate New York in the town where he was born.

He could already read well at that time; it was first noticed

that he could read when he was "around 5 years of age." Riding

in streetcars, he would take words apart and put them together

again. He had learned the letters before his third year.

At school he was received in the first grade. It was soon found

that he was memorizing his reader and the teacher gave him a more

advanced book. This school was a practically ungraded one; the

first four grades were together in one room, and grades five to

eight were in the other room. The teacher did not know what to do

with F; so he was allowed to go into the second room and listen,

in an orderly manner, to the fifth to eighth grades.

When he entered New York City schools at the age of 7 years 10

months, the rural teacher gave F a transfer for the fifth grade.

The mother presented the letter of transfer to the Manhattan

principal, who pooh-poohed the idea that the boy could belong in

the fifth grade at that age. He refused to accept the recommendation

from the ungraded school and placed F in the third or fourth grade.

After the first week the boy's teacher reported that he did not

belong in that grade. When the principal insisted that F could not

go into the fifth grade, the boy himself spoke up and said if they

would give him an examination they would see that he could do

it. The principal ordered him to keep still and not to talk so

much. He was, however, eventually placed in the fifth grade in

the year in which his eighth birthday occurred. At the end of that

year he was promoted to Grade 6A, then into 6B, and he was shortly

after received into the Special Opportunity Class at P.S. 165.

He had always been fond of school up to this time, although he

later developed a distaste for it and became a chronic truant.

He spent much of his time helping the teachers, carrying books,

and running errands, in order to keep occupied. When his mother

requested his transfer to the Special Opportunity Class, the

principal of the school he was attending, at first refused, saying

that he liked to have bright pupils in his classes too. After

futilely arguing for half an hour, the mother finally threatened

to move to another part of town, thus forcing a transfer, whereupon

the principal relented and gave the transfer. F said he liked the

new school because he was allowed there to say what he thought.

In his early school years he once won a prize, which was to

be a book. Several books, supposedly of interest to boys, were

offered him from which to choose. He looked them over and then

said if it made no difference to the teacher, he would rather

have a dictionary instead. This volume was given him, and it was

used constantly thereafter.

EARLY TEST SCORES

In March, 1924, at the age of 9 years 4 months, F was given a

mental test, using Army Alpha, by L. M. Potter. He was then in

Grade 6B, P.S. 14, Manhattan. His score was recorded as 124 points.

But there is also a copy of an Army Alpha Test, Form 7, given F in

the fall of 1924 upon his entrance to P.S. 165, on which the

score is 163 points.

On April 14, 1924, at the age of 9 years 5 months, F was given

a Stanford-Binet test by M. V. Cobb, in P.S. 165, Manhattan. His

Mental Age shown at that time was 15-2, and an IQ of 162 was

reported. Strength of grip measures were also recorded as of

May 15, 1924. These were made by Leta S. Hollingworth, three trials

for each hand. The records were (median of three), right, 10.5;

left, 9.

On April 22, 1925, at the age of 10 years 5 months, F was given

a Stanford-Binet examination by Leta S. Hollingworth as a

demonstration before a class of 60 adults. His Mental Age was

19-0, and the IQ is recorded as "over 182, unmeasured by the scale."

On May 8, 1926, at the age of 11 years 6 months, F was again tested

with the Stanford-Binet [[by L. S. H.]]. He passed at this time all

the Superior Adult tests and was thus unmeasured. He was at this

time in his first year of senior high school.

January 7, 1933, at the age of 18-2, while a college freshman,

his score on Army Alpha, Form 8, was 198 points.

_Music tests_. F showed no active musical interests but became very

fond of listening to good music, being particularly fond of string

quartets. As was the case in every field to which his interests

turned, he quickly acquired a fund of information about it which

he took pleasure in exhibiting.

F was given the Seashore Music Tests four times [[by L. S. H.]]

over a period of 11 years. Perhaps the record of these successive

examinations will have some intrinsic interest, and such a

tabulation is here provided.

SEASHORE TESTS OF MUSICAL TALENT SCORE

(Per Cent Correct)

MAY 7, DECEMBER JUNE JUNE

1924 23, 1924; 18, 1925; 14, 1935;

9 YEARS 10 YEARS, 10 YEARS 20 YEARS

6 MONTHS 1 MONTH 7 MONTHS 7 MONTHS

Pitch 79 82 78 81

Intensity 76 -- 94 94

Time 71 62 -- 70

Tonal memory 80 -- 88 98

Consonance 64 -- 74 76

Rhythm 72 -- 88 86

_Character rating_. After six months' acquaintance, on

September 14, 1924, when F was about 10 years old, he was

rated by Leta S. Hollingworth for various estimated traits

on a 7-point rating scale as follows:

Extraordinarily good (Grade 1)

Prudence and foresight, will power and perseverance,

appreciation of beauty, sense of humor, sensitiveness to

approval or disapproval, desire to excel, freedom from vanity

and egotism, conscientiousness, desire to know, originality,

common sense, general intelligence.

Decidedly superior (Grade 2)

Self-confidence, musical appreciation, leadership, popularity

with other children, sympathy and tenderness, truthfulness.

Rather superior (Grade 3)

Cheerfulness and optimism, permanency of moods, generosity

and unselfishness, mechanical ingenuity.

Average (Grade 4)

Health, amount of physical energy.

Rather weak (Grade 5)

Fondness for large groups.

Although there is no formal record of the fact, it is known that

fifteen years later this rater would have made different judgments

on most of these traits not relating to strictly cognitive

characteristics. Other judges acquainted with F rather unanimously

disagreed with the high ratings here accorded such traits as

prudence and forethought, will power and perseverance, sensitiveness

to approval or disapproval, freedom from vanity or egotism,

common sense, leadership, popularity, sympathy and tenderness,

truthfulness, generosity and unselfishness, and these ratings

are as a matter of fact inconsistent with F's subsequent history.

HOME RATING

On May 6, 1924, the home of F was visited by a social worker

trained in the use of the Whittier Scale for Home Rating. The

rating was reported as 21, with a possible score of 25. Neighborhood

was average, in a fair section of New York City. Details were as

follows:

_Necessities_. Father bookkeeper with steady, small salary,

adequate only for necessities. Food and clothing of good quality,

conditions neat and clean but plain. Heat, light, sleeping

facilities fair. Grade 4.

_Neatness_. Sanitary conditions good; rooms well kept and clean;

apartment rear, second floor, little view. Considering the

equipment, household run in an efficient manner. Grade 4.

_Size_. Four small rooms and bath for two adults and two children.

Conditions crowded. Grade 4.

_Parental condition_. Parents socially adaptable; there appears to

be harmony in home; parents have too few outside interests.

Mother practically always at home; father at home evenings.

Grade 5.

_Parental supervision_. Parents keenly interested in development

of children. Their own education is limited, which is a handicap

in directing and educating the children. Little need of discipline

in home, though mother is lax about carrying out

threats. Parental example good. Grade 4.

MISCELLANEOUS CHARACTERISTICS

_Play interests_. F preferred playmates of his own age and sex.

He would spend hours at a time "using marbles for soldiers and

working out military formations." Being with older children in

school, he was somewhat backward in joining in their outdoor games.

_Reading interests_. From 6 to 10 years of age F read a great

variety of books, "particularly geography and history" and

"averaging probably 20 hours weekly." He was especially interested

in dictionaries and encyclopedias; would always look up new words

in detail. Most of his leisure time was preferably spent in reading.

LATER EDUCATIONAL CAREER

As already recorded, F was transferred in 1924, at the age of

10 years, to the Special Opportunity Class in P.S. 165, Manhattan,

then being organized for experimental purposes connected with

the education of children of rare intelligence. He graduated

from this class into senior high school. He and another boy

(Child C, Chapter 6) led this highly selected group of children

in achievement tests. As he was at this time, Leta S. Hollingworth

wrote of him:

I have never met with a more interesting child than he was, and

the same creativeness and inexorable logic which characterized

him then have always continued.

He entered, after a brief experience in a progressive private

school, a public high school in New York City, in 1925. His high

school career was a checkered one, typical in some respects of his

later educational history. For one thing, he was a constant truant,

and he refused to do the required work in physical education.

He had always been averse to physical activity and loathed manual

work to the end of his career. He said that the gymnasium work

always left him feeling "worse," gave him colds, and was of no use

to him. Perhaps his subsequent medical history throws some light

on the reasons for these observations.

His truant hours were spent partly in the public library, where

he read continuously in technical volumes in a great variety

of fields and accumulated an amazing fund of general information

and esoteric lore. Law, theology, history, science, and literature

were some of his favorite fields.

When not in the library, he would usually be at a chess club

to which he had been granted access and where he had learned

the game. He rapidly developed into an expert chess and bridge

player, and in Eastern chess tournaments is said to have achieved

the ranking of seventh in the national list. He always managed

to appear at high school to take the necessary examinations,

and passed all his subjects with good standing and even with

phenomenal records. But his inexplicable truancy and his refusal to

do the required work in physical education baffled the educational

authorities. They finally refused to graduate him with his class--

although his record was among the best--until he had redeemed

himself by doing the gymnasium work in a fifth year. In 1930

he did this, and also carried some additional courses and thus

was allowed to finish high school, requiring longer than the

conventional period for this because of his refusal to accommodate

his own interests and ideas to the regular routine.

In spite of irregular attendance, F took some part in high school

activities. His main activities, of the extracurricular sort, were

chess club, chess team, poetry club, debating society, mathematics

club, board of publications, program committee. He was executive

member of the debating society and of the law society, vice

president of the poster club, and two or three times section

president. His record, of course, shows no athletic history and

no physical activities engaged in.

For the four years following 1930 F continued to frequent the

public library, the chess club, and the bridge games. At one

time a patron friend made it financially possible for him to enter

college at the College of the City of New York. He quit before

the end of the first term, again because he hated the required

gymnasium work and said he always got a cold and felt bad after

such exercise. Although he was again and again urged by people

who knew his ability not to waste it at chess and bridge, he

showed no apparent interest in going on with college. He replied

that he could always make a living some way or other. Uncongenial

home circumstances and the general unemployment situation prevailing

at the time perhaps heightened this indisposition and lack of

ambition. While other boys who had been in the same grade school

and high school classes with him were finding part-time employment

and working their way through college, F was contented with his

chess games, with an occasional bit of money won at cards, and

with his hours in the public library.

In 1934 he was asked to take the CAVD tests by the Institute

of Educational Research at Teachers College, Columbia University,

to help determine the highest scores to be expected on this scale.

He and another boy, both selected because of their known phenomenal

range of information and intellectual alertness, "went through the

ceiling" on this scale, thus again confirming the earlier records

of his mental level so far as intelligence was concerned. On

the same occasion he was given the Coöperative General Culture

Test, by Dr. Lorge. In this his score exceeded that of superior

college graduates.

In September, 1934, F was again persuaded, through financial

assistance practically forced upon him, and after much urging

and long discussion, to try college. He enrolled in Columbia

College, once more a freshman. He carried a heavy program, tried

to do certain outside jobs as assistant provided for him, and

probably overworked. He had declined one patron's offer to give

him a stipulated sum of money for the year if he would abstain

from chess for that period. In fact, only vigorous prodding led

him to go to college at all at this time, even with the way opened

for him.

The outcome appeared to be another fiasco. In January, as the

examination period drew near, he became ill, developed pneumonia,

and for the second time withdrew from college before completing

a term of work. In this instance his illness appeared to justify

the act.

In the autumn of 1935, having been nursed back to reasonable

health through patrons interested in his case, he was urged by them

to make a fresh start and to try the University of Chicago plan,

under which students could progress as rapidly as they were able

to satisfy the requirements through comprehensive examinations. He

entered the University of Chicago that fall, for the third time a

college freshman, agreeing to do this without any great enthusiasm

of his own but as part of what was called an "educational

experiment."

Of his record on entrance the following comment was made by

the chief examiner:

The examiners have called my attention to a freak case in

our records for the incoming students. . . . His performance

seems almost unbelievable. On the freshman classification

tests his performance was as follows: first in the vocabulary

test; first in the reading test; second in the Intelligence

Test of the American Council; third in the English placement

test; third in the physical science placement test . . . in

the freshman class of about 750 students.

In addition, he also took four Comprehensives with the following

grades: Biological Science, A; Humanities, B; Social Sciences,

A; Physical Sciences, D.

The year at Chicago was not without episode. F was held up by two

gunmen, engineered the capture of one of these, and was advised

to disappear for a time during the excitement. Impetuously,

and without resources except the provisions made by his sponsor

for his own subsistence, he married a young Jewish girl. But the

"Chicago Plan" kept its word, and by the end of the year F had

passed all the Comprehensives required to give him his B.A.

degree. In doing this he acquired a good deal of newspaper and

popular magazine notoriety, and his photograph, and that of his

young wife, were often reproduced in the public prints.

Although he fancied he would like to be a lawyer, F finally

decided to go in for graduate work. Some uncertainties prevailed

in connection with his acceptance by some of the graduate schools

because, although he had been three times a college freshman

(a point never brought out in the newspaper accounts of his

educational progress), he had completed but one year of college

residence.

Eventually he was awarded a graduate fellowship in Teachers

College, Columbia University, for study toward the Ph.D. degree

in education, and he completed a year of work there, accomplishing,

in addition to the class work, a minor experimental study, a report

of which was subsequently published. For the following year he was

appointed Assistant in Psychology at Barnard College. At the last

moment, just before the beginning of the new term, he decided

to shift to law, which was one of his boyish ambitions. He was

enabled to return to Chicago for this purpose.

Chess, bridge, and racing continued to intrude themselves into

his activities, although he was pledged to abstain from them.

His marital affairs did not run smoothly; contrary to his promises

he incurred additional indebtedness; but he continued to carry on

his law studies with passable records. Then he suddenly became

seriously ill and was discovered to have an inoperable abdominal

cancer. Again his educational career was interrupted and he

returned to New York for care and treatment. Before another

year was over, in December, 1938, he died of this affliction,

at the age of 24 years.

In spite of a brilliant mental endowment, early discovery, much

educational encouragement, and material assistance, a Bachelor's

degree and a few chess prizes and bridge victories represent F's

final achievement. The chief causes of this relative failure to

make the most of his potentialities appeared externally in the

form of character traits. His parents said of him that it was

never necessary to stimulate his desire to learn; they also

reported him to be "willful and head-strong." These unpropitious

traits were as a matter of fact apparent in his early school days.

They became magnified as he was given freer opportunity for

self-expression and activity. We know so little about the

identification and genesis of character traits that the case makes

little or no contribution to our understanding in this direction.

It is not known how early the physical disability that finally

terminated the picture had been operating; it may even have been

at the bottom of what appeared socially as a personality defect.

[1] This chapter was written by H. L. H.

CHAPTER TEN

CHILD G

Child G is a boy, born in Brooklyn, New York, May 26, 1923. Records

of his test scores that are available date from 1930, at which

time he was 6 years 6 months old. A record of his development

has been kept by his parents, who take an unusual interest in

educational problems. They have freely and intelligently coöperated

in the frequent objective examination of G, and have consulted

with teachers concerning problems of adjustment and educational

development.

FAMILY BACKGROUND

G is of Hebrew parentage, and all four of his grandparents attended

Hebrew school. His paternal grandfather was a tailor, his maternal

grandfather an installment dealer. G's father is a lawyer; in an

Army Alpha test he made a score of 178 points. His mother, before

her marriage, was a typist and stenographer. There are among the

relatives a doctor, a lawyer, a rabbi, a college professor.

A cousin stood highest in a city-wide achievement test given

to public school pupils in New York City. His only brother, younger

than he and the only sibling, has an IQ of 150-155 (see [below, [G'S

BROTHER'S RECORD]).

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

In January, 1934, Edna W. McElwee published a preliminary account

of G's school achievement up to that time. [1] A few months later

G's father published an account of the boy's reading interests. [2]

Data recorded in these two reports have been made use of in the

present chapter. [3]

G learned to read before going to school, but at this time his

parents did not realize that he was exceptional. After a term in

kindergarten he was promoted to Grade 1A, after a few weeks to 1B,

and then to 2A. At the end of the term he was placed in 3A. Then

he was doubly promoted each term for a time, entering the 6A grade

at the age of 8 years 6 months. The principal reported:

He absorbed information easily and quickly and, regardless

of the grade in which he was placed or the length of time he

had been in the grade, his work and his ratings were always

much beyond those of his classmates.

During these early years G preferred being alone with his books

to playing with other children. His parents intelligently sought

advice on the correction of this and encouraged him, successfully,

to play with other children, first with those younger than he,

and then with children of his own age. He made a ready adaptation,

and in time had a group of boys with whom he played and who were

sometimes invited by his father to accompany them on Saturday

afternoon excursions. He developed an interest in all sorts

of ball games and became a good swimmer.

G read widely, and his parents from the beginning exercised

some supervision over the character of the books provided for him,

and they read to him at bedtime, about an hour daily. There were

included in his reading not only a large selection of children's

books and stories but also books of history, mythology, biography,

poetry, science and art.

The Saturday excursions to places of interest were a regular

institution, and these interests were readily tied to G's reading.

Among the places thus visited were the zoo, botanical gardens,

aquarium, navy yard, fleet, airport, museums, art galleries, Hall

of Fame, numerous factories and industrial plants, fire department,

public utilities, observatories. Plays and concerts were attended,

and good taste in music was encouraged. Educational use was made of

radio programs. G learned to play the violin and joined the school

orchestra. At his own request he was given private instruction

in Hebrew and made good progress.

At an early age--7 or 8 years--G became interested in chemistry,

and was provided with a chemical outfit for his own use. With

this he busied himself a great deal, and he kept his classmates

provided with ink of his own manufacture. He has collected both

stamps and coins and also _Popular Science_ magazines.

There is in the files a large collection of his remarks in

childhood, recorded by his parents. They show early thoughtfulness,

curiosity, and judicious discrimination.

Of G's later educational experience Miss McElwee wrote as follows:

"At eight and a half years of age he was transferred to P.S. 208,

Brooklyn, where he entered the 6A group of the Individual Progress

class, which had been organized for superior children. The method

of instruction had been modified and the course of study enriched

to meet the needs of the pupils. . . . Tests of educational

achievement given in October, 1931, soon after he entered the

class, showed that his grade placement was 7.4 and his achievement

quotient 86. Similar tests given in May, 1932, indicated that his

grade placement was then 10.3 and his achievement quotient 97.

In those seven months he had completed three years of work. . . .

By January, 1933, he had gained another year and a half, and was

maintaining his achievement quotient. In other words, at 9 years

of age he was doing as well as a junior in high school."

His father wrote to the school at this time:

We are happy to tell you that G is full of his school work

and is very contented with the present curriculum. Inasmuch

as he has always complained until this term of lack of work

at school and always considered his school work a necessary

evil, we feel very grateful to you for his increased interest

and happiness.

EARLY MENTAL TESTS

The first recorded measurement of G's mental ability is found

in a report from the Educational Clinic of the College of the City

of New York, where he had been taken by his father for a private

examination. The report is made by Elise S. Mustor, Assistant

Director, as of January, 1930. G was then 6 years 7 months old.

His Mental Age was found to be 10-9, and his IQ is reported as 163.

This report also gives numerous other details which may be

summarized in the following tabulation.

REPORT OF G, JANUARY, 1930

Chronological Age 6-7

Mental Age 10-9

Intelligence Quotient 163

Height (with shoes) 48.5 inches

(About 3 inches above the

median for his age)

Height 59 pounds

(About 5 pounds above the

median for his height)

Reading comprehension Median of 5th Grade

Arithmetic reasoning Median of 4B Grade

Arithmetic fundamentals Median of 3A Grade

Perception of form and physi- Ranges from 7th- to

cal relationships 12th-year level

Auditory rote memory 10-year level

Vocabulary 10-year level

Physical condition: Well nourished. Tonsils and adenoids

removed. Breathing unobstructed. Teeth good. No defects

of heart, lungs, acuity of vision or hearing.

At the clinic his social responses were good. He was well poised

and unassuming; showed very fine effort and application.

LATER TEST RECORDS

_1931_. G was given a Stanford-Binet examination by Leta S.

Hollingworth in May, 1931, within a few days of his eighth

birthday. He achieved an IQ of 192. The following comment is

included in the record:

The increase over the IQ obtained at the age of 6 is not

unusual for a very young, very bright child, although it would

be very unusual for an average child. I shall be glad to test

G again when he is about 12 years old, and when he is 16 years

old. Also his little brother.

_1933_. On April 5, 1933, at the age of 9 years 10 months, G

was again tested by Leta S. Hollingworth, perhaps as a class

demonstration. He was then in Grade 7B and his IQ is recorded

as 176 plus. The following comment is made:

Children of G's present age can no longer be reliably measured

in terms of IQ by any existing test if they have previously

scored above 185 IQ. . . . The IQ of 176 plus merely informs us

that the test has begun to "run down" in his case. . . . Next

time we test him we shall have to use a test scoring in

_points_ only, which will place him on the centile scale for

adults. . . . His physical measurements correspond closely to

the norms for boys of about 11 years.

_1934_. There is in the files a Stanford-Binet record of G taken

by Leta s. Hollingworth, March 19, 1934. His age was then 10 years

10 months and he was in Grade 8B in P.S. 208, Brooklyn. He passed

without error all the tests in the scale (Average Adult and

Superior Adult).

_Miscellaneous records_. In the McElwee report already cited the

following scores are recorded, on a variety of scales, covering

a two-year period (1931-1933).

DATE TEST AGE SCORE

May 5, 1931 Stanford-Binet 8-0 192

Oct. 7, 1931 Porteus Maze 8-5 12 years

Healy Picture Completion 13 years

Porteus Form and Assemblying 8 years

Thorndike-McCall Reading: Form B 6B Grade

Stanford Achievement Test: Form A,

Arithmetic Computation 8A Grade

Trabue Language Completion, Alpha 15-10 years

May 18, 1932 Elementary Reading, Los Angeles,

Form 3 9-0 12A Grade

Arithmetic Fundamentals, Los

Angeles, Form 4 9A Grade

Woody-McCall Spelling, List 5 9B Grade

Trabue Language Completion, Beta 16-4 years

Jan. 6, 1933 New Stanford Achievement Test

Form V 9-8 18 years

Apr. 12, 1933 Powers General Science Test: Form A

(25 per cent of first-year high

school pupils exceed this score 9-11 62 points

at end of one year instruction

in general science.)

Apr. 26, 1933 Kent-Rosanoff Association Test 9-11 9 Individual

Reactions

Woody-Cady Questionnaire indicates

supersensitiveness--thinks people

look at him, make remarks about him,

find too much fault with him, etc.

The New Stanford Achievement Test score of 18 years of Educational

Age, achieved at the Chronological Age of 9 years 8 months, broken

down into detailed sections, was as follows:

EDUCATIONAL AGE

Paragraph Meaning 17-8

Word Meaning 18-8

Dictation 16-0

Language Usage 17-2

Literature 16-8

History and Civics 19-2

Geography 20-4

Physiology and Hygiene 18-5

Arithmetic Reasoning 19-2

Aritmentic Computation 17-8

Average 17 years 11 months

The examiner remarks: "Using the IQ of 192, his Mental Age would

now be 18 years 5 months. This would give him an Achievement

Quotient of 97.3 per cent."

TRAITS OF CHARACTER

At the age of 10 years G was described by his school supervisor and

parents as prudent and self-reliant, with will power, desire for

knowledge, wish to excel, and originality. He was conscientious,

truthful, cheerful, sympathetic, and had a sense of humor. He was

modest about himself and his achievements, did not like bragging,

and reproved his younger brother for such conduct. At this time

he wore glasses for an error of refraction, had "a slight speech

impediment and a nervous mannerism." He always wanted to do

things as well as possible. He set out to improve his poor

penmanship by learning manuscript writing. He was full of questions

about scientific aspects of the things and processes he saw about

him. He had a reliable and alert memory, even for incidental

observations.

PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS

The physical measurements referred to in the 1933 mental test

["LATER TEST RECORDS, _1933_"] are as follows:

G NORMS

Standing height (in

stocking feet) 53.8 inches 53.6

Sitting height 27.7 inches

Weight (ordinary indoor

clothing except coat) 78 pounds 66.9

Right grip 14, 11, 10 kg.

Left grip 9, 9, 9 kg.

On August 2, 1937, there is a record of height and weight at

the age of 14 years 2 months, as follows:

G NORMS

Height (stocking feet) 63.7 inches 61.0

Sitting height 33 inches

Weight (no coat or shoes) 121.5 pounds 94.9

HIGH SCHOOL RECORD