Wanted--Precocity

"Sure I'm a prodigy. Somebody looking for precocious students? Well, put my name down!

Napoleon Bonaparte." Napoleon Bonaparte probably never said any such thing. But he might have last week if he had been a U. S. youngster. Word was out that President Walter Dill Scott of Northwestern University was hunting six precocious, prodigious students, aged from 13 to 15, whom he would admit as freshmen next September (TIME, Feb. 22). President Scott cited a number of wunderkinder whom he would like to see matched under modern conditions. He announced he would get high school superintendents to ferret them out. But much to everybody's surprise it took no ferreting. By last week President Scott had received 100 letters of application, from every State in the land.

Most of the letters, said President Scott, were modest in tone. But by inference those 100 admitted they were prodigious and precocious. Girls can be superior too. Because 40% of the applicants were female, Northwestern will enroll six prodigious young girls in September, scrutinize them as carefully as the boys.

President Scott particularized more last week than he had before. "By precocious," said he, "we imply an intelligence quotient higher than 130--or such youthful attainments as were characteristic of such men as Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Lord Byron, Mozart, James Watt or others." Also, he announced, the students must meet all entrance requirements. Extraordinary talent in one field is not in itself evidence of eligibility.

Sample letters:

"I am 15 years old and will be graduated May 27 from the High School here [Trenton, Tenn.]. I have a class average of 94.7, have won two oratorical contests and possess many credits and attainments in dramatics and other arts."

"I have a real child prodigy in mind . . . named Betty Jane Short who was graduated from this High School [Holdenville, Okla.] at the age of 13. ... I am certain that Miss Short will make a most satisfactory prodigy."

"I have been writing poetry since I was 9. I am 14 now and I think I am another Lord Byron."

* Average I.Q., determined by graded tests at any age up to 16, is 100. But most psychologists would call President Scott's figure too low. A "genius" (i.e. prodigy) has an I.Q. of 140 or over. A college student, say psychologists, should have a minimum of 115.

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