The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-22

, him a prodigy; well-known physician,
who recently had occasion to examine
MIN, holds the opinion that he Is nothing
more than a phenomenauy bright Young
ster who viii in mature years be rated as
one Of the great men Of the world.
Time may demonstrate the faIlacy O.,
one or all Of the opinions, but at present
the boy and his capabilities are causing
no little discussion in the quiet town O.,
Alameda, California. Though but four
years Of age Norman Dexter Weedea
Z reads from books, newspapers and per-
lodlcals and apparently comprehends the
meaning Of the words which fail with
such ease from his usping tongue.
He reCites portions Of classics as though
ne were four and twenty instead Of four
6 In appearance Norman does not differ
from other children Of his years except
that when reading or speaking his face
3 wears serious expression.
Norman not only reads, but has Httls
3 diniculty IN spelling words at which many
3 grown and well educated persons would
( hesitate. Asked where he learned %
spell the words Norman will tell you
5 that he never learned, that the sound q
the words when pronounced suggests the
3 combination Of letters TO his mind
Within the past fortnight he was vis-
lifted BY a reporter for this newspaper and
the little fellow answered the summons
at the door. He showed the writer and
his medical friend, DR.. John ~ Kane.
into the parlor Of the Weeden home and
then summoned his mother, 70 whom the
purpose OF the visit was made known.
: Mrs. Weeden, a bright English woman,
: deprecated any attempt to bring her
baby TO the attention OF the public,
{ oh hr n ~
gained supremacy and she reluctantly per-
Hitted tests 10 be made Of his Capsbli-
ties as a scholar.
At first the qUestiJHeTs confined them
selves to general topics I'm which a child
OF Norman's years would be interested.
; His delight as he talked Of his dog. bis
fellow playmates and the various mem
bers Of his family was very apparent b--
{ the r7Oment the subject of c0nversa-.C-
turned to books, words and spelling the
serious expression which distinguishes
him from other children came ever hs
face, and when he was asked If De liked
3 to read and spell he readily answered n
the affirmative.
A number Of words were selected o.
random from a newspaper at hand, ara
they were spelled with ease, the little -5--
low evidently taking it as a matter ~
{ course that he was called upon 90 spell
any word which was given him TIE
words selected were lautudiuarizu- as
ssssinstion, Hawaiian and Otto Glider
Teister. Then other words equally Es--
were given and. excepting that the AIis
speIer steadfastly refused to use .l--9.5
% in his system Of OrJhOgraDhy even
word was correct
Asked TO read something. he was h-1-s1
a newspaper. and read several para
graphs from an account Of the WiHdT-I-
Islands disaster. Another test made vas
a selection from an enclyc0pedia. T1-f-
was taken from the Weeden bookcass
random, and the page at which the poo
was opened happened TO contain o
scriptive article on the city Of Rome ~
Fecited. at the request Of his granlnla ---7-'
AnthOny's Grafton al the burial OF caesar,
after which he was given "a number q
mental arithmetic problems and a7A--
several questions which had Tor Their az
swers the ge0gra phscai definitions --
Eords-Iake, island. river, mountain -l-
tinent and ocean. The answers were --
rect, and under question Norman al
swered that he had learned the de-7----
while hearing his brother Frank Sd. -
10 years old, reclte his lessons IN 9e95-~
ply. .sr
Norman Dexter Weedeu lacks
days Of being four years old -.4
The first instance where TINS " as -
20 her attention was at NeWcasL-e. "..r
the Marion was taking Oh cargo 9-7 -
the children for q walk about tne li-s -
70 her surprise Norman who Wa 80
but years OF age, began spel-lils '- -
: words on the various shop Signs 80
B that tine he was allowed the use OF 80 ii.
3 and soon came % read as wen ~
brother, whom he now daily n@iI5
3 his studies.