The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-25
MARCOHI AS A SCHOOL BOY
HE VAS VERY TIMID AND NO
 ONE
Among Hts InstructOrS Thought Him
 Particularly Intelligent.

FaFttcuLRrip lnIeiiiGent.
 Writing to the Boston Evening
 Transcript from Florence, Mary T.
 Jacques thus treats of the boyhood of
 a famous inventor:
 Though Bologna is the native city of
 Gugliemo Marconi, it was at Florence
 that he received his first instruction in school. In anticipation of Marconi's visit to this city, an enterprising Flo rentine had the happy thought recently to interview the bright little old lady, now seventy-four years of age, who has the honor of being the first teacher of the man about whom all the world is now talking. Signora Luisa Caval- lero and her sister, Signora Caterina, were found in a modest apartment in the Via Cimabue. where they are spending their serene old age together, having lost by death the brother, Pro- lessor Cavallero, who was at the head of the Institute Cavallero, in the Via | delle Terme. where Marconi received the rudiments of his education. The sister Caterina was the house mother, 1 and Luisa took charge of the primary instruction.
 When her visitor was introduced, l Signora Luisa arjusted her eyeglass carefully and gazed intently at him to see what manner of person it was who sought information about her famous pupil, now the most celebrated Italian. When told her that I had seen him recently at Bologna there was a torrent of questions.
 What is he like? Is he still tirnid or is he proud now? Is he tall?t Will he really come to Florence? Can he re- member his old teacher?"
 On hearing my replies which I had hardly time to frame, the good lady trembled with pleasure, paling and flushing by turns. She spoke of him as something precious, still belonging a little to her
 Certainly, I will gladly talk to you ofshim-What child! Always serious, respectful, obedient.'
 When did he come to school to you?"
 Tn 1880 had the preparatory de- partment, and taught him to spell, to cipher and to form his first letters. He was so timid-for pity! He blushed if you spoke his name. remember him so we'll in his long apron, while the other boys were in blouses. h. deed, yes. he was good, good-but---"
 Well, signora.'
 Incapable of committing a lesson to memory. It wasn't his fault, poverino! and we always thought him lacking in intelligence. See, then, how these boys deceive us, sometimes" So saying she laughed with pleasure.
 "On the other hand" she added, "he would always know everything fondo, to the bottom. As an instance of his Investigating spirit, I remember a characteristic anecdate. One day when I was amusing the children told them the fable of the Crab and her Love. Gugliemo Marconi, who listened with a pensive air. came to me little after and said, 'Signora Luisa, want to see the crab
 "'Go look among the pictures and see if it is there
 "As he did not find it made him a little description of the crab, as well as I could; but he was not satisfied, for a few days afterward 'he told me he had made his babbo (papa) buy him one.
 His early companions called him pinglesina the little Englishman, be- cause of his, sedate demeanor.
 T have still a school report showing that at the final examination of the preparatory department his mark was BPS, and he ranked third among the best. Thus he had made good pro- gress; but we never thought him very intelligent; quite otherwise.
 After that he passed no more exam- nations, but took many holidays, and when Professor Cavallero asked an ex- planation of this the elder brother re- piled that Guglielmo was staying at home to amuse himself. Also" pur- sued Signora Luisa, "he willingly amused himself at school, but always with that thoughtful air. Who knows what he was thinking of even then?"
 As the old lady seemed to renew her youth with these p1easurable thoughts l of her distinguished pupil, the inter- viewer suggested: "Then you have in your consciousness no reproofs that you administered to hin?"
 Absolutely none; because he seemed l incapable of malicious pranks. If oth- 1 CTS indulged in them he seemed shocked I as at a crime, and I remember that in | those following years when he was not l in my class my brother would ocea- sionally say to me: Now I send you Marconi, he is so good. He does not ! learn easily, but he is 80 gentle and I 1 always answered.: I wish I had a hundred like him. But only think how we were deceived in him.
 "Afterward, in 1894, when he was | twenty years old, Guglielno Marconi l returned to Florence and sought Pro- lessor Cavallero to ask for lessons in Italian, French and arithmetic. Those ] who met him again at that time were l amazed to see the same innocent ex- | pression on the face of the youth. It's |