The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-07-01
Ordinary Talent VS.. Genius

Ordinary talent is nOrmal-the very name
indicates that; but genius is abnormal. Or
binary talent is legitimate product of evo-
mtionary processes. Genius Is no more the
result of evolution than Is a sport" among
the rose blossoms. In fact it is not SO likely
to survive even under natural or artificial
selection, Il: such a "sport.' BY Gssion you
can hand on to other generations the sports
of the rose, but, in spite Of all talk, you are
not sure of handing on genius by heredity
At least there are some notable failures to
set off against few doubtful successes. II
you take the usual dicum Of evolution, the
survival Of the flttt st." as expressing what is
best for the interests of the human race, or
binary talent is vastly more advantageous to
humanity than abnormal genius
1t becomes a question, therefore, whe her
the ever-increasing spcc.a ization of ordinary
talent Is wise. Are we improving the human
race by taking an call round good man and
trimming him down to fit some special guage
which necessitates some special form? Any
thing special is but i'll adapted for general
purposes, and when the demand for the
practically useless. The subject is one Of
immense Importance in the fields OF educa-
ton, OF labor and of professional life. The
more you specialize, the more you tend to
produce that special form of talent which
you call genius, although 1t is not the real
article; but you endanger the practical value
Of the man or woman for the ordinary pur-
all thn I'd N
poses OF life are those which count for most
In the welfare OF the human race.
In education we hurry over the necessary
basic principles, in order that we may spec
ialize on enc particular subject. Our col
leges have their special courses, reducing for
their sake the broader culture to minimum.
Our business and correspondence schools
take n pride In fling off everything superfiu-
Gus from the al-round man and fitting him
for one special hole. Our professional men
confne their energies to single line oil ac-
ton, and. If you want their aid In any line
other than their own, they send you from
pillar to post until life is done before you
accomplish your object. Thus three-fourths
Of the human beings In the civilized world
are of no earthly use, il taken from the hole
for which they have been ariifcially fitted.
You may in this way, perchance, manutae-
ture fairly good imitation OF genius, but 1t
will be at the sacrifice OF a thousand fold
value of ordinary talent. Better let nature
produce her own sports than waste life in
the attempt to make them Burbank can tell
you how many hundreds Of thousands OF
nursincs are necessary to secure single
plant "w orth while
The mistake is 10 specialize before the or
binary talent has been tIaiLed to its matdr-
ity. At that point genius If II exists, will
already have given evidence OF its existence.
What we really want is II wider culture in
the best sci So of the word. In rducati we
need cullivatiny which shrl' be rich and
deep, not merely spreading your fertilizer
without digging it in. In labor we Iced a
better :, stem, something like the guilds OF
old, by which each artisan shall learn some
thing at least of every process OF his art or
trade. 10 professional life we need a wider
outlook, which affords views OF more than
one aspect Of human needs. In short. let Us
have the poise. the deliberation, the calm
ness, the common sense. which train ordi
nary talent for The purposes OF human lie,
rather than the incessant, worrying, scurry-
log strife TO reach the pinnacle OF 'genius,"
from which the next conner is very likely to
p1sh you efore you can utter your protest.
philadelphia Ledger.