The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-15
IN COLLEGE At ELEVEN
Prodigy at Tufts Read Darwin
When Eight Years Old.
RESTS HIMSELF WITH HIS IBsEN

Father Of Norbert weiner Says His
Son II Far From Being "Cranmed"
and Plays All That He Wishes-win
Stop His Games Any TINE to Talk
Philosophy and Metaphysics-Has .
Marvellous Memory.
The poor, overburdened lazy bug, ON
which the sins Of omission Of boys and
boys grown talr' have been laid since
the race was young, has its grip even
upon Norbert Weiner, the prodigy Of
eleven years, who has been admitted
TO the freshman class at Tufts college,
says a Boston special dispatch to the
New York World.
HE doesn't study too much; he Is
even lazy at times" declared Pro-
lessor Leo Weiner, the Harvard in
structor whose small sons accomplish
ments have made him the cynosure Of
the educational world. This was in de-
Tense Of his letting his son undertake
college work wen most boys are well
down in the grammar grades.
What else can 1 DOR asked the
father when told people remarked that
1.-The boys father is a Harvard pro-
fessor and should know better" HE
has not been 'crammed' He plays like
other boys when he wants to and
doesn't study much. But he will stop
playing any time to talk philosophy or
metaphysics.
His mind is analytical, but while
his learning is deep he is not sufficient
~ advanced, Of course, to apply the
principles. He has had half year in
kindergarten, one year in an ele-
mentary school and two years In a
high school. Yet he appears well fit
ted for a collegiate course. I shall
not press him to study, but will permit
him to follow his own course.
when he was eight years old he
was familiar with Darwin. Haeckel.
Ribot and Huxley, while he had a
smattering of the reasonings of many
other philosophers. His memory is
marvellous in its retentiveness."
Il don't see why any one is inter-
ested in me simply because like to
study when l feel like 1t. Philosophy
Is more interesting than fairy tales.
In fact, philosophy is fairyland," said
the infant collegian, who was rather
put out at being interrupted in his
perusal of Ibsen and was disinclined
to be interviewed.
child's luminous eyes contain some
thing in their expression that recalls
ideas Of the supernatural. "ToO old
for his years. is written in every line
of his small but intellectual counte-
nance. The marks of Russian enforced
reticepce and sorrow are oddly blended
with those of American energy, cOur-
age and carelessness.
Il like to play, but much prefer to
read" said he 1.-The boys pranks
amuse me, but when 1 have seen their
games and participated in them I want
rest, and turn to my Huxley or, as
now, to Ibsen. Do you not think him
expansive? 1 get suggestions from him
which fill my mind with a thirst for
greater things. l don't like occultism
I prefer to work out those problems
my father tells me 1 will have to face
in after life
But, there. don't want to talk
now. am to begin to work hard at
Tufts and want to rest myself with my
Ibsen."
Norbert arises promptly at a. M,
dresses himself and turns his first
thoughts to his books. He has to be
drawn from them to his breakfast. An
hours play with neighboring children
satisfies him, and he then wants to re-
turn to study. Physically he Is strong
for boy of his age, and his health is
indeed remarkable considering the
close confinement to which he subjects
himself.
He says he has not yet marked out
a career for himself. II am too young
for that. 1 want to learn all 1 can be-
fore 1 choose a profession, and I guess
I can learn"
Norbert Weiner was born in Column
bia, Mo-, Nov 20, 1894. His mother
was a Missouri girl, his father a Rus
sian student who came to America to
seek his fortune. When ten years old
the boy passed the examinations for
admission to Harvard, but was barred
because Of his age. This year Tufts
college, at the solicitation of his father,
admitted him as freshman upon his
passing the entrance examinations with
higher rank than any other student
matriculating. His English grammar
Is perfect, his Latin and German are
high, but he knows practically nothing
Of Slavonic, which his father teaches
In Harvard.