The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-11-22
IONNA'S BOY WONDER
AT Nine Years OF Age His Unusual
Mental AttaiumentS are Amazing.

~
To be 9 years old and in class IN
the public schools with boys twice hl-;
age, and football giants, and yet lead
record of little Malcolm Haskins Dow
ell, son OF Mr. and Mrs George Dow
boy has practically stepped from baby
hood without any educational training
into next to the highest grade in the
Washington public schools. Held back
by serious illness, be has not had an
entire year of school work.
He is the grandson of Mr.. and Mrs.
J. G.. Haskins, of Des Moines. who
have watched his wonderful develop
ment with pride. At 5 years of age he
delighted to reae to his grandmother
while she held the book. 4Ie slid glib
ly over the longest words in the book
and no Biblical common name was be
yoRd his powers of pronunciation. he
would listen to stories read aloud at
years of age and then repeat them
almost verbatim.
Shut out from sports that would de-
light other boys for the last four gears
undergoing a severe surgical operation
laEt year and racked with pain most
Of the time. the boy pursued his school
work at home against the wishes or
his parents. When the time came this
oil for him to enter school for the first
time in year the &boy jumped from
oRe grade to another by his aualitica-
tions, until it was iound that he was
| peaay for the seventh grade, a thing
| .aheard Of among normal children. He
fean recite for both classes When he
studies his arithmetic for his next les
son he can listen 10 the recitation OF
the next class and know tie context
OF the book as we'll as the upper pupil
reciting. This rem arkable feat was dis
covered last week, when the boy recit-
ed the story under consideration by
the other class in it's entirety and yet
shaved a full set Of figures, completely
and accurately solved.
| Music is as ne tural gift as his
memory. Perfectly connersant with
the strings Of the piano, violin and
mandolin. he can produce the same
music on each instrument a few min
1tes after IL has been played on an
other instrument. Raghme has nc
more the terrors for this remarkable
Child in digital dexterity on these in
1 strume0ts than Iany two-four exercise
supposed to be the best score for c...Ad-
! ren at his age.
I He can initiate any cho1ds or group
of chords with equal ability on the in
sstruMents without a flaw or slur on a
note. His mental perception for music
| tones is absolutely accurate and 20
ltoHalEHatien of notes confnses him.
| While the child has a mind of won
| terfui brilliance, he is in no way alb
normal. His body has kept pace with
| the average child sof 9 years. His fu-
tlHe will be watched with much in
terest Try students. At a recent med
ica1 examination he was found to be in
normal condition, but with brain up-
E1srsa1fyzflcute. A brother was gradual
ed from the West High school in Des
EnEes hst year and is now 4 student
OF law in the Northwestern University.
If the boys health continues he will be
in the high school at ten years, a
graudate at IA and u lawyer with
a shfngle from the Northwestern Uni
versfty several years ahead of any of
his competitors in the profession-Des
MoiHes Uowa) Register and Leader.