The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-27
FATHER OF PRODIGY
RIDICULES SCHOOL,
Says college Bats" Fear Genius
Of the Young-Frivolity
in Homes.

Boston. Mass. June 2s.-How the
average child may be turned into an
infant prodigy and fitted to enter
lessor Boris Sidis- who has achieved
that thing In the education OF his son.
William J. Sidis, thirteen years old.
who just has finished his second year
In the university. Not only does Dr.
Stdis set forth his theories OF child in
ftrucion In an essay on "Philistine
and Genius" that just has been made
public, but he also attacks the present
day system of SCHOOL and college IN
struction. H
Poor old college owls. academic
BARNARD fowls and worn out, sickly
school bats" he says OF professors and
school teachers. you are panic-stricken
by the power of sunlight. You arc in
agonizing.f mortal terror of critical,
reflective thought. You dread and sup
press the genius OF the young"
AS Psychologist and lecturer in the
Harvard Medical School. as a disciple
OF the late Professor William James
OF Harvard, and as man who for
years has been Identified with advanced
educat ional thought, his arraignmcnt
OF elementary schools. high schools
and colleges Will cause discussion Dr..
sidis says:
There is a period in the child's nfs
between the ages of five and ten when
he is very inquisitIve. asking all kinds
of questions. II is the age OF dis
cussion in the child. That inauisfttve.
ness and discussion should by all
means be encouraged and fostered.
we should aid the development OF the
spirit of inquisitiveness and curiosity
In the child. for that is the acquisition
Of control over the stored UP, latent
energies Of mans genius.
We should not arrest the child's
qucs Honing spirit, as we are often
apt TO do, but should strongly encour-
age the apparently meddlesome and
troublesome searching and prying and
scrutinizing OF whatever interests the
child. Everything should be open TO
the child's searching interest, nothing
should be too sacred for examination.
The spir' OF inquiry, the genius of
man. Is more sacred than any abstrac.
belief. dogma and creed.
The child Will acquire knowledge
With the same ease that he learns to
ride the bicycle or play ball BY the
tenth year. without almost any effort,
the child Will acquire the Knowledge
which at present the best college
graduate obtains with infinite labor
and palms."
Not only does Dr. sldis blame the
present system Of education But he
arraigns the home thus:
This. however. is one OF the char
acteristic types of the American home.
The mother thinks of dresses. fashions
and parties. The daughter twangs and
thrums on the piano. making violent
attemps at singing that sound as the
cracking Of thorns under pot and
is passionately fond Of shopping, dress
ing and visiting. Both mother, and
daughter love society. show and COS
SIP
The father works in some bus
mess or at some trade and loves sports
and games. Not a spark Of refine
ment and culture. not redeeming ray
Of love, of knowledge and Of art
light UP the commonplace and frivo-
lous of life of the family. What won
der that the children of ten and eleven
can hardly read and write, are little
brutea. and waste away their precious
life of childhood in the close, dusty.
overheated rooms OF some elementary
school. Commercial mediocrity Is
raised at home and cultivated in the
school," @