The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-12-01
INTERESTED in
BLIND PRODIGY
KenOsha is interested in
Squabble Over Powers
of Blind Girl.
SEEMS TO Be MARVEL

Kenosha is very much interested in
the controversy which has been stirred
up by the alleged remarkable powers
of Willetta Higgins, the sixteen-year-
old blind girl of the Wisconsin School
of the Blind, whose strange powers
have been discredited by Prof. Joseph
H. Jastrow of the University Of Wis
consin. A year ago Prof. Jastrow de-
livered a series of three lectures. in
Kenosha as a part of the course pre-
scented by Mrs. z. G. Simmons for that
year. In those lectures he discussed
telepathy, spiritualism, and kindred
subjects and his addresses caused no
little excitement in Kenosha.
For this reason, all who heard him
are interested in the controversy which
has arisen regarding the blind girl at
Evansville.
Dispute Over Powers.
Although the young woman can
neither hear nor see, Mr.. Hooper con-
tends she is able, through the sense of
touch and smell, to distinguish colors
and hear sounds.
Prof, Joseph Jastrow, psychologist at
che University of Wisconsin, contends
that the statements concerning the girl
are not based on fact and that the girl
is neither totally blind or deaf.
Mr.. Hooper has obtained affidavits
from specialists to prove his state
ments. Gas an alumnus of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin, Prof. Jastrows
stand is a disappointment to me-" he
said. IF the psychologists are bold
enough dogmatically to state that they
know without investigation Willettas
powers are impossible, they only show
their unscientifc minds rather than an
open-minded desire for an investiga-
ton"
Claim Girl Ill Treated.
When the test was made at the Uni
versity of Wisconsin, it is claimed by
Rev. J. A. Melrose and Supt. J. T.
Hooper of GAINESVILLE, who were in on
the Jastrow tests, that the little
blind girl was abused to the extent
that she refused for period of time
to respond to their questions.
The temperament of the highly Gull
tivated blind is most sensitive. When
Willetta Higgins was led into the "psy-
Geological chamber, there was an at
mosphere of doubt among the univer-
sity scientists conducting the test
There was nothing gentle in their
treatment to\her Neither in the opin-
ion of both GAINESVILLE men were the
tesla conducted in favorable manner.
Smells All COlors.
Willetta Higgins has the astounding
ahiIifU IN FOIL 1n1Ora
For this test Jastrow and Hull, his as
sistant, are alleged to have taken her
into dark room, used for developing
photographs. There were strong odors
of chemicals to confuse.
"In addition to that, Mr.. Hull grabbed
her by the bridge of the nose and
pressed hard" declared Supt Hooper.
"Now it is question whether anyone
can smell with q clamp on the nasal
passages. But as a matter of fact with
the strong chemical odors and all, Will
letta picked 500 of the colors right"
The trouble in the test, it was de-
clared, was that the girl resented
the attitude of the university men and
their treatment during the test. She
baked for half n hour and refused to
go on With the test.
Scores DIR. JastrOw.
CDR. Jastrow is evidently daffy on
the subject Of myth and supernatural
powers" declared j. T. Hooper. "Since
the ability of the Higgins girl is not
according to his own limited and mar
row theories-why he says she is
fake He refuses to accept any doc
trine that is foreign to his own AFRO
CANT views and then spouts off for the
purpose of getting into print. We do
not claim that Willetta Higgins is
supernatural-rather she has developed
to high degree of efficiency, senses
little used by other people. 1t is not
question of psychology"
Performs Remarkable Feat.
A test was recently conducted in
GAINESVILLE bank vault. A dozen Sins
of colored paper were put on a shelf
The Higgins girl was instructed to 90
into the darkened bank vault and put
the colored paper into different envel-
opes, label them and place them in
deposit box. She was 1000 on the test
conducted in the presence of newspa-
permen and others. The vault was
P''|it vain anu AAShbS disconnected so
that there was no possible chance of
her seeing the paper.
Again, recently Frank 0. Holt of
GAINESVILLE talked with her over the
telephone at the state blind school.
Wilietta placed finger over the re-
ceiver vibrator and newspaper re-
porter stood within six inches of the
receiver extended a full arms length
by Willetta from her ears. The con-
versation was hardly audible to the re-
porter, but was understood exactly by
the blind and deaf girl, for copies of
che message were compared.