The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-09-23
TYPEWRITER MADE
INFANT PRODIGY
Babe Played With Machine; Boy
Of 13 Ready for College.
SURPRISE FOR HIS PARENTS

Young WiIImoore Kendall, Jr., Son OF
a Blind Pastor of Mangum, Okla.
Learned the Alphabet at Two, Be.
gan Going to School at Four, and
| Plans to Enter Northwestern Uni
versity This FaII-He Is Fond of
Reading, But Takes Keen Delight in
All Open-Air Sports.
Eleven years ago Mrs. Willmoore
Kendall gave her twoyearold son a
typewriter to play with while she read
from textbooks to her blind husband,
student in Northwestern university.
The boy discarded his other toys and
sat by the hour picking at the keys
with his chubby fingers.
Today, at the age Of thirteen, Will
moore Kendall, Jr., now living in Man
gum, Okla, is preparing to enter col
lege. His mother declares the early
experience with his fathers type
writer gave him his start In acquiring
his education, start that swept him
into school at the age of four, after
he had read such books as 1.-THE Little
Lame Prince" and Little Lord Faunt-
leroy" He graduated in June from
the Mangum high school. His ia
Their is pastor of the First Methodist
church. The boy intends to enter
Northwestern as freshman if the
rules of the university can be sus-
pended to admit him. Otherwise, he
will matriculate in some other insti-
tuition.
No Design in Result.
Regarding the boys early training
his mother said:
ut was a matter of necessity, sup
pose, which made us, without design,
place him in a position to get flying
start on his education. When Will
moore was in his second year his ia
ther was studying in Northwestern
university. Since Mr.. Kendall was
totally blind, l did all his reading for
him, and Willmoore often disturbed
us by crying. 1t occurred to us to
give him his fathers typewriter.
"Pecking away at the keys of the
machine, Willmoore gradually learned
the entire alphabet, and, almost be-
fore we knew 1t, he was putting let
tiers together into words and Joining
words into sentences. l am sure
there was never any consciousness Of
tiresome mental effort in his early
training. 1t was all matter OF play
for the boy, and it kept him so amused
that his father and / were left free
to 70 on with our reading, stopping
only at first to tell him a new letter,
and, later, the spelling of Words
The boys entry into the public
school at the age Of four came as a
result Of a chance call OF the city
school superintendent at Hartshorne,
Okla, where Rev. Mr.. Kendall was
stationed. The lad was reading aloud
from Hawthorne's "Tanglewood Tales
when the teacher entered the room.
The visitor was attracted by his rapid
and expressive pronunciation.
"What grade will you be in this
year," he asked the child.
Mrs. Kendall explained that her son
was but four years old and had not
entered school, Upon the insistence
Of the superintendent the boy started
his school work the following fall.
Is Athletic Younoster.
Willmoore has not sacrificed his
physical welfare for his studies. Five
feet three inches tall, he weighs ITO
pounds, and takes keen delight In all
the open-air sports enjoyed by boy
Of thirteen. He is an expert swim
mer, and INDUCES regularly in box
ing, baseball and other athletic sports.
He is a member of the local boy
scout troop. Last summer, while en-
,amped with the troop in the noun
aims near Mangum, he rescued boy
If twelve who had been seized with |
cramps while swimming.
He is still fond of reading, Dickens,
Scott and Stevenson, being among |
lis favorite authors. He also reads J
much current literature and history. |
Science and mathematics he finds ex-
remedy difficult. He is enthusiastic |
bout music, and although he has
lever had regular instruction, plays |
he flute well, being member of his
athers church orchestra.
He admits he is too light to try for
he freshman football team when he
nters college, but declares he will !
go in for debating" He was a
aember Of the Mangum high school
ebating team, always assuming the
ask Of rebuttal over the older mem
ers Of the team.