The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-23

Leaping abruptly back IN a
10th century. We have the slsti.-as
ly robust example Of Josenb he ~
man, famous pianist, who clsa-,,
demonstrated his remarkable -!
steal talent when he was bpt sS'
years old, and was on the co...
stage at the age of IL. -es'.
sHper-Children in Two Class.,
There are and always nave -.
certain wonder children" pro ~
sor Edward l., ThOrndike Of IT, IT,
ers' college, Columbia univer-9.-
tells us, "and they have turned ~,
to be great men aud women -
It is evident that child. rani ,-.s.
may be divided into two sIaeg1s
those who are creative and inv,
tive and those who have excantio-
al memories and absorbinp na rr,gl'
The child of creative abiJitv !.
the real wonder child. Tbera as
many children who have eTea.
tional memories. and while Il
true that some of these childrs,
have greater capacity than olbsrs
the faculty is not indicative nj -
high development as the creatiys1 !.
inventive gift"
Professor Monroe. also ~ N,
Teachers college. declares that M,
present system of public scbeoI
education is greatly to be cepsurs5
because it makes no special mo
vision for children of sunerio,
ability. We in this country 81.
so democratic that we look ont n,
the mass" he says. Our entira
educational system is gauged by
mediocrity. We need some nav
way of scaling our classes, so thai
persons of exceptional ability WRi
not be held back to the level M
their mediocre companions. Some,
times this lack of occupation in
schools while they are waiting for
their slower brothers and sisters
to catch up is harmful to the chill
dren Of superior talent. They be.
come FESTIVE or indifferent.
Wider recognition should ba
given to the child prodigy. Ths
hope of education is to bring ont
all the native talent and ability
each child has. Naturally sone
children will have more to SHOW
than others, but each child should
have a chance to develop to its
highest point.
Il do not believe in too much
freedom or too much snperintend,
ence of the child's education. There
is a medium which offers enCoHr-
agement to the child TO use bis
own initiative and at the same time
furnishes guidance without which
he might become one-sided."
United States Stage for PrOdigieS.
The United States has provided
the exhibition stage for large
number of child prodigies in the
last two years. In fact, almost ey-
cry European nation and several
South American republics seemed
to have two or three ready for Us
as soon as the war was over. Fa
have maryeIed at the ability Of the
little chess wizard, Samuel RE
of the little girl, Pamela
Bianco; of the young girl diaFyist
by Herr Freud. and of 3
long list of youthful musical art
lists. And recently we have been
asked to admire our own American
prodigies in groups-so fast are
they developing. Last year little
Miss BiancO held an art exhibition
Of her own which was well praised
by astonished art critics; but, lo3
this year a whole group Of New
York children are exhibiting work
just as good.
As fine prejudice against permit
ting children to assert themselves
dies out. we seem tn be developing
greater and greater numbers e.
super normal children # the IA
crease continues and if the day ever
comes when the public schools
adopt special measures for deVet-
oping individual talent. genius may
possibly become common among
our population.