Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-01
One Child in Thousands
Says Psychologists but
Mother Thinks He's Just a
Healthy Boy
BY ALEXANDER HERMAN

PHILADELPHIA, April 2S.-A
baby only two years old can read,
tell time, count to a hundred, dis
tiguish geometric forms, and con-
verse in English and German.
He is the youngest child to pass
a series of tests conducted by the
University of Pennsylvania for
superior children. The psychologist
who examined him says he is one
child in thousands.
Yet Mrs. John c. Schwabenland
the mother, doesn't think her Jack
is a baby wonder!
He's just a healthy little boy
she says, land that counts more
than anything else.
eve hardly expected him to grow
up this way, for the first four
months of his life were spent in a
hospital. We despaired of his life.
Then suddenly he began sprouting
out-a regular Teller
Il never studied any books on
bringing up children. 1 never had
any specialized training in educa.
ton. But I've always used my com.
mon sense.
"When T noticed that the baby
didn't like dolls, didn't force any
on him. And when 1 saw that he
took to blocks and picture books,
let him have them.
II guess that started him"
Mother Has No Illusions
On to what?
Mrs. Schwabenland doesn't know
and doesn't care.
81 have no dream of him growing
up a genius" she says, L have no
illusions about his becoming great.
1t may all be but flash in the
pan.
HE will grow UP as he wants."
Educators, however, see a great
trained. But they warn against
forced knowledge.
"We're not forcing him." says his
mother. eff anything, we have to
hold him back.
''He began talking when he was
eight months old, and started walk
ing when he was year"
The boy rode into the room on
his toy auto.
After a formal introduction, he
withdrew to his mothers side.
He didn't seem to care much about
speaking about himself. He was
more concerned in asking questions.
who's the MANI" he wanted to
know.
His mother told him, but he
wasn't much impressed-until 1
showed interest in his auto.
A Tightening of a loose holland
a friendship was cemented.
Jackie LoOsens Up
Then Jackie began to loosen up.
When asked what came after 70,
he promptly replied:
Eighty"
When asked to read, he picked up
a nursery book and went through
the alphabet like streak. Then he
read words picked out at random.
Hard ones like "XerXes" and "Zou-
ave" were as easy to him as "cat'
and rrat.''
He could distinguish triangle
from a rectangle. Then his mothe,
drew a difficult one. One glance.
and the answer from Jack:
nat ) d IuOIIlDO1d. hA1AO IL w clo'
Then he told time-on the hour,
only, however-spoke some German
with his mother, and grew rest
less.
AS a browning feat, he went to
the piano and played Three O'Clock
in the Morning.
By banging three times with his
little fist.
Then he mounted his little car and
rode off laughing.
At the university Jack passed the
Wilmer form board test.
"This," explained DR.. Lightner
Wilmer, head of the psychology deA
partment, TESTS the child's intelli-
gence-his ability to solve new prob
lens. Most children of six years
pass it,. about so per cent of four
year-oids, about 25 per cent of three
year-olds, but never before a two
year-old child"
The tests consist Of removing u
differently shaped blocks from
board and replacing them in their
proper holes within specified time.
In a memory test, Jack attained
the four-year level and in aesthetic
comparison, the five-year level. This
gave him a mental age of 3 years II
and a rating of 1858 intel.
ligent quotient, which is the highest
yet attained in the clinic by child