Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16


his superior intellect.
BY n. n. PRECIADO.
"VHIs is story about Edward Roche
Hardy, jr., the current wonder Of the
scholastic world He is wonder be-
cause he has done things so far above
the achievements of the average, nor-
NAL person that he is in class by himself
He performs things with his brain that corre-
spond to what Tunney does with his fists, what
Tilden does with his racket, what Nurmi does
with his legs and what Hagen does with his
mashie.
Even when you compare young Hardy with
people who have achieved success and fame in
closely related fields of endeavor you'n see him
towering over countless numbers Of them
For instance:
He spoke four languages and could solve ele-
anentary mathematical problems at S.
He matriculated at New York University at
the age Of S.
He passed the Harvard entrance examinations
at the age Of 10. This is an age when most
youngsters are finding 1t hard to pass their ex-
aminations in the elementary schools.
He entered Columbia University at the age
of IL.
He knew IL languages at the age Of 10.
He knew Is languages at the age Of Is.
He won Phi Beta Kappa key, the emblem Of
superior scholastic intellect, at the age Of IA.
He received his A. b. degree at the age Of Is.
He received his A. NJ. degree at the age of Is.
He graduates this month from General Semi
nary-a New York theological schOO-at the
age Of 81.
He has completed all his work In connection
with his Phi. ID. at Columbia University, an
honor he will receive In January when his thesis
on an early period In Egyptian life has been
turned in.
OUTSIDE Of the attachments enumerated, Ed
1850 nHaA aHFvr fp Ia Savo4 Al
American youth, who is perhaps O little more
formal In his pleasures than the average boy,
but who finds considerable enjoyment in q few
things outside Of the pages between the covers
Of ponderous books.
The fact that he Is normal boy, however,
and performed such startling mental gymnastics
rs to excite the interest of layman and educa-
tor alike, Is the strange part Of his life. He is
an enigma, as are all child prodigies. You
wonder how they get that way.
There have been child prodiges from the
beginning of life, you want to go back that
far, and still the riddle TO their superior men
tally remains unsolved Educators through
out the world have written treatises on the
subject, but they have been unable to get
anywhere.
had unusual advantages to develop their minds,
that their environment has been conducive TO
a healthy mental growth, that they have had
the good fortune to be tutored by intelligent
and capable persons and there they stop.
And 1t Is because they are unable to explain
whence came the brain that assimilated all
this knowledge, all these facts, all these
theories, all these powers to learn rapidly, that
the mystery becomes deeper
The brain holds the secret. Obviously a
good brain is the precursor of a good intellect
but where does the good brain come from?
Perhaps the SCIENTIST who can answer this
question can explain Edward Roche Hardy. jr.
Perhaps not.
TT would be futile to attempt to delve into
the mysteries of this phenomena. For
the time being you must satisfy yourself with
the surface knowledge, and there is no one
better fitted to explain young Edward Roche
Hardy jr. than his parents. They live at 419
West 18th street, New York City, a few steps
from Columbia University. The boy was born
there and still lives there
One of these parents will talk-the mother
remains silent. She is DR.. Sarah Belcher
Hardy, herself holder of three university
degrees member of the New York bar and
authority on bacterio)ogy. Edward Roche