Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-01-01
Early Days of
Famous People
Sir Isaac Merton As a Boy
Preferred Science TO
Farming.
By vi. III. TTLLITT


~ NE DAY. nearly 500 years ago
q group CT farmers living
around the small village OF
wcolsthorpe. in Lincolnshire, Eng.
land. stood marveling at a new de-
vice for telling time. IL was a water
clock and had been fashioned by a
tiny lad with very few years behind
him. A little later those same far
mers saw another bit OF the lads
achievements. 1t was an improved
sun dial. That little boy was Isaac
Newton.
What the small Newton boy had
done set the neighbors talking and
asking questions. What name OF
lad was he? What was he going 10
make OF himself? And then II was
that his loving grandmotner-with
whom Isaac lived in his earlier years.
his father having died before he was
born and his mother having married
again-told Of the promise that was
IN him. To the inquiring neighbors
she proudly showed clever mechani-
cal devices and handiwork OF the lad
done with the few tools he possessed.
And she told. too. OF his gift for
mathematics.
In the meantime Isaac was follow.
ing his destiny. He sought truth in
the world around him. That was his
part In life. ANY mystery OF nature
he came across he counted as a chal-
lenge and he accepted 10. Even in
his play he was the seeker after
truth, the deliver into mysteries. The
force OF the wind reused his curiosity
and he proceeded 70 ascertain IL by
measuring the distance he could
lump against II and comparing II
with the distance jumped when the
air was calm. He introduced kite
flying in his study Qf air currents
above. His ~cleverness with tools
was usta manifestation OF his
bent for mechanics-which. az q
science. he later vas 20 carry to un-
dreamed OF lengths.
II Is notable that in his very early
years Isaac Newton va not very
| jealous as a book student. Left
largely I o his own mental guidance.
he turned TO the things around him
for observation and study. The
forces Of nature and mechanical de-
! vices Of men made up the book OF
study that he found most inviting.
In his pursuit OF such study he re-
vealed q power OF analysis and de
veloped a creatlveness and original
ity OF thought that were later to dis
tinguish his work. In the things
| around him-many OF them common
place-the little boy found problems.
Some OF these he solved. Some he
carried with him into mature years
for solution. .
After a short while OF this kind OF
mental activity. however, little Isaac
found his progress hampered by lac
OF book knowledge and promptly be-
carne studious. The great problems
| that were already reckoning gave
| the child's mind an impulse towards
deem study and acquisition or known.
edge that never ~slackened ~ ne
had set many new highs for
science.
Realizing that he was not intended
FOR a farmer as was originally
| MANNED, Isaac's guardians and rela-
| lives gave him the benefits OF nearby
schools and. at the age OF is. he
went 10 Cambridge University. His
| discovery OF the law OF gravity. his
solutions OF battling problems on
light and color and his achievements
IN mathematics and mechanics are
credits that distinguish him as the
man who has. singly perhaps. most
extended the limits OF the worlds
knowledge.
Sir Isaac Nei1ton tCds born De
cember o5. 1862 and died March 20.
1921. Among his great Discoveries
iCds the Lao OF CRAFTY. PhiloSo-
phide NdtHrdlis Principle Mdthe-
mdticd iCds the title OF, perhaps. his
most important cork.