A PRODIGY OF LEARNING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 139, 4 August 1911, Page 3

A PRODIGY OF LEARNING.

Reference was made recently to the ease of an American hoy named Sidis, who at ten or eleven had acquired the knowledge of a University'graduate. Dr. Boris Sidis, tlio boy’s father, who has educated his son by his own methods, has now written a hook on education, in which he attacks the American system with great energy and bitterness. Young Sidis, who is only twelve, has been attracting much attention lately by lecturing before University professors on the fourth dimension, and his father contends that every normal child would attain to his pitch of intellectual development if lie were properly trained. “He lias intense enjoyment in courses in the ugliest mathematics and astronomy,” :;avs Dr. Sidis. “’The Iliad and tne Odyssey are known to him liy heart, lie' is deeply interested in advanced work of classical philology. He is able to road Herodotus, Aosehvllns, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Lucian with the same zest as schoolboys read ‘Robinson Crusoe,’ Feilino 10 Cooper, or Henty. He lias a fair understanding of comparative philology and mythology, is well versed in logis, ancient history, and American history, and lias a general insight into politics.” His physical condition is ’letter than that' of the ordinary schoolboy, and lie is extremely happy and lively in disposition. The couniy would be thick with such young nti'llectnal giants. Dr. Sidis tells us, f people supplied children's natural 'onging for knowledge from the age if twoj answering and encouraging all their questions. He says a child will inquire knowledge as easily as it 'earns to ride a bicycle, and that by the tenth year it will possess, it bandied properly, knowledge which • nly a graduate obtains, and that liter imieh labour. “We regard a ■idld’s mind as a vacant lot, and we inp|y on it all our rubbish and ref:s We labour under the delusion !):iI fairy tales, myths, and decepiniu- about life and man are good for child's mind.” Tiie American edu.lmmil ideal is the product of medio<ities, and the system is controlled iv "pRIv bineaucr.its animated with ■'aired inuauls talent and genius.” )r. Piths is an expert in education, ml his attack is a prettv example of be lingo difference there is; sninoimes between expert opinions. Many mod anth.oritios imld tliat wo try to i;i,c!i tbe child too much, and we venuro to think the jnihlio will believe tiiom rather than Dr. Sidis.