"NIL NISI INTELLECTUS"

One of the commonest educational platitudes is that college training "teaches a man to think." Possibly it does, but perhaps it rather relieves his mind of confusion and illusion, replacing these with fact and clarity, in proportion to his industry and mental alertness. This hypothesis would seem to be supported by the theory of an English scientist, who says that sixteen years is the age at which a man reaches his maximum intelligence: after that he may sow study, reap facts, thresh theories, feed on observation, and digest experience; but he will never possess a sharper mental instrument than at the end of his boyhood.

A student might at first feel dissatisfied with the notion that his highest level of intelligence has already been reached. But a little thought dispells this uncomfortable feeling. In the first place, the rare thing is not to possess intelligence, but to utilize it. Probably no one will ever know how much the "normal" individual could accomplish, if means were found to extract and utilize all his thinking powers. Since no one does know everyone secretly prides himself that (except in particulars) he "has as good a head as the next man."

In the second place, what is this "intelligence" which the scientist tries to measure? Intelligence tests emphasize mental precision, and quickness of apprehension; but what of the slower processes which culminate in full comprehension? Certainly these also are a part of intelligence. Furthermore, common experience proves that acquired facts can bring greater exactness and a larger ability to solve new problems

"Intelligence" must be used in a sense specific and universally understood, before any theory about it can even approach validity or importance. But meanwhile, this latest hypothesis may be useful in reminding teachers of children to save their major burden of abstractions for shoulders (presumably sixteen-year-old shoulders) that are quite ready to bear them; to keep their stock of complicated facts for hands that are skilled to sort them. By such a course, many a prodigy may be saved from himself.