THE MENTAL HOTHOUSE

Northwestern University announces apparently with some pride that it will enroll next fall six youthful prodigies between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. Who have met all the requirements for admission this projected establishment of a "mental hothouse" to train precocious young boys and ripen them into geniuses may seem alluring to such students, but will scarcely command the unqualified approval of educators.

Parents of young boys who have met the requirements for admission to college not infrequently delay their entrance until they have sufficiently matured to hold their own physically with their fellows. But this in many cases proves a mistake, for the intervening year or longer is often passed in intellectual stagnation. Northwestern has recognized the importance of keeping constantly before a student the type of material with which he can best deal; under its plan brilliant young students will be enabled at least to develop to a high point their inherent intellectual abilities.

But it is problematical whether the six selected prodigies will be happy in their collegiate surroundings. Their physical limitations will restrict their participation in athletics and at college socal functions they will feel hopelessly out of place. Forced to assume an air of deference their more mature classmates, they will in consequence suffer a loss of self-confidence.

Northwestern may train its prodigies minds; it will not be serving their best interests. Perhaps the best solution for the problem of the intellectually advanced student would be to retard him early in his school career rather than to delay his entrance into college after graduation from preparatory school. He would then suffer no loss of interest in intellectual matters when his powers were maturing, and could still enter college with the preparatory class with he graduated, fully equipped to participate in all branches of activity.