Children Above 180 IQ Stanford-Binet: Origin and DevelopmentHollingworth, Leta Stetter
Science
Children Above 180 IQ Stanford-Binet: Origin and Development
Hollingworth, Leta Stetter
Gifted children; Stanford-Binet Test
Child I left this experimental school a year after admission,
when her father was appointed to a position in another state,
to which the family moved. In the new school she was placed
in the fifth grade, on the ground that she might make better
social adjustments there, although her achievements were clearly
already better than those of average sixth-grade pupils. It is
unfortunate that no follow-up of this child has been possible.
Her record and the variety of her abilities were striking. She
was one of the most outstanding and best-liked pupils in the group
at Speyer School. In addition to her remarkable intelligence she
possessed desirable supporting traits which led the teachers to
predict that she might "go farther" than any other child in the
selected group of fifty "rapid learners."
The fairly complete account of I's background and early development
has been here provided in the hope that it may be made of use by
investigators at some later time.
PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS AND HEALTH
Measurements, as of January 16, 1939, age 9 years 6 months,
were as follows:
CHILD I NORM
Height 58.5 inches 52
Weight 96 pounds 61.5
Chest circumference 29 inches
Head circumference 21.1 inches
Eye color brown
Hair color dark brown
Tonsils and adenoids caused trouble in 1933 and were removed
in 1934. No visual defects noted. Occasional headaches "usually
from reading or remaining long periods indoors." Hearing excellent.
Nutrition excellent. No symptoms of general weakness.
Parents report I to be "at least very excitable," and that she
shows "impulsive actions and extreme eagerness."
No sleep difficulties; no muscular twitching; no special fears.
Sleeps nine hours, fairly soundly.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARACTERISTICS
Her superior ability was first noticed by people from the
University, at 15 months, because of comprehension beyond that
expected at such an age."
She is interested in music and wrote the school song at Speyer.
She has been very much interested in nature study and science
since her second or third year, and "in her relationship to the
world and the cosmos." Has asked questions frequently concerning
origins and creation.
She has shown no special interests in mechanics, drawing, or
painting, but from her second year she has had active interests
in recitation and in the dramatization of nursery rhymes, etc.
She has played with imaginary companions. She began making up
rhymes at an early age. "She reasons logically and has a strong
sense of justice."
A neatly bound volume of typed pages, prepared by I as a Christmas
present, 1937, for Leta S. Hollingworth, is entitled "First Poems."
There are in the collection a dozen short verses or longer poems,
each dated by I's age at the time of composition. The ages range
from 4.5 to 8 years. A few samples follow.
STARS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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