Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 207, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1915 — BOY IS A WONDER [ARTICLE]

BOY IS A WONDER

California Prodigy Amazes Wist Schoolteachers. t ~ ~ At the Age of Eight, Youth Hae Knowledge of Stare, Chemistry, History, Geology and Other Sciences. San Francisco. —With no schooling except nature and books, supplemented by the help of his parents, eight-year-old Richard Carey hae left his father’s isolated farm in the rugged slopes back of Santa Rosa and come to San Francisco, an astronomer, chemist, historian, geologist and botanist. The lad’s extraordinary versatility, clearness of understanding, retentive memory and conception of serious subjects is amazing Dr. Frederick Burke, principal of the San Francisco Normal, school, where he is receiving special instruction during the summer months. He was brought here by his mother, Mrs. Brook Carey, to benefit by the summer course. Until little Richard enrolled at the Normal school two days ago he had never attended school. His extraordinary education is the.result of application on subjects which he fancied and the assistance of his parents — teaching him how to study from nature and books. At the age of five he collected 200 railroad time tables and' studied them until he knew every route and every time schedule. At six he classified all the kings in the world’s history, including those of the ancient empires and the Manchu dynasty. Has studied astronomy until he can name the planets of the first magnitude, the principal constellations, 10-cate -cate with a telescope all stars of importance and calculate when comets will return. Studied chemistry, knows chemical symbols and understands many important chemical actions. Learned the names of all trees, shrubs and flowers and calls them by their Latin appellations. Studied geology and can describe and distinguish rock formations. Has studied botany and now is trying to cross hollyhocks to produce better flowers.