In this class C gradually became adjusted to the work in such a way that at the end of the school year (1923), when asked whether he would prefer to stay in the Special Opportunity Class or go on to high school, he unhesitatingly chose to stay with the special class. "It will be more interesting," he said. He therefore finished elementary school at the age of 12 years, although at 10 he was judged by his teachers to be fully prepared in knowledge to enter senior high school. There is no doubt that he could have been made ready to enter college at the age of 12 years.

When asked at the age of 9 what he would be when he grew up, the following conversation took place:

Q. What do you think is the most interesting vocation? What
would you like to be when you grow up?
A. Well, the answer to those two questions is not the same one.
Q. Then tell us first what you think is the most interesting
vocation.
A. Science, especially astronomy.
Q. And what vocation would you like to follow when you grow
up?
A. To be a medical doctor.
Q. But why not be what is most interesting?
A. Because a person cannot make much money being an astronomer.
I never heard of anyone at the Lick Observatory earning
fifty thousand dollars a year.
Q. But do medical doctors earn fifty thousand dollars a year?
A. It is possible for one to do it. Some of them do.
Q. Do you think being a medical doctor is the most lucrative
occupation?
A. No. It would be more lucrative to get into Standard Oil.
Q. Then why not go into Standard Oil?
A. Because it isn't so interesting as being a medical doctor.
Q. Which is the more useful occupation—medical doctor or
astronomer?
A. Medical doctor. Because a man does not care much for a
blazing star a million miles away if his wife is sick. Anyone
cares more for a person two feet away than for a thing a
trillion miles away.

The ambition to become a medical doctor has persisted for three years and gives an impression of permanency. [1]

Scores of anecdotes could be cited to illustrate the interests and the fine intelligence of this boy. In walking through the halls of the college with him, on one occasion when he had come for a mental test, the present writer saw what seemed to be an exhibition of Chinese costumes in a glass case, and called C's attention to it, saying, "Look at this exhibition of Chinese work." C looked closely at the exhibit for several moments without comment, and then said, "Well, I believe it is Japanese work, isn't it?" He then proceeded to point out certain minute differences which are found between the work of Japanese and Chinese and which were later verified by an authority on the subject.

When he went with his class to visit a new high school building in the city, he was missed as the others began to move from one corridor to another. After search, he was found in the chemical laboratory copying in a notebook the names of all the chemicals in the bottles as they appeared on the labels.

In the Opportunity Class C was appreciated by these children of more than 150 IQ as he had never been by the unselected children in the regular classes. They recognized his encyclopedic knowledge and respected it. They eventually elected him to two posts of responsibility among them. These were totally new experiences for C.

Another new experience for the boy was that of being equaled by another child in an intellectual performance. Although C led the special class in marks, as would be expected, he was nevertheless occasionally equaled or surpassed in one or two subjects in the month's record. He learned for the first time how to adjust himself to successful competitors in his own particular field.

TRAITS OF CHARACTER

A few faulty character traits in C have been noted by teachers. One teacher said, "He is somewhat of a prig." This impression appears to have been based partly on his lack of desire to play with children of his own age and partly on his use of "long words." Soon after C entered the Special Opportunity Class for gifted children, another boy equaled him in an assignment and put out his hand to C, saying cordially, "Let's shake." C had never had the experience of being equaled by a fellow pupil and he turned away, refusing to shake hands. However, he has now learned to react most cordially to those who equal him, though he bitterly dislikes to be equaled or passed in mental work.