“At first Guglielmo had tutors and he led them a merry chase to keep up with his questions. Then, when still young, he was sent to an advanced school in Leghorn, later entering the University at Bologna. But with all that he learned of theory and practice concerning what had become his hobby, he obtained more knowledge at home, for his investigations were not along discovered routes, but in new fields.
“When Guglielmo was only sixteen his father had provided him with all the instruments and apparatus he could wish for and he knew no handicaps of this kind.
“In this country a poor boy, without social hindrances, has an equal chance with a rich lad. In my native land, in Europe I think, the lad with means has a better opportunity. Here you have many great men in every walk of life who have been poor, but over there that is a rare thing. Wealth brings opportunity and quick recognition. Guglielmo had this advantage, but if he had not also possessed an earnest, painstaking and brilliant mind he could have gained no distinction. Most of his acquaintances led pleasure-loving, easy, indolent lives and he could have done the same thing. Therefore, what credit is due Guglielmo for the great success he has achieved!
“While Guglielmo was still in his teens he turned his father’s estate into a vast laboratory and experimenting station. His great success seemed to come from using all outdoors as his workshop.
“In this way he learned the magic of sound waves and vibrations, so that he could send his ‘telegrams’ without a wire. His first experiments were for only a few yards. Then he made the distance longer and longer, little by little, till at the end of five years of constant, persevering trial, with thousands of failures to be sure, he sent an air message two miles.
“Of course, people made fun of him. They thought he was a crank, if not downright crazy and said that his father was very foolish indeed to encourage him in wasting so much time and money in a way that every person with common sense could see was worse than merely simple.
“Guglielmo set his rude transmitting apparatus on a pole on one side of a field and on the other side a corresponding pole was set up and connected with a receiving apparatus.
“The young inventor’s interest must have been keen and his hopes high as he sat and watched for the tick of his recording instrument, that he knew should come from the spark sent across the field. Weeks had been spent in the building of these instruments, now to be tested.
“Suddenly the Morse sounder began to record the distant transmission and the boy’s heart gave an exultant bound—the first wireless message had been sent and received.
“Many experiments followed. Varying heights of poles were used and it was found that the distance could be increased in proportion to the altitude of the poles.