BOY'S SUICIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23083, 8 January 1937, Page 9

BOY'S SUICIDE

STATE OF MIND CAUSED BY OVERSTUDY A brilliant boy of 16, with the mind of a man of 40, who had evidently taken on himself the cares of the world. This was how Peter Thomas, a student, of Barnsley Grammar School, whose body was found on tne Barnsley-Penistone railway line, was described at the inquest at Dodworth .(says an English paper). „,„ na * The verdict was that the lad placed himself on the line and was killed by a train when he was mentally unbalanced. . , . ~ ._. Manuscripts were found in his pocket on social, industrial, religious, and philosophical subjects, w,ith Greek and Latin quotations. ' , _ There was also a copy of the Republic of Plato," and one,of the extracts from the boy's writings, which was read by the coroner,, Mr C. J. Haworth. said: " I had decided to die at least four weeks before this because I realised I was far too backward m everything and I have no hope that I shall be able to perform all that I desire, i.e., in Greek, Latin, etc. Mr A. J. Schooling, headmaster of the 'grammar school, said that Thomas was perhaps the most brilliant boy in the school. . „ . . . Dr G. Horn stated that a boy of Thomas's age could not keep on absorbing ideas to the extent that he had done without giving way. His state Of mind was caused by overstudy.