BOY GENIUS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17030, 15 August 1929, Page 11

BOY GENIUS

“WIZARD’S” SUCCESSOR PASSED THE TEST NEW YORK, August 3. Boys the world over will be interested in Itiomas Edison's selection of a lad to succeed him in the scientific investigation field. From 49 boys, who were subjected to a week of exhaustive questioning and examination, Wilbur Huston, the son of a Seattle clergyman, lias been chosen by three eminent judges as Edison’s successor. At least one question was “a catch, tor sure.” Recently frieifds of “The Wizard announced that he wished to leave Ins mantle to some deserving youth with sufficient ability and scientific bent to possess a. reasonable chance of making good us 3 ■ of the vast laboratory and other resources which the aged Edison would bequeath after training the lad during the remaining years of his life. Accordingly, 49 high school graduates assembled from the various States for examination. Edison and a committee of friends pljfid them with questions during the exiuiiination, which lasted over several days. The young geniuses ' V “How k would you spend 1,000,000 dollars?” .. “What conduct would you adopt ir you were accused of cheating ! “How would you rem oVe three tons weight if you were marooned, on a desert island ?” “Who was Jenny Lind?”

Thousands: of other questions were propounded, and the judges went into final session yesterday at noon. Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh sat, up all night trying to make the selection, and this morning announced that the smartest bov was Wilbur Huston, the 16-year-old son of a Seattle clergyman. He Will be Edison’s successor . . All the lioys in the competition had difficulty in ” answering the following question: “If there is A boy at your school whom you consider superior to you in ability and chai’actor, , please write his mine and address here? ’ “That was a patch question for sure, replied one lad. “If you put voursejf first you’re hopept, but conceited; u you name another bov, you arc geneio.us, but probably a liar.”