600 thousand children go to public Elementary Schools in new york city. These children vary in their intellectual abilities. The city has its share of boys and girls who show great intellectual promise. This winning essay was selected among 7000 entries in the annual United Nations essay contest. The bronze high school of science has had 100 winners since 1958 in its annual social studies contest, more than any high school in the country. Although new york city has less than 2 of the nations population, we account for 28 of the finalists in the National Westinghouse talent search. Some of these Outstanding Young men and women undoubtedly have been helped in their careers by a star in the intellectually Gifted Program in the Elementary Schools. This program is for children who show great intellectual promise. While it is not new, not every Elementary School has classes for gifted children. When there are not enough peoples in the local school to form this special class, a Central School is provided. At the end of the third grade, some children are ready to be placed in these special classes. Principals find it helpful to meet with parents to explain the program and the standards for selection of children. Let me tell you some of the other things that we do in school before we decide that it would be right to subject a child to the heavier program that he must carry in a group of very bright children. Well, i thought you just judge by tests. Oh, no. There are many other things besides tests that we use. Of course, we do consider a childs general ability and the way he scores on standardized tests, particularly in reading. But thats not all. The child must be physically fit and the child must be emotionally ready. That is, he must be ready to adjust easily to new situations. Otherwise, we may place him in a group of this kind and find that he is extremely unhappy. Well, is there any other special quality that you look for in these children . Well, the teacher may notice that some children have a greater vocabulary. That is, a greater speaking vocabulary and a greater writing vocabulary. Some children have more originality. Some seem to have a better memory. Some show much more independence in thinking. And more imagination. A project has been developed between classes at Public School 117 and Public School 118, queens. The classes alternate visits and exchange ideas. During each visit, the hostess teacher presents the lesson while the visiting teacher assists. In this mathematics lesson, the hostess teacher is developing some basic concepts in geometry. What is a circle . Billy . A circle is a closed curve in which all endpoints on the circumference are equally distant from the center point. What is the circumference . Yes . The edges of the circle which measures the length of the circle. Very nice. To represent one fourth of any circle, how shall we do it . Denise . We make square corners with the straight edge. Where would we make the square corners . From the center point. Good. From the center of the circle next to it. What will these lines be called . Can you tell me, david . Rays. Why would they be called rays . Because a ray is a line standing at one end twice, going in one direction. Which figure in this set has angles larger than right angles . Billy . The hexagon and the octagon. I also want you to think about i something. Think about why right angles are important. music we will call the meeting to order. Helping a child anchor himself, to think critically, is one of the most important tools he can carry with him for the rest of his life. A child needs experience to gain this. The study of the newspaper considers needed expense. This class had provision for the regular study of a newspaper in their breakfast club. Where the Children Group themselves informally according to their interests. The children delight in exploring discussing the days events. The news, both home and abroad. It also provides great incentive for them to use television and radio programs intelligently. Lets take a glimpse at todays meeting of the breakfast club. Boys and girls, we are meeting again in our breakfast club. I want to make sure you know what we mean we say mass media are communications. Mass Media Communications is a means of communications which can get to millions of people through radio, television, newspapers, magazines and so on. Mass media goes out to people at one time and they find out at the same time what is going on. Which one would this be true of . Television and radio. Perhaps we should remember that mass media very often uses propaganda as a technique. Now, just to make sure we know what we are about to discuss, what do you think is the meaning of propaganda . Propaganda is when one person or group of people talk to another, give their ideas to another, and try to make that person think and do what they would like. What do you say, ronnie . Propaganda is the art of educating one in anothers beliefs. Trying to make that person understand what you are trying to do, and they will believe in what jane . It is not necessarily truth or fact. It can be what you want others to think. I think it would be fun and exciting to consider this problem of propaganda. While these boys continue a discussion about propaganda, lets listen in as this group moves on to discussions of automation. We have been talking about teachers. They would have a teacher talking on tv or with a computer that would help children to learn. One thing that concerns me is the robot teacher. I would like for you to think of a robot teacher could take the place of the teachers you have . I dont think it could take place of many teachers. A robot teacher could not teach a child to think for himself. You think a high priority for Young Americans . Yes. I think a robot teacher would be awful for children. When a child makes a mistake, the teacher helps them and works with them trying to correct that mistake. Maybe if the child were turned in the wrong direction, the teacher could actually work with them and teach them to think in a new direction. A robot teacher, in my opinion, would contradict the child and say this is fact with no opinion. That would mean disaster for the School System. Are you concerned about the School System . People would not be people they would be robots. I think, leonard, you have set me at ease. Im glad i still have something to do to make both of you better people. We have seen children given opportunities to develop oral skills. Similarly in this fourth grade class the teacher gives her english class experience of thinking and speaking for themselves through discussion of books they have read, and the characters they have met. Can i say i think it would be a good thing. She was to be an ornithologist like her father. I think i would like to be an ornithologist. I never knew you had that ambition. I would like to be an ornithologist. I like jerry because he likes rocks. I love them so much. Do these characters really come alive . Does eleanor make them come alive . Do they have faults . Do you have faults . People asked uncle benny who was in the family. He said mama, papa, and bubba. I think it is exasperating. Even though she was her best friend, she was the most popular girl in school, but she would not tell peggy she is doing wrong by playing a joke. I think if she was a real best friend, it would be nice to tell somebody when they are doing something wrong so they can improve it. They say to have a friend is to be a friend. And now we have to say goodbye to them. For there is so much more to find out about friendship. For your followup assignment, its a good idea to go to the library and find out what other authors have written about friendship. I think you will probably find something he wrote a beautiful essay on friendship. One of you brought in. Emerson. Lovely essay on friendship. Plays by shakespeares sonnets and poems by shakespeare. And, as John Mayfield said, he said beautifully in the last two lines of his poem sea fever, he said, all i ask is it merry yawn from a fellow, and a sweet dream and the long trick sober. What do you ask a friendship . What are you ready to give . music children in these classes participate in many science activities. The principle of school 169 organized a science institute. I am professor lawrence. 14 College Professors and other specialists met individual classrooms with selected groups. The light is dimmer. Would you like to reverse that . Would you like to turn this . What we are doing here is we are turning a conductor with lines of force. As we turn it more rapidly we have a brighter light because we have a larger current. As we turn it less rapidly, we have a dimmer light. When the experts completed their talks, 35 minutes were allotted to each child in classroom to collect questions from the children and prepare a summary for use in the Auditorium Program was followed. That remotecontrol will not work without batteries, [indiscernible] between magnet and [indiscernible] how many elements are there in the atmosphere . How many elements are there in the atmosphere . As a finale, all fourth, fifth and sixth grade classes were invited to the auditorium. By asking questions which were entered by the experts the children have the opportunity to assume leadership roles and share their knowledge with their classmates. Wonderful ladies and gentlemen, listen very attentively to this so you can share in all the panels, not just the ones you listened to. Would you like to take over and introduce everyone . And now it was not enough. You want to find out more. This will be a little opportunity for you to, and also an opportunity to see the scientists and teachers who you did not have a chance to hear before. I should like to start by calling the recorder and the man who spoke in his room. [applause] first off, we on the Aviation Committee would like to thank mr. Fred mccowan for an educational lecture. Some of the facts we arrived at this morning where that the general design of a plane must be smooth in order for the plane to travel swiftly. Another is there are two kinds of engines, a reciprocal engine, a gas engine, and a jet turbine engine. Another one. The force of the power to lift an airplane comes in the top of the wing, not the bottom. This is caused by the suction of the air. A propeller is an airfoil. This causes the plane to move forward in order for the air to act as a vacuum to the plane. A helicopter is actually a large airfoil or blade. I have sent questions i would like to ask the major. What causes a sonic boom and what does that mean . A sonic boom is caused by an aircraft that is flying through the air at the speed of sound or greater. As it flies through the air, it splits the air to go above and below the wings. As it splits the air, this causes a reaction in the airstream which creates an noise that we call the sonic boom. It goes off above and below the wing. We hear the one that comes off the bottom and strikes the earth that we hear it as an explosion. Thank you. How do you know a computer is broken . How do computers help a weatherman . What chemical experience can we do at home . What are the most outstanding recent wheaton developments in conquering cancer . Thats a very difficult question to answer in a short statement. However, some of the most recent developments consist of the use of chemicals to affect the cancer cells so the lives of the individuals in whom the chemicals are used will be prolonged. How does penicillin prevent the growth of bacteria . Isit possible for the National Bureau of standards to be wrong in their measurements . Amy, i guess it is possible for just about anyone to be wrong. It is highly unlikely that the National Bureau of standards is wrong. What is fairly common is that they find a better way to establish National Standards than what they have it done before. [applause] im sure you share feelings of regret. The regret is that we cannot be 13 people. I wish i couldve been at all panels, but at least being able to hear these ladies and gentlemen on the stage made up for that little bit. Now you can go i can read and study and learn more about all the fascinating subjects. [applause] the gifted child is given an early start in learning one of the foreign languages. French, hebrew, italian, or spanish. Lets listen in on a spanish lesson going on at Public School 33 manhattan. Spanish] do, ray, [speaking spanish] do, ra, me [speaking spanish] spanish] geometry in the fourth grade, poetry and critical analysis in the fifth, and a class in foreign language. Denise and paul have special talents, and there is room for these also. Participating in cultural activities that belong to every child