Education: Who's Who

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In the New Republic, English Instructors Arthur Norman of the University of Chicago and Lewis Sawin of the University of Colorado, told the amazing results of a test given 359 freshmen and sophomores at a Southern state university. Of 20 famous names presented the students, only four—Adlai Stevenson, John Dillinger, Peter Townsend and Karl Marx—were known by more than half. Henry Wallace, said one student, "ran for President on Probation ticket.'' Others identified Wallis Simpson as "Secretary of Health & Welfare," the wife of "the ex-George ? of England," the woman who forced Edward to "advocate," and the "governess of the Royal Children." Warren G. Harding was 1) President during Pearl Harbor, 2) a news commentator, 3) an FBI counterspy, 4) a great aviator and 5) a Communist. Only one in three correctly tagged Franco. De Gaulle or Robert Frost. Only one in five identified Verdi, Picasso, Richard Wagner or Oliver Cromwell. The two greatest unknowns: T. S. Eliot (identified by 6%), who wrote Leaves of Grass, died in battle, was a "huge financier" and used the name O'Henry; and Norman Thomas (2%) —that "Notorious Pirate" and "world-famous painter."