LEARNING LESSONS THROUGH LIFE EXPERIENCES AND FORMAL SCHOOLING.

In my August 6, 2021, Voice From the Gallery, I presented a Judgement Test which was given to me as an assignment during my senior year of college. The class was given three anonymous case studies which we were to read and determine whether the individual described would be functioning as Gifted, Average-Normal, Psychotic, Delinquent or Mentally Deficient in five years. Our assignment was to write our prediction after each blind Case study. After we had made our predictions and handed in the assignment, we were given the identities. I promised I would reveal the identities today, so as promised here are the identities I received back then

Case 1

Eleanor Roosevelt

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Girl, age sixteen, orphaned, willed to custody of grandmother, by mother, who separated from alcoholic husband, now decease.  Mother rejected the homely child, who has been proven to lie and to steal sweets.  Swallowed penny to attract attention at five.  Father was fond child.  Child lived in fantasy as the mistress of Father’s household for years.  Four  young uncles and aunts in household cannot be managed by the grandmother, who is widowed.  Young uncle drinks; has left home without telling the grandmother his destination.  Aunt, emotional over love affair, locks self in room.  Grandmother resolves to be more strict with granddaughter since she fears she has failed with own children.  Dresses granddaughter oddly.  Refused to let her have playmates, put her in braces to keep her straight.  Did not send her to grade school.  Aunt on paternal side of family crippled;  uncle asthmatic.

Circle your prediction

Gifted     Average-Normal      Psychotic,       Delinquent,          Mentally Deficient

Case 2

Albert Einstein

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity“

Boy, senior year in secondary school, has obtained certificate from physician stating that nervous breakdown makes it necessary for him to leave school for six months.  Boy not a good all-around student has no friends, -teachers find him a problem- spoke late-father ashamed of son’s lack of athletic ability-poor judgment to school.  Boy has odd mannerisms, makes up own religion, chants hymns to himself-parents regard him as “different”

Circle your prediction

Gifted      Average-Normal     Psychotic,    Delinquent,    Mentally Deficient

Case 3

Dwight D. Eisenhower

“What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight-it is the size of the fight in the dog.“

Boy, age six, head large at birth,  Thought to have had brain fever.  Three siblings died before his birth.  Mother does not agree with relatives and neighbors that this child is probably abnormal.  Child sent to school- diagnosed as mentally ill by teacher.  Mother is angry-withdraws child from school, says she will teach him herself.

Circle your prediction

Gifted        Average-Normal      Psychotic     Delinquent        Mentally Deficient.





If we were judged as the three individuals were, what would we become? 

 Who were they and what happened to them?

“I think the names should be familiar enough to answer both questions.“

What lessons do we take from our judgments of all we encounter?

Out of my predictions in that assignment based upon the information I was given, I only managed to get just one of the three correct. I would point out after decades of lessons, I have learned each one of those five listed labels, could be equally and accurately applied to any us at any point of our lives. It is the lessons we take from each event in our lives which shape how we react and the length of time we hold onto that reaction. Every moment of our lives is a learning opportunity. As each one of the individuals described in the Case studies above answered their call when opportunity knocked, so should we!