Who's Who

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."

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