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| Vol. 17, No. 1 | Sept. 4, 1997 |
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| Vol. 17, No. 1 | Sept. 4, 1997 |
When he was a child, they called him "dummy," but on Tuesday, Sept. 2, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson was called "a distinguished scholar, an esteemed scientist, a gifted healer and a renowned advocate for youth and families" by Andrew B. Kirkpatrick Jr., chairma
n of the UD Board of Trustees, as he presented him with an honorary doctor of science degree from the University.
Carson, now director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and associate professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at the Hopkins School of Medicine, received the honor as part of New Student Convoca tion.
His work drew international attention in 1987 when he served as the primary neurosurgeon on a 70-member medical team that successfully separated seven-month old twin boys, who, joined together, shared a major cerebral blood system.
Kirkpatrick said Carson's "gifted hands have healed children afflicted with pediatric brain tumors, chronic seizures and congenital spinal deformities, creating promising futures where there once was little hope."
He called him a "breakthrough scientist who has taken risks and faced challenges in the name of science."
Kirkpatrick lauded Carson's desire to inspire people to use their intellectual potential to achieve success in life and cited Carson's own ability to overcome what he himself called "a broken home, dire poverty, a pathological temper and poor self-esteem. "
He said Carson has persevered through heartache and tragedy and has delivered a message of motivation to thousands of young people across America, including youth in Sussex County, where he has been involved with the Festival of Youth and the Western Suss ex Boys and Girls Club.
In addressing the University's incoming students, Carson said in fifth grade his nickname was "dummy."
"There was never any competition for the last spot in my fifth grade class. It was mine. My classmates thought I was dumb, my teacher thought I was dumb, I thought I was dumb. There was only one person who didn't think I was dumb and that was my mother. S he always said, 'Benjamin, I know you're too smart to be bringing home grades like this.'"
To help her son, Sonya Carson, who attended Tuesday's ceremony with one of her grandchildren, devised a plan to have Carson read books and write book reports even though she, with a third grade education, couldn't read them.
"Through this I learned spelling, grammar, syntax and how to express myself," Carson said. In less than two years, he was at the top of his class.
"By seventh grade, the same kids who had called me 'dummy' would come up to me and say, 'Hey Ben, how do you do this math problem?' I'd say, 'Sit at my feet youngster while I instruct you.'" Carson said, drawing laughs from the crowd.
"The point is," he continued, "I had the same academic ability when I was achieving poorly as I had when I was at the top of the class. I just had a different mind-set. People tend to either live up to or down to expectations. As you begin your academic e xperience, set your expectations high.
"Your brain's not just there to hold your ears apart; it's the most complex computer in the solar system," Carson said, going on to draw a round of applause as he explained at a rapid-fire pace all of the things that have to happen in the brain to enable a person to raise his or her hand.
"That [example] gives you some idea of what your brain is capable of. Think back on that when you get into those difficult courses and begin to flirt with the notion that you don't have the capability of conquering that subject matter, because you do."
Addressing peer pressure, Carson talked about his longheld desire to be a contestant on the former television program, The G.E. College Bowl.
"I was good in science, math, history and geography, and they asked questions in all those subjects, but they also asked questions about classical music and art, and I knew nothing about them and wasn't likely to learn about them in an inner city school," he explained.
To correct that, he began to roam the halls of the Detroit Institute of the Arts, memorizing paintings and wearing earphones that constantly played classical music.
"The other kids thought I was crazy. A black kid in Motown listening to Mozart? They thought there was no hope for me!"
When it came time to choose a college, Carson, who only had $10-the cost of one college application, decided he would apply to whatever school became College Bowl Grand Champion that year.
"Yale completely demolished Harvard, and since I didn't want to go to school with a bunch of dummies-I applied to Yale," he explained.
Unfortunately, the year he enrolled in college, College Bowl went off the air.
"But no learning ever goes to waste," he said. "Years later when I wanted to study neurosurgery, I wanted to go to Johns Hopkins where they only choose two people each year from 125 applicants. I asked myself what I could do to distinguish myself.
"It turned out that the man who selected the residents was a tremendous classical music buff. We talked about conductors and their styles, composers, orchestras, orchestral halls; the guy was on cloud nine and there was no way he wasn't going to let me in to that program!
"Remember, just because it's not in your syllabus, doesn't mean you don't need to learn it," he said.
Carson urged students not to "go the way of the world with its tremendous emphasis on sports and entertainment and lifestyles of the rich and famous, but begin to understand the importance of intellectual development. That's what got this nation where it is and what keeps us on top.
"And finally," he said, "don't forget about God. The preamble of our Constitution mentions our Creator; our Pledge of Allegiance says, 'one nation under God'; our courtrooms and our money bear the words, 'In God We Trust.' It's in our Constitution, in our pledge, in our courts and on our money but we're not supposed to talk about it...what IS that? That's schizophrenia. We need to get away from that.
"You young people need to make it clear that it's all right to live by Godly principals of loving your neighbor, caring about other people, developing your God-given talents to their utmost and having values and principals in your life," he said.
The University's highest award, honorary degrees are presented to persons whose contributions to the quality of life in Delaware and the nation have warranted exceptional recognition. Past recipients have included former President George Bush, Supreme Cou rt Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and artist Andrew Wyeth.
After graduating from Yale University and from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, he held surgical and neurosurgical residencies and fellowships at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, He has since become a pioneer in new methodologies in t he field of neurosurgery and has received 20 other honorary degrees and numerous accolades for his work.
A member of the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, he is a fellow of the Yale Corp. He has authored more than 80 publications in the fi elds of neurosurgery, surgical neurosurgery, pediatric neuroscience and neuro-oncology.
-Beth Thomas
Photo by Jack Buxbaum
