Story about Enrico Fermi

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

n December 1938, Enrico Fermi went with his family (his wife Laura and his two children Nella and Giulio) to the American Consulate to obtain a visa to enter the United States.

The American doctor who examined them noticed that little Nella was using only her right eye and had poor vision with her left eye.

He began to raise difficulties, observing that the standard of health had to be maintained high in America and that the child's eyesight had to be corrected in Italy, otherwise the famous Italian physicist would not be allowed to enter the United States.

However, the words "Nobel Prize" whispered in the doctor's ear were enough to make him change his mind.

The magical power of the Nobel Prize did not exempt Fermi from taking the arithmetic exam, which at the Consulate served as a basic measure of intelligence.

An employee came to the doctor's office and began to question them.

"How much is fifteen plus twenty-seven?" she asked Enrico.

"Forty-two," Enrico replied with confidence and ill-concealed pride.

The first question was followed by a second:

"What is twenty-nine divided by two?"

"Fourteen point five," was the physicist's even quicker response.

By virtue of these terrible tests happily overcome, the U.S. consular authorities decided that Nobel Prize winner for physics Enrico Fermi was not feeble-minded and issued him the long-desired permanent visa.

 

 

 

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

n December 1938, Enrico Fermi went with his family (his wife Laura and his two children Nella and Giulio) to the American Consulate to obtain a visa to enter the United States.

The American doctor who examined them noticed that little Nella was using only her right eye and had poor vision with her left eye.

He began to raise difficulties, observing that the standard of health had to be maintained high in America and that the child's eyesight had to be corrected in Italy, otherwise the famous Italian physicist would not be allowed to enter the United States.

However, the words "Nobel Prize" whispered in the doctor's ear were enough to make him change his mind.

The magical power of the Nobel Prize did not exempt Fermi from taking the arithmetic exam, which at the Consulate served as a basic measure of intelligence.

An employee came to the doctor's office and began to question them.

"How much is fifteen plus twenty-seven?" she asked Enrico.

"Forty-two," Enrico replied with confidence and ill-concealed pride.

The first question was followed by a second:

"What is twenty-nine divided by two?"

"Fourteen point five," was the physicist's even quicker response.

By virtue of these terrible tests happily overcome, the U.S. consular authorities decided that Nobel Prize winner for physics Enrico Fermi was not feeble-minded and issued him the long-desired permanent visa.

 

 

 

 

While I agree that many of the “tests” used in the past for qualification for visas and citizenship were arcane and poorly administered, I think that there should NOT be any preferential treatment given, regardless of other factors, with the possible exceptions those who, like the many Afghan citizens who supported and often protected our troops while they were deployed, (my opinion is that they earned special treatment) and those who, by their presence would enhance national security.

[Trailrider #896]

It is indeed fortunate that the Fermi family was not held up from leaving Italy when they did. While Fermi, himself, was not Jewish, his wife was, and who knows what might have happened if the Nazis had imposed their influence on the Italians, and kept Fermi around to work on their nuclear program?  

[Alpo]

9 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

the U.S. consular authorities decided that Nobel Prize winner for physics Enrico Fermi was not feeble-minded

Winning a Nobel prize does not necessarily mean you're intelligent.

 

I seem to recall that the Kenyan received a Nobel prize.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

2 hours ago, Alpo said:

Winning a Nobel prize does not necessarily mean you're intelligent.

 

I seem to recall that the Kenyan received a Nobel prize.

But not in physics.

 

Fermi was eventually a key contributor in the Manhattan Project.

Edited November 11 by Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984