What did Nicholas do at eighteen months?

Good morning and welcome to the BBC news special.
   Have you ever heard of a four-year-old college student? But this is true of Nicholas MacMahon, who is now studying at college because he is too clever for school.
   Nicholas spoke well before he was one. At eighteen months he took telephone messages for his parents. At two he began to learn French. The strange thing about Nicholas is that he taught himself to read before he could speak.
   His parents knew immediately that he could read. When he could speak, he corrected his spelling. He tried two different schools, but he was bored and unhappy and his parents decided that he couldn’t stay there. His parents did not have enough time to prepare special lessons for Nicholas. The MacMahons had no idea what to do with him. Then the West London Institute offered to help.  Nicholas spends some of his time there, and also studies at home.  He reads newspaper every day, and he can play the violin well. He doesn’t have any social life in the school. Nicholas is a clever child and the teachers want to help him in every way.