This is a book I remember reading when I was a teen, so late 70's or early 80's.

Children and young adults are press-ganged (I remember it was involuntary, anyway) into an underground research facility where research into psi powers is going on. Eventually one of the research subjects becomes meta-powered and breaks out.

What stands out in my mind is the memory of a test. Imagine a bell jar, with a pedestal in it, with a ball standing on it. A powered individual is supposed to be able to knock the ball off the post, then put it back onto the post. There is a scene where some official-in-charge who isn't supposed to be powered actually accomplishes the test, levitating the gently glowing ball back onto its perch.

Not much to go on, I know.

This is a book I remember reading when I was a teen, so late 70's or early 80's.

Children and young adults are press-ganged (I remember it was involuntary, anyway) into an underground research facility where research into psi powers is going on. Eventually one of the research subjects becomes meta-powered and breaks out.

What stands out in my mind is the memory of a test. Imagine a bell jar, with a pedestal in it, with a ball standing on it. A powered individual is supposed to be able to knock the ball off the post, then put it back onto the post. There is a scene where some official-in-charge who isn't supposed to be powered actually accomplishes the test, levitating the gently glowing ball back onto its perch.