What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I read this book in the very late 80's I think, maybe '88 or '89.

A ship lands on a planet to visit a town and finds a feral boy living on the outskirts. A woman on the ship captures the boy and finds he is superior physically and mentally to other humans. She befriends him and they take him with them. She builds trust and starts teaching him how to be in a civilized society. He attends that space academy eventually graduating and going out to have adventures of his own. He ends up being assigned to his home planet to find other feral kids to train due to their superiority. This is where he spends the rest of his life despite desiring to leave the planet again. He befriends some of the other feral kids who he has trained who end up going off to attend the academy themselves and have their own adventures.

I think the main character was blond and aged slower than other humans. I don't remember his name or any of the other characters.

This sounds very familiar to me. Anne McCaffrey's Brainship series comes to mind, but I can't think which one it would be (possibly The City Who Fought?) and they are likely published too late. Maybe something else by her (Generation Warriors?). If not, I'll rack my memory further and see what else looks likely!

The Iron Thorn by Algis Budrys?

Link for Sue's suggestion. Algis Budrys SF Gateway Omnibus: The Iron Thorn, Michaelmas, Hard Landing by Algis Budrys.

Bargle wrote: "Link for Sue's suggestion. Algis Budrys SF Gateway Omnibus: The Iron Thorn, Michaelmas, Hard Landing by Algis Budrys."

Thanks for the suggestion, but not the same book.