Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-03
The Four Fundamental Qualifications.

Each man, as he walks into the
room and takes his seat before either
assistants or supervisor, gives certain
external evidences not only of his fit
ness or unfitness in general, but of
his fitness for any particular position.
According to the Blackboard plan, there
are four fundamental and indispensa-
BILE qualifications, a total lack or a
serious lack of any one of which dis
qualities a man for any position.
These are health, intelligence, hon
esty and industry. And it is for ev-
licences of the degree in which the APP
plicant possesses each of these four
fundamentals that the eamxiner first
looks. The practiced eye Immediate
~ detects the condition of an appH-
cant's health. The examiner looks in
to his eyes. If they are dull, leaden,
and listless and show yellow instead
of white, he may fairly conclude that
there is something wrong. He CLAN
ces at his finger-nails to see whether
the pink shows clearly underneath.
There are numerous other surface in
dications-extreme pallor, bad teeth, a
husky voice, pale or blue lips-that
argue against the highest personal
efficiency. The nervous man betrays
the fact in numerous ways. The yell
low tips of the fingers disclose at once
the youth addicted to cigarettes.
The applicants intelligence is mani
tested by the expression of his eyes,
the readiness with which he answers
questions. the pointedness of his re-
plies, and other easily observed indi-
cations.
Honesty is rather complex virtue,
being composed not only of honest
intent but of a sense of justice, men
tai and physical ability to perform
ones honest intentions, and sufficient
moral and physical courage to face
consequences. The indications of
honesty in any man are therefore
complex, and any attempt to pass
judgment upon this particular phase
of his character without taking all
of them into consideration, according
to DIR. Blackboard, will be liable to
grave error. A mans honesty or dis
honesty shows itself in the expression
of his eyes and mouth, in his gait as
he enters the room, in his manner Of
gesture and speech, and in other
ways.
The basis of industry is physical
energy on the one hand and physi-
cal endurance on the other. Physical
energy is the result, in large meas
ure, of the amount of oxygen taken
into the lungs. A large nose and
wide-open nostrils may not add es-
pecially to physical beauty, but they
usually indicate abundant oxygena-
ton and consequent positive physi-
cal energy. Physical endurance de-
ponds upon strong, steady heart ac-
ton and accompanying staying quail
tiles in the nervous organization. 10
the eye of the practised observer these
also have their numerous, easily-de-
tected external signs.
Having determined that the apph-
cant has the four fundamental quail
ifications necessary in sufficient de-
gree to make him a desirable asset,
the next step is to ascertain just what
place in the organization he is best
fitted by nature and training to NIL.
Tie supervisor observes, therefore, ev-
erything about the man, for, accord
ing to DR.. Blackford, no detail in
mans physical appearance and be-
havior is negligible. Each is an I'M
falling indication of some inherent or
ACQUIRED trait of character, and, TAX
en- together with other indications ana
interpreted, gives one an
accurate knowledge Of the man as
he really is.-Review Of Reviews.