The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-18
HOPE FOR THE
TROUGH NECK"
Prof. A. j. Stout Has Spent the
Summer
Studying Psychological Tests
i'm Vocational Guidance.
A BRIEF FOR THE BLONDES
They Are No More Changeable
Than the Brunettes.
His Conclusions Are Questioned
by George P. Hayden.
A BRIEF FOR THE BLONDES

A. ]. Stout, principal of the Topeka
high school, has returned from Col
umbia university, where he spent the
summer studying psychological tests in
vocational guidance under the direc-
ton of Prof. H. L. Hollingworth
The Topeka educator brings back
with him hope for the rough neck"
After all, the man with the coarse
textured skin, does not necessarily
have a coarse nature. And the fact
that man may be large, have coarse
hair, and strongly formed features, is
no indication that he is better adapted
to swing a sledge hammer than he is
to WELD an artists paintbrush. So
reports Prof. Stout.
The blonde is also given a better
rating as a result of the research
work of the faculty and students of
Columbia university. Blondes are
found to be no more changeable
(peroxides excepted) than brunettes.
Neither are they more variety loving,
optimistic or speculative than the bru-
nettes, reports Prof. Stout.
But George P. Hayden, city attor-
ney, who intimates that he has had
some experience with blondes, says:
'Prof. Stout should not be SO hasty
in his conclusions. It takes time to
tell about blondes. He may think they
are all right now, but just let him
wait awhile before he goes to announc-
ing his conclusions. Take it from me
that they are not to be trusted
Old Theory Upset.
The latest canvass of returns of the
investigators, which Prof. Stout brings
to Topeka, upSetS an old theory con-
corning brunettes. They are no more
consistent, dependable, steady, serious
or conservative than blondes. OF
course Prof. Stout does not go into de-
tails concerning his personal research
blondes hTnnaftPG
spending the summer in New York
City. He does not even admit that ne
himself engaged in any personal re-
search work along this particular line.
He merely states the conclusions
reached by striking an average from
the reports of the investigators.
What started the investigation?
DR.. Blackford. who at present is
being very much advertised by the
Review of Reviews as a wizard in
rs 5isting persons in self-analysis---
telling them what businesses and
professions they are best suited to
follow-announced certain startling
conclusions or rules for sizing up per-
sons. She propoundeG the theory
that character, mentality or whatever
the things are that go to make up
persons personality, are composed of
nine elements.
OF course, # there are only nine
things to consider in a persons make
up, and every person has these nine
elements and no more or no less,
then the number of different per-
sonalities in the world can be figured
out to a mathematical certainty. and
there are just as many different per-
sonalities in the world s there are
ways of arranging nine different OBJ
jects in row, and no more
The Theory.
But why reduce the theory TO an
absurdity and thus spoil all the fun 2
The Columbia university professors
didn't, and when Herbert Newton,
who happens to be the husband OF
Professor Blackford, wrote very
laudatory article of his wife's ability
as a connoisseur of human beings and
the article was published in the Sci
entific American, July 26, 1913, the
Columbia university professors not
only sat up and took notice, but also
started an investigation. A part of
study sheets Of those taking the
course in which Professor Stout was
q student this summer. 1t was IN
this article that added suspicion was
cast upon blondes while brunettes
were declared to be all to the good
The article is extremely interesting
regardless of the fact that the re-
search workers now report there Is
nothing to substantiate tho theories
therein advanced The extract which
appears in Prof. Stout's study course
is:
THE system deals entirely with ex-
ternals-the sensitive, delicate mind
ed man usually has fine textured
skin: the coarse minded man coarse
textured skin. 1t is an embryological
fact that the skin was and is the
original seat of all sensations, and
that spinal cords and nerves are but
modified and Specialized inturned
skin. OF necessity mans skin indi-
Gates the texture OF his brain.
DR. Blackford holds: Tt is law