The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-11
AN UNCANNY TEST.
High School Principal Can Tell
Pupils Ranking.
Efficiency of Mental Machinery
Revealed in Filling Form.
METHOD DETECTS GENIUSES
Vocational Psychology Test
"SpOts" the Efficient.
ItDoesn'tAlways Work, Though
Its Accuracy Is Amazing.
METHOD DETECTS GENIUSES
Think you are SMART.

Think you are smart?
Prove it. Here's an opportunity.
But just a word of caution first,
lest the reader be a woman and the
opportunity escape by reading the last
part of this story first.
Do not read, do not look-1on't
even glance at the reading matter
below wherein the blank spaces ap-
pose and have sharpened pencil
within reach.
Unless you observe this admonition
you may miss the opportunity of
proving yourself an absolute idiot. an
imbecile, a person of average men
tally, or a genius.
Uncanny Blank Sheet.
There is something almost I'M
canny about this little blank sheet"
said Prof A. J. Stout. principal of the
Topeka high school, who has, been
spending the summer at Columbia
university studying vocational psy-
chology.
But before I say anything more
about this sheet of paper. let me say
a little in explanation, that I may
not be misunderstood" continued
Prof. Stout. The object of vocational
psychology is to find a way to elm
mate the 'misfit.' or to prevent persons
taking up callings in life for which
they are not fitted and to determine
the vocations for which they are
best fitted.
NO infallible tests have been dis
covered. Progress, however, is being
made, but it is of negative nature
AS yet positive results are to be
reached only by the process of elm
ination. We can determine what vo-
cations a person is not fitted for, but
we can not tell him what best suits
him.
But coming back to these blank
sheets; They are uncanny in that
with them tests can be made and the
general average of the pupils in either
the grades or the high school can be
determined with almost the same de-
gree of accuracy as would be the case
should we refer to their report cards.
They have been tried extensively
throughout the country and the test
records and the scholarship, records
tally to an amazing degree.
Now Try 1t If You Will.
The adult person who can not get
through the third exercise is an abso-
Lutte idiot, and the one who cannot
get through che eighth is an i'm
beetle, if given all the time desired.
The time required for the average
high school senior to go through all
of the twelve exercises is fifteen min
utes- Freshmen in college do it in
less time, and the person who does it
in ten minutes is an exception. OF
work gives them special training for
such an exercise make better show
ings. Newspaper men and copy read
ers are especially fast"
Professor Stout says Mrs. Stout per-
formed the feat in seven minutes
Occasionally persons become flus-
trated, due to the psychological effect
of realizing that they are being timed,
and consequently do not make as good
showing rs they are entitled to-
There are two ways of working the
test. One is to see how long a time is
required to complete the series. and
another is to see how far along one
can get in ten minutes.
Before starting the test a little pre-
liminary exercise is given merely to
acquaint the subject with the method
to enable them to catch on to the
hang of the thing
The preliminary test is:
Preliminary.
On each line of dots, write the word
which makes the best meaning. Only
one word on each blank
see cat
It is big cat
The cat sees and I see the
Ny name is.-...... ....:.....
school.
shall be. years old in the
month OF.
Having practiced on the foregoing
preliminary. make a notation of the
time indicated by your watch and
start in on the following:
wo 3a s s9de es Of the dS Ses wTiss the
Only one wouG on each blank
II.
x The sky $500. blue.
" We are going ... school
III
X The kind lady 1890. the poor
man dollar.
y. The ...- plays -
her dolls all day.
X Time .. often more val