New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-09
Dull Men i'm Wrong
Places

No less significant is the variahl;.v
within each occupatonal group. Tho II ma.
cent unskilled laborer is I'D TO the levs, Il
the medium general mechanic, toolroom ex
pert or automobile mechanic and up 70 n.
level of the % per cent mechanical enc;
neer. The rs per cent railroad clerk is =,
the level of the average accountant or civil
engineer. The rs per cent receiving NJ
shipping clerk is at the level of the % new
cent physician. This variability would be
reduced by longer and repeated tests. but
unless the test as given has a very large
probable error, it would still be enormous
ut acougd still imply that there wsrs
IN the occupations Supposed to denand
high minimum standard of inteIligenco
Gerry large number of dull men, and IN
the occupations supposed to give Ittls
opportunity for the use of intellect
very large number Of gifted men, and
consequently q large amused surplus Of
intellect.
GAS one considers the use of intelligence
tests in the army the question at once
arises, If for the sake of war we can
measure roughly the intelligence of a thirS
of million soldiers month, and find #
profitable to do so, can we not each wear
measure the intelligence of every child
coming ten years of age, and will not that
be still more profitable? p more EXTENDED
test, such as will place an individual 0,
the scale for intellect for his age with g.
average error of not over OF, the mesr
square deviation for his age would doubt
less be desirable. A more varied test which
will prophesy ability to work with things
and human beings as we'll as ideas and
symbols would doubtless be desirable
Series of tests. that could be made public
without serious injury from delibena
preparation by tutors would also be desira-
Bile and probably necessary.
"However, even with these more rigorous
requirements, the expense for an annual
nationwide inventory of the intelligena
Of the year-old cross section woulu MT
equal the cost of the war to America alom
for five hours!
1.-THE results of such a census Of 10
tellect, especially if repeated at fourteen
eighteen and twenty-five, would give super
intendents of schools, commissioners o.
charity, mayors of cities and governors
Of states facts which they really need ever
day in their business"
AS to analytical work, Professor Thorn
dixie referred mainly to the remarkable ae
complishments of the psychologists h
choosing men for the aviation corps ana
for special duties in the navy, such as
gun pointer and trainer IN connection
with the latter DR.. Raymond Dodge, o.
Wesleyan University, originated severl
pieces of unique apparatus which proved
immensely useful. Professor Thorndiks
wound up his lecture with two general #
Elections concerning psychology in Its n
lat'cn to personnel practice.
The applied psychology of human eng
neering which has been developing 50
rapidly in the last decade" he ASSERTED
"has learned, in the war if not before, tbIt
nothing short of the best in men or idess
can do its work. Applied psychology s
much more than cleyerness and commer
sense using the facts and principles four'
IN the standard texts. 1t is scientific woFk
research on problems of human mature
complicated by conditions of the shop Of
school or army, restricted by time snd
labor cost and directed by Imperative needs