The Washington times., 1920-05-16
MACHINE IOTEA
| READING Invented
Professor Asserts Proficiency
May Be Measured and Defects
Remedied by Device.

1 SOUTH HApLEY. Mass, May 10
Proncsency In reading may be meas
urod by machine and defects reme-
aisd BY mechanical means, according
to Prof. Colin A. Scott. OF Mt. Hoiyoke
. College
Prot. Scott has Invented . machine
that win detsct dinieulties that are
/ encountered In reading and help 10
remedy the trouble. The machine is
based on the principle. we'll KNOW TO
psychologists. that the eye Is irregu-
, lar In It's movements as II runs along
a page OF printed matter. IL reaos
for q short distance, takes q jump,
reads again. and then jumps.
Changes Habit or Eyes.
Experiments conducted by Prot
Scott demonstrated that the eyes OF
most persons Jump three times in the
ordinary newspaper line. In certain
cases IL was found that the eyes
Jumped six or seven times In single
line, and the speed of reading was
consequently siackened. By means OF
his machine. Prof. Scott Is able to
change the habit OF the eye so that
the reading is quickened.
A column of newsprint is placed
beneath a plate with a narrow slit
In the middle. and an arrangement OF
shutters makes visible but one-third
OF a line at . time. AZ the student
reads. the other sections OF the line
come into sight. At the end OF one
line a new one comes into place and
the frst slip reopens. The machine
Is operated as fast as the subject OF
the test can read. If the student be
one whose eyes jump Ave or six times
to tho line. the eyes are trained to
conform their motions to the opening
and closing of tho shutter and her
eyes become accustomed to jump but
three times to tho line.
Difficulties In conception are de-
tachcd in q similar maner by aid Of
the machine. A girl will read for a
short spame and then may hesitate
over some thought that is presented
to her. The temporary confusion of
ideas is imemdiately disclosed by the
machine. The shutter opens and
closes several times before the stu
dent regains her track Of thought.
In this way the professor Is at once
aware of any weakness in the girls
conception and can take steps to rem
cdy the fault.
Tests By Machine.
Prof. Scott believes that IT may be
possible to supplement written en-
trance examinations to college by
reading tests with the machine All
the student has learned may be test
cd by her ability to read. The appli-
cant may be set TO read various pas
sages containing illusions Of all. sorts.
and any hesitancy in rapid under
standing of a thought will denote de-
f,ency in the subject of which that
'h1ught forms part.
The reading machine has dem
onstrated that different classes of
matter arc read with varying speeds
and the machine has gaugcd this rate.
Editorials were found to be read at
the average rate of 200 words a min
ute, while the ordinary news story Is
read one and a half times as fast.
Students we're found" who could read
as many as 500 words am mute. while
others read but 100. The average col
lege girl was found to read 500 words
a minute. .a
Rapid reading is advantage geoue, ac-
cording to DR.. Scott, for though the
50o-word-a a minute girl may -emen-
bcrs only third as much as the 100
word minute girl, she may slacken
her speed and recall more than the
slower classmate or sho may read Tie
matter rapidly several times and
pra ctically commit 1t TO memory.
Development of the educational
laboratory is ono OF the purposes Of
the $1,000, 900 endowment fund which
Mt. Holyokc Co!lcgc is striving 10
raise