The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-12-16
Average Adult Far Behind in In
teIIeCtual Development, Say
Scientists.
WOMEN ARE MOST INFAATILE
Study Of intelligence Tests Applied to
American Soldiers Showed Aver.
age Intelligence Of Normal
Boy Of Fourteen.

hington.-Scientlsts studying
here the records of the Intelligence
tests applied to American soldiers,
have reached the conclusion that these
men had, on an average, the intellec-
tual development which Is considered
normal for boy fourteen years old.
This does not seem very tlattering to
us as a nation, but 1t is borne out by
Thomas A. Edison, who as is well
known, has been conducting intelll-
gence tests of his own on nren who
apply TO him for employment. He ex-
presses himself as amazed at the low
average of intelligence which his tests
have revealed. He says that not more
than. 2 per cent of the adult popula-
ton can understand a self,eyident fact
when 1t Is put before them.
These disturbing opinions from high
authorities are borne out In way by
the new school of psychologists. Their
investigations tend to show that an
individual who is not given proper OPP
! portunity to develop his mind and per-
sonallty does remain child in all those
respects in which his development Is
retarded. They would say that the
! typical American man Of business,
while highly developed in his special
line, is "infantile" as a whole, because
/ he Is undeveloped In so many other
ways.
This view, of course, excites the an
tagonism of every good American, but
It Is perhaps worth examining just for
the sake of understanding point of
view we cannot share.
In the first place, It is to be noted
that this view gets a good deal of cor
roboratlon in everyday life. How often
you hear II said of some man that "he
is Just a great, big, overgrown boy
That may, according to the psycholo'
gIsts, be scientific description of his
mind and personality.
"Grown-up Baties."
Many women are wont TO remark
that their husbands, brothers, or ever
their fathers are just big boys, but q
good deal of evidence can be brought
forward to show that women are, OF
an average, even more infantile thai
men. Men, in order to make living
have to achieve a certain degree o.
maturity. They may have boylsi
traits, hut they cannot afford to hav'
the helplessness Of children. Women
on the other hand. know that an. mp
pearance of helplessness, II accom-
panied by good looks, Is often gres
asset in the pursuit OF husband.
Thus society encourages women Z
hold on to any infantile traits they ma
have. The "cuteness," the helpless
ness the Ignorance. which so many o
them affect. are infantlle. The woma
! may use these tricks consciously j
! nursuit of a man. but the mere, fac
that she uses such tricks at all Is a
indication. according to the psycholC
. gists. that she has never become full
, adult. This prevailing infantilism Q
women is widely recognized In opila
. slang and popular songs, which n
, veal far more of our folk-psycholog
: than does our formal literature.
"when grown-up ladies act III
D babies I've just got 10 love 'em. that
ALL
The women know that. And u Is =
!. trouble at all for them to act In
' babies. because most OF them have M
!. grown mentally and morally nearly 9
: fast as Trey have grown PHYSICAL
a say the scientists.
} II is not possible to summarize hei
!. all Of the evidence which might J
brought forward TO prove That the pu
Tic as whole hrs never grown y
4 our tastes in reading. movies and til
alter are specially significant. howeve
The adult desires TO understand w
children read fairy stories Most
II ire stories IN our magazines. near