The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-04

q financial problem you go to your
banker, who, after Analysing the situa
ton, offers you a solution. In like
manner a vocational psychologist, after
discovering what type of mind you pos
sess, tells you the type of work it is
best fitted for.
Science, Not Mysticism
Years ago, unfortunately, the only
persons who offered any vocational adj
vice were persons who claimed for
themselves uncanny powers, just as the
healers in ancient history were not
physicians, but claimed to have influ-
ence over the spirits. and just as the
modern physician is wholly different
from these ancient medicine men, the
modern vocational psychologist is entire
ly different from the fortune teller.
"In the leading universities of the
country experiments are being carried
on in the psychological vocational field
as it is a well known fact that there
are too many students who are enter
ing every year vacations for which they
are untitled.
AT this season there are thou
sands of boys and girls about to be
graduated from schools who find them
selves facing more than five vocational
roads. Nanny of them are without
signposts to point the way, and they
must guess and go on.
THE other day a man from a college
in Alabama came to the clinic for a vo-
cational examination who told me that
after spending three and half years
in law he had given it up because he
line of work. The fellow was not only
wiz hic xs-av fhrnlrOh cphnn1
but attempting also to assist his aged
mother by doing work on the side after
school.
Proved By Incident
"Some idea of the need for a voca-
tional clinic may be gathered from the
following incident
Just prior to coming to Birming-
ham in November | spoke in city
where three clubs had a joint meeting.
My train was 70 minutes late and
while waiting for my arrival the toast
master said: Gentlemen. while we are
waiting, | want every man here who
has changed his vocation at least once,
and who is satisfied that the first work
he entered was the wrong vocation, to
stand There were $50 club men pres
ent and nearly 500 stood.
Recently a boy came to the clinic
who had spent two years in a school
studying mechanical engineering. When
he decided to become an engineer he
did not take into consideration that he
was poor in mathematical comprehen'
sion and that he did not have drawing
ability. He datested details. He was
impulsive. loved activity, possessed mix
ing qualities and should have been a
salesman.
Instead of first attempting to take
mental inventory and discover the men
tai traits and characteristics they pos
sess and then select vocation that
will fit those traits and characteris'
ties, too many of our young men and
women choose some vocation because
of external Influences
Endorsed BY Leaders
During his time here, DR.. Penning
toms work has been Endorsed by many
civic leaders and besides being busy
with tests practically every day he has
spoken before nearly every club in the
city and many conventions of the state
1t is said that fully 10000 people in
Alabama read his weekly psychological
report.
While operating at his temporary
headquarters in the Morris hotel, the
psychologist had the opportunity of Civ
ing his tests to Emile Coue, the Nancy
druggist. who was here on a lecture
tour. Coue pronounced the tests the
most extraordinary experience he had
had in America and is5sending an au-
tographed letter from his famous elm
ic commencing the work of DIR. Pen
nington.
disqualification of another of the
numerous favorable impressions DIR.
Pennington has made, was test per-
formed before the Business and Profess
sional Women's state convention held
in TalIadega last week. A delegate
whom he had never seen before was Sc
lccted and at the reading Of his report
every acquaintance of the woman in
dorsed it as correct.