The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-11

In a room not too we'll ventilat-
ed, a typewriter not too familiar
to them, assailed by noises they
never heard before, and warned
in advance that time and accIr-
acy would be factors in the grad
ing, the IA were set at work. A
monitor watched.
A CTUALLY, more counted than
IN speed and correctness. Per-
sistence and observation counted.
Endurance through the long hours
of having no suStenance, and
through the resultant flag; the
power of imagination under those
circumstances; ability to follow
oral and written instructions as
to detail in identifying exSmina-
ton papers; all of these counted
in units granted or denied in The
final score.
The first set of questions was
about the fire department and
was quite technical. 1t was de-
signed to give light on how stub
bornly the applicant would at
tack a problem which probably
was quite foreign to him, and how
ingenious he would be in finding
definitions of terms he didn't I'M
derstand.
If a preponderance of correct
answers were given by any appli-
cant, it implied he knew great
deal more about the subject than
was covered by the questions.
The second list was about the
police department and police &C
tivities. 1t contained not only
questions that involved a smatter-
ing knowledge of law, but also ques-
lions that required information on
underworld slang and on police
procedure. The applicant also was
required to give his views on one
of the current important social
problems of police methodS-the
third degree.
TINE third, and most heavily
l. scored list of questions con-
cerned government.
All We who have not studied your
civics, enter not. Do you know
how many separate bodies there
are in Marion County with the
power to tax? Name them, then!
In this division there were the
most questions. Information on
governmental operations is regard
ed as most essential to reporting.
The last Its was about newspa-
papers.
1t was short, but in it was hid
den an invitation, frankly put
there for a purpose, to fatter The
Times. Judicial use Of the goose
grease" is sometimes ( handy wea-
pom of an otherwise st!mieo re-
porter when the story rests with
words or information possessed
by one person.
Then, when they had waded
through all that, and their nerves
were on edge and their stomachs
were empty and they probably
wished to goodness, or worse, that
the thing would end, the IA cam
didates were taken on what ap-
parently was a casual trip through
the entire plant of The Times.
Anything they wanted explained
was explained. All questions were
answered. They were, for all they
knew, guests of the management
on a tour of the place that had no
reference to the test, except the
mere coincidence of their being
there.
A S last blow, after their tour,
N they were asked to write as
much or as little as they wished
on one mechanical department,
likely the least of interest to
them. One group was given the
sterotyping department, one the
photo-engraving department. and
one the press room.
These, graded heavily for OBJ
servation and persistence, were
highly important factors in the
complete score.
There were, in the lists, ques-
tons designed to bring out how
carefully applicants had read
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