The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-06-23


that by a little chemical hocus-
pocus we are going to turn mil
lions of constitutionally made
luate people into hustling, alert
and successful citizens.
Another Of his ideas is that we
should develop more geniuses. He
very properly points out that
much of the advance of mankind
mas been achieved BY persons OF
outstanding abilities, who deserve
the name of geniuses, and that
here are many thousands Of in
iividuals of high intelligence
walking the streets Of our towns
and cities today, their abilities un-
recognized, and that this material
should be utilized. The way he in-
tends to bring this about is TO
recognize the geniuses by inteili'
yence tests.
Tests of Geniuses
He has a very interesting set OF
.ables to show that the geniuses
IF history have had their intelli-
gence quotients measured (by
studies of their work and biog-
raphies). For instance, John
Adams and Lincoln had an 10 Of
14O-145, while Goethe, John Stuart
Mill and Newton had los Of 19O-
200.
I don't know exactly what 10
tests were used to make these de-
Examinations. The old Binet-
Simon test had for adults such
problems as the Encouragement of
a triangle and the ability Of the
subject to solve the questions OF
the president. For the latter, one
doesn't have to go to Goethe or
John Stuart Mill. There is a fell
low who sits on the mineral oil
barrel in Albert Doerschuk's drug
store who solves the presidents
problems faster than you can
state them.
In college freshman tests, one
question is: "If James had four
times as much money as George,
he would have SIC. How much
money has George?" Are we to
understand that Goethe could
solve that one and one-half times
better and faster than Lincoln,
and that is the way we are to select
our geniuses for the brave, new
world?
The Human Element
One does not like, naturally,
even by the faintest skepticism to
dim the colors of the rainbow Of
the new dawn, but I had consider
able experience with 10 tests in
the last army, and in my expert
ence, they do not turn up any
geniuses. The men they assigned
me as SUPERINTENDENT and par
ticularly fitted for the job to which
they were assigned, soon became
acutely uninterested in the job
and were much more troublesome
than some humble individual who
liked to work.
Something is left out Of the in
telligence questionable real hui
man essence that makes the genius
cannot be determined. Many un-
recognized geniuses walking our
streets will stay that way on ac-
count of some quirk-perhaps
lack Of ambition-the will to stay
obscure. The total human per-
sonality escapes the tests and we
will, think, still have to depend
on the rough and tumble of trial
and error and luck in life.
In the meantime it is well not
to neglect the physical in picking
men and women for life's work.
In a study by the Municipal Civil
Service Commission Of New York,
the top men showed SO physical
and 80 mental percentage. at is
altogether possible" the study
states, "to have both brains and
Drawn. They are not mutually ex-
elusive competency catalogues, for
brains are as likely to accompany
a highly developed physique as
weak and flabby muscles"
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A. B., Calgary, Alberta-"What
is diet for high blood pressure?"
Answer: No special diet is cal
-ulated to help high blood pressure
very much. The old idea, to elimi-
nate meat and eggs, has been given
up, though a moderate restriction
Of protein foods and emphasis on
vegetables and fruits is advised.
More important than what you eat
is how much. Most blood pressure
people are overweight. Small,
nourishing meals are therefore the