Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-10-17
MANY REJECTED
AS SLOW WITTED
NOW SERVE ARMY

ago would have been considered men
tally unqualified for service today are
In training as soldiers in the greatest
army Uncle Sam ever assembled.
Thanks to q new system whereby IL
Iterates and others with only meageE
education are tested and interviewed
by a trained psychologist, Uncle Sam Is
picking up many q soldier who would
have failed TO make the grade as re-
Gently as two months ago.
The exacting Job Of accepting some
Of these "debatableS" and turning
others aside falls to two men IN sepa-
rate branches of the medical staff at
the Montana recruiting and induction
station: Capt. M. NJ Campbell, M O.,
neuropschiatrist on the staff, and Reed
M. Merrill civilian psychologist on the
board. Chairman Of the medical board
Is Mai. G. B. Atkins, M. 9. Captain
Campbell, after winning his M. D., had
eight years graduate work and is GER
titled by the board Of neurology and
psychiatry as a specialist, Mr.. Merrill
holds a masters degree from the uni
versity of Utah IN Salt Lake City.
Throughout the nation other special
lists, similar TO those in Butte, are ex-
pertly examining BORDERING" selectees
those who may be mentally I'M
qualified to bear arms for any OF a
number Of reasons-to determine
whether it would be possible to train
them as soldiers Each recruiting and
induction station now tests the minds,
as well as bodies, Of prospective
fighters, and it's paying dividends.
In the Treasure State Merrill believes
at least so men who short time ago
would have failed the mental tests be-
cause of illiteracy or educational
starvation now are making good IN the
o. S. army.
The Job is to pick the men whose
meager education, If they had any at
all, obscures minds that otherwise are
suitable for training Many men who
did not have the opportunity to go to
school make good soldiers, it has been
found, lending weight to the argument
that being uneducated does not tndi-
cate, necessarily, that one is unintelh-
gent.
Several hundreds Of thousands Of
men throughout the nation who have
been rejected because of iliteracy or
low educational qualifi-
cations since October, 1910, when the
draft began, win now be re-examined,
the Butte army men said. The army
expects to reclaim" the greater per-
centage Of these former "culls."
In Montana, alone, three percent OF
the men rejected before the mental
were given failed because
of illiteracy, and an additional three
percent were mentally deficient, max
ing a total Of six percent failures for
mental reasons.
Today that percentage has been
pared to rs.
That's how the examination OF
selectees' minds is paying OH IN more
soldiers for the army.
The other purpose Of the mental
tests, besides getting more soldiers, Is
10 get a more accurate Judgment OF
men formerly rejected because OF IL
Iiteracv and In some cases to change
lie classification Of men previously IN
i-F.
Rural Reflections Higher
1t has been found In Montana that
he percentage of reflections for IL
iteracv and mental deficiency Is lower
n urban communities. Life Is easier IN
-uraI communities and jobs are
simpler, accounting for the attraction
# mental deficients, many OF whom
,ome from cities but are unable to earn
. living there, 1t is believed. Also, farm
hildren quit school earlier to work
Both Captain Campbell and MIR.
Gerriu were emphatic in stating that (
mental deficients are not born IN :
reater percentage in farm areas, but !
hat they congregate there. The con- !
,estion and social and economic pres S
ure Of city life often proves too much {
or some of the deficients and they
move to rural neighborhoods. {
Indians, too, the men said, are often {
Iliterate because Of little opportunity I
or schooling.
Iliterates and those whose question S
aires indicate they are Of low mental {
aliber are examined by Merrill after
)r. Campbell determines whether they {
re psychotic, that is, insane, or neurot- a
:. that Is, suffering from emotional t
Instability, social maladiustment or a
ersonaIity disorders which prevent Z
nem from adapting themselves to mil S
airy life. Those suffering from neu- O
isis are not automatically "out," I
ecause many of them, Captain Camp S
ell said, may become excellent SOL
iers. I
when a neurotic is placed in q post S
I responsibility he sometimes may s.
Issipate his emotional tension and r
erform In a superior manner because t
/ the fact his ego is buoyed up" Cap t
lin Campbell explained. IF placed In :
different spot their neurotic symp- :
inns may be exaggerated and they
rack"
Those found to be actually insane
re always disqualified. These amount
about one percent, the doctor said.
The mental experts posted three
sfinitions to clarity any possible
uddle In the layman's mind concern
g the function Of various doctors and n
socialists who deal with the mind:
A psychiatrist is an individual who
agnoSes and treats mental disorders.
e's a medical man primarily, with 8
'ecial training In psychology.
A rlSvchologfgt Is q person who M