Our Schools in War Time—and AfterDean, Arthur D. (Arthur Davis)
History
Our Schools in War Time—and After
Dean, Arthur D. (Arthur Davis)
Education -- United States; World War, 1914-1918 -- War work -- Schools
There are two distinct uses for the ratings which are given the men
as a result of the psychological examinations. One of these uses is
military and consists in furnishing a commanding officer with the
rating of each man in his command, by which he may, if he chooses, be
guided in selecting men for promotion, or for special duties requiring
more than average intelligence and mental quickness. The other use is
medical and is the thing specifically sought--to find men who are so
markedly below the average in intelligence as to demand consideration
for discharge or for assignment to simple manual work under careful
supervision.
The general method of the test is as follows: The men of each company
are divided into 4 groups of 75 to 80 each. Each group is first given
a simple literacy test which takes about five minutes and shows only
which of the men can read and write. The illiterates are withdrawn at
this point to be given examinations for manual skill. All those who can
read are then given the "group-intelligence examination."
Those who do not get good ratings are now re-examined in a group to
discover whether they are merely slow or are of low-grade intelligence.
If any fail to make a satisfactory showing, they are grouped with the
illiterates who were separated from the rest of the group after the
preliminary examination.
All these--illiterates, and literates who have not done well in the
group examination--are given tests for manual skill and ingenuity.
These tests are such as putting together dissembled mechanisms, etc.
After further individual examination those who receive the poorest
rating are likely to be considered for discharge or as suited only for
manual work under supervision.
Those who display special mental or manual ability are brought to the
notice of their company commanders as men who may be given assignments
for superior intelligence or skill.
The aims of the entire psychological examination are to measure native
intelligence and ability, not schooling; to disclose what a man can
do with his head and hands, not what he has learned from books; and
to help the medical officers quickly to discover and sift out the
extremely incompetent, and thus prevent the inefficiency and injustice
resulting from putting men in places which they are not qualified to
fill.
Of course there is a tremendous opportunity for the college to help
people understand the causes of war. This has already been referred to
in the chapter on "War and Community Uses of our Schools."
Colleges having teacher-training departments will have the opportunity
of giving short courses to men and women who will take the places of
those who have gone to war. There is also a field for great service
in discovering ways and means of improving our public-school systems
through lessons drawn from the war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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