no. i.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 35 



Psychological training, as outlined in Gen. Munson's letter, has been supplemented in several ways. Lieut. 

 Mark A. May has given a course of four lectures on the political and religious creeds commonly held by conscientious 

 objectors. Upon three occasions lectures have been given by personnel officers and supervisors, and practical experi- 

 ence in personnel interviewing has been secured by student officers and men at the recruit depot, Fort Oglethorpe, 

 and at Camp Forrest. Special lectures on the psychological aspects of reconstruction have been given by Lieut. Col. 

 Mock and Maj. Haggerty, of the Surgeon General's Office. Considerable practical experience in actual examining, 

 both of groups and of individuals, has also been given to students. The extent of such examining at this camp will 

 be noted in detail later in this report. The instructor in psychology has given several general lectures on the nature 

 and purpose of psychological examining to the medical student officers, as a part of their scheduled instruction. 



Psychological instruction has been conducted almost exclusively by officers of the school. The more important 

 courses given by psychologists are as follows: Organization and administration of psychological examining (Capt. 

 Foster, Lieut. Jones); paper work relating to psychological examining (Capt. Foster); alpha group examining (Capt. 

 Hayes, Lieut. Murchison) ; beta group examining (Lieut. Wheeler, Lieut. Owen) ; scoring (Lieut. Wheeler, Lieut. May) ; 

 individual examining (Capt. Rowe, Lieut. Anderson, Lieut. Paterson, Lieut. Pechstein, Lieut. Myers); mental 

 incompetents (Lieut. Anderson, Capt. Rowe, Lieut. Pechstein); statistical methods and practice (Lieut. Morgan, 

 Lieut. May); malingering (Lieut. Paterson;) conscientious objectors (Lieut. May); military topics (Lieut. Murchison 

 Lieut. Owen, Lieut. Myers); gas instruction (Lieut. Murchison); drill (Lieut. Anderson, Lieut. Murchison, Lieut. 



Lane, Lieut. Owen). 



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Psychologists upon arrival in camp were given alpha examination and filled out a modified officer's qualification 

 card. On this card were listed student's topics of specialization and publication and the amount and variety of psy- 

 chological and applied psychological training as well as preference as to psychological duty. His ability in the prac- 

 tice courses was frequently tested and estimated by the instructors in charge. The officers' military grades were 

 reported weekly by the company commander to the battalion commander, who revised them. In lecture courses, 

 grades were determined by recitations and final examinations. Recommendations as to promotion and assignment 

 of commissioned psychologists were made by a board of examiners. 



In the case of enlisted men, the data on the qualification cards, the report of the company commander as to mili- 

 tary record, and the marks obtained in the training course were similarly secured. A written examination on general 

 psychological topics and a final oral examination furnished a further basis of recommendation by a board composed of 

 officers of the school. 



The record of the school with regard to military activities has been high. Before the system of weekly written and 

 practical examinations to determine military grades in the officers' training camp, and of awarding a banner each week 

 to the company showing the greatest improvement in drill and inspections, was discontinued, early in April, 22 psycho- 

 logical officers of the 43 who had at that time had more than a month's training had received a white hatband desig- 

 nating an A or highest grade, and the banner had been once awarded to company 28. In few other companies at the 

 camp were there more than three white hatbands. 



On May 31, 1918, by direction of the commandant, Camp Greenleaf, a suggested program for the organization of 

 "psychological stimulation of troops" ("morale work") at this camp was submitted by Lieut. John E. Anderson in 

 the absence of the senior instructor. The essential feature of this program was to begin the work in detention camp, 

 battalion XV, with a staff consisting of one morale officer, an assistant morale officer, a chaplain, two headquarters 

 sergeants, and one enlisted man for each company, the latter to act in the capacity of sick sergeant, to lead in informal 

 singing on all possible occasions, and to assist in drill, games, athletics, and the giving of personal information to re- 

 cruits. These psychologists cooperated with civilian agencies — Y. M. C. A., Knights of Columbus, Jewish Welfare 

 Board, the Fosdick Commission on Training Camp Activities, and the Red Cross. A 15-day repeating program was 

 established, including inspirational and informative talks, tagging of all recruits with a card bearing name, new ad- 

 dress, and printed paragraph intended to promote patriotic and military ideals; the systematic direction of the writing 

 of home letters by all recruits on their first day in camp, inclosing mimeographed letter from the section commander; 

 the furnishing to company commanders of syllabi of inspirational talks, and the putting into effect of an evening pro- 

 gram of two and half hours' entertainment organized aa a matter of daily routine. 



On June 6, 1918, the office of camp morale officer was created and Capt. William S. Foster appointed thereto. The 

 above program was submitted for criticism to Maj. Kirk, commander of battalion XV. On the basis of his recom- 

 mendations a revised program was submitted to the commandant June 12, 1918. On June 15, 1918, this revised pro- 

 gram was ordered to be put into effect. On June 17, 1918, First Lieut. Eliott P. Frost, Sanitary Corps, National Army, 

 was appointed assistant morale officer. 



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(In pi. 3, are reproduced pictures of the staff at Camp Greenleaf in June, 1918, and of the 

 morale sergeants.) 



On January 10, 1919, Lieut. Anderson submitted a report covering the period from the 

 relief of Capt. Foster from duty, August 7, 1918, to the abandonment of the school, January 

 9, 1919. 



Instructional work was continued during this period on a reduced scale. Lectures and 

 courses on psychological topics were given by Lieut. Anderson, Lieut. May, and Lieut. Owen. 



