46 MEMOIRS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [vol.xv. 



Col. Burt, on June 18, 1918, reported favorably, as is indicated by the following 



quotations: 



The introduction of the Psychological Division is a distinct step forward in military progress. Its work is full 

 of possibilities in the direction of classifying personnel, equitably distributing personnel and speeding up organization 

 and training; however, to be productive of proper results, a firm controlling hand from the War Department must 

 be kept upon it in order that no theorist may be permitted to ride it as a hobby for the purpose of obtaining daU for 

 research work and the future benefit of the human race, and this at the expense of present military training. 

 Furthermore, if it is to be continued in existence, since it is of importance, it should be systematically backed up 

 by the War Department. So far the Psychological Division has an insufficient personnel; camp commanders have 

 not been directed to give it a place in camp organization; no building has been assigned to it; and in the over- 

 crowded cantonments the psychologist has become a "pest," since a building was to be furnished him and none has 

 been at hand; consequently, his examinations have been held on sufferance, here, there, and anywhere. If he 

 had had a distinctive niche in the cantonment, where groups of men could have been sent to him systematically, 

 little opposition to his division would have been reported by cantonment commanders. * * * 



It is recommended that the Psychological Division with its examinations be continued with limitations and 

 curtailments as follows: 



Psychological examinations to be given to all candidates of officers' training schools or camps, to such other 

 company officers only as commanding officers of stations where psychologists are on duty may designate, and to all 

 newly drafted or enlisted men at those points where large numbers are collected for muster into the service. * * * 



Rating results of psychological examinations to be presented to the division personnel officer, and by him to 

 organizations concerned at the earliest practical moment, it being borne in mind that the greatest value of said 

 ratings depends upon the division personnel officers being able to make use of them in the equitable distribution of 

 men to organizations, not after distributions have been made, and by the organization commanders having ratings at 

 hand immediately upon the entrance of men into the companies. This will speed up organization, since, within 

 limits, it will enable commanders at once to place alert-minded men in lime for special technical instruction; 

 among this class self-effacing nonprofessing men will gain early recognition; to at once arrange for special training 

 for the low grades and to know immediately which are the average men for all general instruction. 



That the Psychological Division be provided definitely with a building either by construction or assignment 

 at any station where it is to work. 



That the Psychological Division be given a definite personnel sufficient for its needs, and in camps or canton- 

 ments; that cantonment commanders be informed that additional permanent enlisted personnel from the depot 

 brigade, the Medical Corps, or camp sanitary troops shall be assigned to the Psychological Division for instruction 

 in their duties and for work in psychological examinations when needed; at other times these men to be used on 

 other duties. So far this division has trained enlisted men in camps for use at times of incoming new drafts, and 

 in some cases lost them by requisitioned transfer at the time the drafts appeared. Camp commanders have received 

 no instruction to furnish any personnel for use in psychological tests. * * * 



That definite orders be published covering the above, since no regulations so far have been issued through The 

 Adjutant General of the Army to carry on the psychological examinations. The only instructions now governing 

 at cantonments are those issued to camp surgeons from the Office of the Surgeon General. In a spirit of cooperation 

 the camp commanders considered that this expressed a desire of the War Department to have the examinations 

 conducted. 



That a scheme be devised by which low mentality cases may be recommended for assignment to special organi- 

 zations, not for service as camp police or necessarih? labor organizations, but in special-training organizations under 

 specially selected officers who will understand their particular needs for training. It is believed that the majority 

 of such cases, although possibly requiring double time for development over that necessary for the average and 

 superior mental grades, still can be brought forth into good average soldiers who will stand the trench strain. The 

 undersigned is not convinced that the stupid man, with proper training and leading, is necessarily going to give way 

 in the trenches. Through the above, the superior and average cases as determined by the psychologist to lie appor- 

 tioned equitably by the division or camp personnel officer to regiments and separate organizations. The average 

 cases are included with the superior since practically the average enlisted man often becomes a better soldier than 

 the quickly-grasping examination man, often superficial, who obtains a higher rating; particularly so, since no 

 psychological examination can measure characteristics of leadership, loyalty, judgment, perseverance, etc., which 

 go to make up the valuable soldier's character. It must be said, however, that, with few exceptions, the judgment 

 displayed in picking candidates for officers (the third and fourth training camps were examined psychologically) 

 have been confirmed by superior ratings. 



The grouping of superior and average men in fighting organizations, and the below-average men to special 

 training for replacements in fighting organizations will be a further step in advance, as the former should then complete 

 training in much less time than they would if retarded by the slowest men. Herein lies an especial line for 

 speeding up training. It will meet with opposition through lack of intimate contact with the psychologists, fear 

 of the new and unknown project and the idea that the Army is to be saddled with a hobby. * * * 



It is noticeable that the higher ranking officers of long military service generally condemn the psychological 

 test as unnecessary from the standpoint of an organization commander. This is due — 



(a) To the fear of having a "hobby" saddled upon the Army. 



(b) To a lack of knowledge of the psychological examination and its uses. 



