110 MEMOIRS NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. ivol.xv, 



grade E, after drilling such troops, that they believe the men were carefully chosen, and many such company com- 

 manders desired to know on what basis these men were chosen. 



The 332d Labor Battalion was rilled by the selection of the men on their psychological grades, and a number of non- 

 commissioned officers for permanent personnel in the depot brigade were chosen on this basis, and it appeared that 

 the results were satisfactory. 



It is believed that the psychological ratings were extremely valuable. 



It is suggested that if particular psychological tests were worked out for testing men for use in specific military 

 duty, and in determining the psychological requirements of specific military duties, extremely valuable results would 

 be obtained. 



Under the present plan of determining the intelligence of officers and enlisted men only their general intelligence 

 is attempted to be rated. If intelligence tests for specific jobs could be worked out, and no doubt they can be, an 

 important advantage would be gained, and much loss of time and energy in training men for specific duties would be 

 avoided. 



REPLY (LETTER) TBOH COMMANDING OFFICER OF CAMP UPTON. 



The psychological examination held at this camp has proved a value to the various departments which had to do 

 with the assigning of enlisted men to various kinds of work. It afforded quick classification of men to the particular 

 kind of work for which they were adapted. A careful individual examination has been given every case in the psycho- 

 pathic wards at the base hospital. This examination, reported in the form of exact mental age of the subject, has been 

 used by the neuro-psychiatric board in their recommendations for discharge upon the basis of mental deficiency. An 

 individual examination has been given to all prison cases, reports being placed in the hands of commanding officers', 

 showing mental ages of the soldiers who have broken rules. Examination of all members of development battalions 

 has resulted in the classification of illiterate groups, aiding the work of education. Candidates for officers' training 

 schools have been examined and the results of their examination have been used as a basis in the selection for intensive 

 training. Results of psychological examinations have been placed in the hands of company commanders and have 

 enabled them to select provisional noncommissioned officers from material which was shown to be intellectually 

 superior. It is true that general value to the sen-ice usually goes hand in hand with intellectual development and 

 usually the most intelligent man the man with the highest mental rating, is of the greatest sendee. Of course, there 

 are exceptions to this rule. 



The usefulness of psychological service can be improved in the matter of closer cooperation between the psycho- 

 logical rjoard and the personnel adjutants. It is essential for the best interests of the psychological sendee that the 

 intelligence ratings be placed on the qualification cards of each and every man examined. Unless this policy is adhered 

 to the entire purpose of psychological examining is defeated. 



Psychological service was instituted with a view of aiding the rapid development of soldiers by eliminating the 

 unfit, and placing in the hands of personnel officers information which will enable them to distribute men efficiently. 

 The value of continuing the work becomes doubtful when the influx of recruits is stopped. 



REPLY (LETTER) FROM COMMANDING OFFICER OF CAMP WADSWORTH. 



I have been very favorably impressed by the work of the examiners, am convinced of its usefulness to the service, 

 and desire to make but one suggestion for its improvement, namely, that it be transferred to the personnel branch of 

 The Adjutant General's Office, where it obviously belongs. 



It is likely that we have had better opportunities for testing the value of psychological examinations at this camp 

 than at other places, and that, therefore, the examiners and other officers have been more interested in the subject, 

 have accumulated more data, and have devoted more time and labor to the investigation of results obtained. 



From January until May of this year we had approximately a full complement of officers for about 16 regiments of 

 pioneer infantry, but very few men. That period was therefore devoted to the instruction of all officers in various 

 subjects, such as guard duty, administration, military law, field service regulations, drill regulations, field engineering, 

 etc. Using the general standing of officers in this school work in comparison with their psychological rating some very 

 interesting and instructive comparative tables were compiled by the examiners. These tables have been forwarded 

 to the Division of Psychology, and it is thought that they should convince any doubter of the very great value of psycho- 

 logical examinations in determining valuable officer material. 



The noncommissioned officers were, of course, subjected to the same psychological tests, and the results were 

 equally convincing. The regiments mentioned were fragments of New England and New York National Guard Regi- 

 ments, which had been depleted to fill to war strength the New England and the New York divisions. As the division 

 commanders were not authorized to take noncommissioned officers, some of the commanders of the depleted regiments 

 made noncommissioned officers of very inferior material in order to protect from selection certain privates whom they 

 especially desired to keep. These men were invariably shown up by the psychological ratings; indeed, it was their 

 low rating which caused me to make inquiry about these men and to learn of the above facts. 



When the drafted men came in their psychological ratings were utilized by all company commanders to determine 

 the likely material from which to expect noncommissioned officers, and I was informed that it proved to be a very 

 valuable guide. 



From the experience above briefly narrated I have learned, after some scepticism at first, to have a very whole- 

 some respect for the work of the psychological examiners, and can not too highly commend it. In this connection, 



