no. 2.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 



353 



The interpretation of these results appears to be that negroes of the same degree of intelli- 

 gence are relatively better in dealing with words than whites, whereas the whites excel in tests 

 which involve other abstract operations. 



Scores in the literacy test correlate rather higher with scores in examination alpha than with 

 those of examination a. For 289 cases (white) at Camp Meade r with alpha equals 0.831. For 

 375 cases, white, at Camp Meigs r equals 0.813. For 380 cases (lower grade group of whites) 

 at Camp Lee r was reported as 0.85. The Camp Meade and Camp Meigs distributions are 

 presented in tables 39 and 40. 



Table 39. — Distribution of scores in examination alpha for various scores in Devens literacy test — Camp Meade — whites. 



Table 40. — Distribution of scores in examination alpha for various scores in Devens literacy test — Camp Meigs — whites. 



As a practical means of segregation, therefore, we conclude that the Devens literacy test is 

 subject to the main criticisms which apply to the previous tests of literacy. In particular, it 

 involves special blanks which must be distributed, collected, and scored. Even with inspec- 

 tion of the blanks, as a method of segregation, it requires two orderlies and takes 10 minutes to 

 segregate a group of 100 subjects. Yet more time is required to score the tests and give an 

 accurate grade in literacy, even when stencils are used. There is, furthermore, no guaranty 

 that with any given critical score justice is done in allowing those above the critical score to 

 take examination a or alpha and compelling those who fall below it to .take the group exam- 

 ination for illiterates. The presumption is in favor of such a conclusion, but definite means of 

 proof are wanting. 



From its construction, from its relatively high correlations with school grade, from the 

 fact that even with the lower grade of intelligence of second graders, few fail to grasp the instruc- 

 tions, the test gives evidence that it genuinely tests literacy (or reading ability) in the sense 

 both of understanding printed sentences and visual vocabulary. If it should be made longer 



