Commi ttee on Selection and Training , 



The project, because of its scope, was assigned to Divi- 

 sion 6 and at Dr. Tate's request, Dr. G. P. Harnwell, at that 

 time a Technical Aide of the Division, undertook to review 

 the problem and recommend plans for the Division's partici- 

 pation. Discussions with the Navy continued and out of these 

 came a proposal for a Committee on the Selection and Training 

 of Sound Operators, which, during its life, was to meet fre- 

 quently with Navy representatives interested in various 

 aspects of training. To this Committee, Dr. Tate in December, 

 1941, appointed the following: Dr. Harnwell, Chairman, Dr. 

 Viteles, Dr. Weaver, Dr. Wilks, Dr. Fry and Mr. Shea. 



An initial analysis of the problem indicated that the 

 start of operations could best be undertaken by the San Diego 

 Laboratory, particularly because of its close proxirity to the 

 West Coast Sound School of the Navy. Accordingly, Dr. Vern 0, 

 Knudsen, Director of the San Diego Laboratory, was authorized 

 to employ training personnel and set up training groups. As 

 the work of the Division in the field of selection and training 

 expanded, training groups were established at other of its 

 laboratories and the training activities were considerably 

 broadened in scope. During 1942 and 1943, the major emphasis 

 of the selection and training program had to do with anti- 

 submarine sonar personnel, but during 1944 and early 1945, as 

 the character of the war changed, equal or perhaps even greater 

 emphasis was given to the training of pro-submarine personnel. 



The Committee on Selection and Training served in an ad- 

 visory and liaison capacity. It held regular meetings with 

 representatives of CominCh, the Office of the Coordinator of 

 Research and Development, the Training Commands and various 

 Navy bureaus. At these meetings progress reports were given 

 and new projects planned. 



The training groups stationed at the Division's labora- 

 tories and at Navy facilities, were independently directed, 

 the ultimate responsibility being the Navy's, but their efforts 

 were coordinated through the Committee. Close contact was 

 maintained between the various groups by frequent exchanges of 

 personnel, by daily correspondence, and by informal reports 

 circulated at regular intervals 



One difficulty with the Navy's training program had been 

 that though the Navy training personnel were earnest and 

 energetic, few members of the teaching staff had had any 



110 



