Mabch 14, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



259 



are considerable and in all probability sig- 

 nificant. In general the range diminishes 

 from unskilled labor to intellectuallj^ diffi- 

 cult professions. 



The data of this occupational study, which 

 are merely sampled by Fig. 12, suggest both 

 the possibility and desirability of preparing 

 intelligence specifications for use in con- 

 nection with civilian occupations. Such 

 specifications, if satisfactorily prepared, 

 should be useful alike as partial basis for 

 educational advice and procedure and sub- 

 sequently for vocational guidance. It must 

 be emphasized in this connection that the 

 data of Fig. 12 are not strictly comparable 

 with such information as may be gathered 

 concerning civilian groups because various 

 selectional factors operate in the army. 



The Applicability of Mental Measure- 

 ments. — The utilization of methods of men- 

 tal testing by the army has at once in- 

 jcreased militarj- efficiency hy the improved 

 utilization of brain power and demonstrated 

 ,the applicability of the group method of 

 measuring intelligence to educational and 

 industrial needs. The army methods, al- 

 though not adapted to the usual educational 

 or industrial requirements, can readily be 

 modified or used as a basis for the develop- 

 ment of similar procedures. 

 . There are abundant indications that the 

 future will witness the rapid development 

 of varied methods for improving scientific 

 placement and vocational guidance. It is 

 highly probable that grading in the public 

 schools, in colleges and professional schools 

 will shortlj' be based in part upon measure- 

 ment of mental ability instead of exclusively 

 on measurements of acquisition. The war 

 has worked a miracle for what may properly 

 ,be called mental engineering by precipi- 

 tating expectations, surmises and desires 

 which have long sought expression. Yester- 

 day a few men believed in the probability 

 of the early appearance and practical use- 



fulness of this new branch of engineering ; 

 to-day scores of business men, educators and 

 men of other scientific professions are con- 

 vinced that it has arrived and demand its 

 rapid and effective development. 



The complete scientific report on the psy- 

 chological data which the army has supplied 

 and of which mere glimpses have been given 

 in this article should constitute the basis for 

 further important advances in methods of 

 mental measurement and should greatly 

 add to the knowledge of the distribution of 

 intelligence and its varied and significant 

 relations. These reports are in preparation 

 and it is hoped that they may be published 

 without undue delay. 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



PROPOSED MAP OF BRAZIL ON THE SCALE OP 

 ONE TO A MILLION 



AVe learn from the Geographical Journal 

 that a further important advance in the map- 

 ping' of South America is to be expected from 

 the decision of the " Club de Engenliaria " of 

 Kio de Janeiro to celebrate the approaching 

 centenary of Brazilian Independence (1922) 

 by the compilation of a map of Brazil which 

 shall also serve as a contribution to the 

 scheme for a general map of the world on the 

 scale of 1/1,000,000. We have received from 

 Senhor Paulo de Frontin, President of the 

 Engineering Club, copies of a memoir printed 

 in 1916 describing the general features of the 

 proposal (the execution of which has, it seems, 

 already been begun) and the methods which it 

 is proposed to adopt. It is pointed out that 

 the great extension of the Republic renders it 

 not feasible to construct a general map, 

 capable of being combined into a whole even 

 as a wall-map, on a larger scale than 1/2M 

 (1:2,000,000), and that on the millionth scale 

 the sheets would necessarily be used separately 

 or combined with neighboring sheets only, 

 Even on half this scale the conjoint map would 

 measure 8 feet by 7J. The original compila- 

 tion of the new map (the " Mother-map " as it 

 is termed in the United States) will be on the 



