WORKING GIRL MAY NOT BE GENIUS SAYS HOLMES

"Our intelligence tests do not necessarily reveal genius. They merely indicate marked capacity to learn", said Dean H. W. Holmes '03, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, commenting on the recent mental tests conducted by his school, which resulted in the selection of Miss Muriel Black, 24 year old Plymouth working girl, as an example of unusual mental brilliancy.

Last spring the Associated Industries Committee, consisting of C. A. Andrews of Merrill, Oldham and Company, B. P. Clark of the Plymouth Cordage Company, and F. P. Cox of the General Electric Company, commenced an investigation to determine whether a certain number of boys and girls could not be found among the various factory workers of New England, who, possessed of unusual mental ability, would never have the opportunity, due to home conditions, to use that inherent talent to full advantage. In cooperation with the Harvard Graduate School of Education 21 boys and girls were selected on the basis of recommendations, furnished by factory foremen and supervisors, to be carefully examined and tested. Of these 21 six were finally chosen to come to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, so as to be studied and given the opportunity of putting into service their mental brilliance.

Winner Has Brilliant Personality

At the end of a six months period Miss Black was selected as the winner of the competition. She had had a few opportunities that the other five had not had. She had worked for six months with the Plymouth Cordage Company to be true, but she had also taught school at Plymouth for two years and so can hardly be included under the general head of factory workers.

Miss Black is of striking beauty and exceedingly magnetic personality, in addition to possessing a mind which some people have stated to be that of a genius. Since the announcement that she had been selected as the most brilliant person of all those examined she has received numerous offers from large business concerns, ranging in salaries offered up to $50,000. She has no desire to succeed to wealth or influence, however, her sole ambition being to study medicine and achieve a doctor's degree.

Referring to the extreme statements of the newspapers that Miss Black was a genius capable of making a large fortune in the movies and similar sensational claims, Dean H. W. Holmes '03, Dean of the School of Education, yesterday made a statement making clear the precise amount of weight to be placed on the result of the tests. His declaration in full is as follows:

"The newspaper accounts were somewhat exaggerated. The official report which was given out by the Committee of the Associated Industries was perfectly accurate. We made a personal search in four selected industrial establishments for young people of marked promise. We found a certain number of boys who were commended by their foremen and superintendents and brought them over to our Psycho-Educational Clinic for intelligence tests. The results ought not to have been taken as showing that anyone we found is a genius. Intelligence tests do not reveal genius and are not intended to prove that those who rank high on them are going to set the world on fire. A high score in an intelligence test indicates a marked capacity to learn.

"We do not know as yet whether the Associated Industries is going to do anything more in this direction or not. It seems to us very desirable to carry on this kind of study, but very undesirable to give it sensational newspaper publicity. A recent study published by the Graduate School of Education ("The Intelligence of continuation-School Children in Massachusetts", by Dr. L. Thomas Hopkins, Harvard Studies in Education, Number 5) shows that among the continuation-school children in Massachusetts, all of whom are already engaged in industry, there are not a few who have exceptionally high intelligence ratings. This may be taken as a sign that they ought not to be engaged in low-grade work or blind-alley jobs. It is not a sure proof that these young people are going to be leaders.