ARMY EDUCATION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 170, 21 July 1942, Page 4

ARMY EDUCATION

HELPING YOUTH ANY SCHEME ACCEPTABLE "Mr. L. Hogwood's article in Saturday's Star was apt and timely," stated Mr. L. G. Dorrington, in an interview. "As boys' vocational guidance officer at the Government Youth Centre, Auckland," he said, "1 am concerned regarding the abrupt manner in which both educational and vocational training comes to an end with youths at the age of 18. Many boys, on reaching their 17th birthday, accept the inevitable and their ambitions for the future vanish with their prospects. "They feci that everything civilian ends for them at IS and that what happens "after the war" does not matter. It is with these youths that I feel that something should be done, and done immediately. I agree with Mr. Hogwood that there are hundreds of our boys who would accept any scheme of army education with enthusiasm. The leaders of our community come, in very many instances, from those whose education continues until their 17th or 18!h year. Many of our best bovs are at present transferring directly from secondary schools to service in the army, navy or air force. "The longer the war continues, the more serious will become the problem of their rehabilitation. The longer they continue in training in New Zealand the greater the number of precious hours of leisure will be wasted. Army education, which involves both academic and technical training, is long overdue. Such schemes are already in operation in England and Australia and other parts of the Empire. New Zealand, which leads the world in many schemes, seems to lag signally bohind in this one. No doubt there are difficulties to be overcome in inauguiating a scheme, but wo conl 1 profit by experience, and improve the system as \ve wont along. The point" is that the need exists. We should get going. Use of Tests "Mr. Hogwood's reference to the use of tests for the production of efficiency in our armed forces is of particular interest. I have used them, to some extent, in the selection of personnel for tbe air training corps, and have found them both valid anrl reliable. Boys who wish to become proficient members of the air force either in the air on on the ground, must possess more than average intelligence and a high degree of tech nical skill. True, they are put through an educational course ir New Zealand superior to any in the British Empire, but many fail tc reach the requirements. This results in loss of efficiency, because it is e loss in time, material and energy. "The administration of simplf standardised tests for intelligent and manual dexterity would enabl< unsuitable applicants to be culled a the outset, rather than after period: varying from three to six months My introduction of this testing pro cedure, carried out some time ago was commented upon favourably h; the authorities, nut unfortunately no further action was taken. Thos<

who have used such tests know how excellent they are as a prognosis and what extreme dependability can be placed upon their results. "Another point, closely allied to army education, is the application of vocational selection (rather than vocational guidance) in respect to placement in the army, or other branches of the forces. Such vocational selection has been carried out extensively in the American Army, and has been recently taken up, on a large scale, in the British Army. Trained psychologists and vocational guidance officers have been posted to the arm.v in Britain with , commissioned ranks—and rightly so—for the express purpose of insti- ■ tuting a careful system of vocational ! selection, lifting the right man into the right job, and avoiding "the square peg in the round hole.' Invaluable Work. "Dr. E. S. Myers is one of the many cases in point which could be quoted. Formerly Director of the institute of Industrial Psychology in London, where, for over 20 years 1 he has carried on an invaluable 1 work in adapting psychology to ; industry, and personally trained • large numbers of vocational guid--1 ance experts, he now holds the rank of major in the British army, and is | continuing a work of vocational selecti-m which must ultimately . raise the standard of army efficiency : immeasurably. We hoar of numbers less cases of men. highly qualified ' in a particular skill, who are posted to a branch of the services where ; they are utterly unable to use that skill. Of what use is it to put a pro- ; fessional accountant in an engincer- ' ing detachment, while a skilled mechanic goes into the base records 3 office? And yet such things are j being done. A system of vocational selection for the armed forces | would help considerably to obvoate J such anomalies. "All this army education, testing : procedure and vocational selection ; : must be part and parcel of the , ' routine of the forces. It will not t j !>e acccpfab'e to the youths and the I ; men if it is imposed from without, ; ;; \ for ■ ;np!o. from the Education n iX':p:irtny;nl. Tcaehers, general and c technical, arc already with the " | forces. Those wlih a knowledge of testing and vocational guidance are | likewise mobilised. The advantages e ! are incalculable. 'Win the war' is f \ our slogan. If the Army Departf mcnt and the air force authorities i, ore willing to take up the sugf gestions, then the day of victory ;. will be brought nearer."