Advertisement

New Fund Prolongs Life of Grant Study

Scientific Analysis Will Pick Officers

Simultaneous with the announcement that funds had been provided for the indefinite continuation of the Grant Study, Dr. Arlie V. Bock, controller of the University's health and general supervisor of the Study, revealed that recent developments had led to tests designed for use by the Army and Navy in the selection of officer candidates.

The worth of the material gathered by five years of Grant Study interviewing and analysis has already been recognized by one branch of the Service and is being put to use in the selection of officers.

Officer Tests Ready

As Dr. Bock described the hopes of the Study. "We believe we have the material for an accurate and successful program of officer selection.

Since soon after Pearl Harbor the Grant Study has been rapidly changing its peacetime objectives of investigating normal human beings toward the setting up of principles for officer selection. Advanced Navy and Army ROTC candidates have been required to take the Grant Study interview and over 400 Enlisted Reserve candidates have had to pass the interviewers before acceptance.

Advertisement

Hope to Extend Method

It is the hope of the Study officials that their system of ascertaining capabilities from brief interviews can be used on a nationwide scale. Much the same procedure as was used with ERC candidates would be followed. A brief interview, physical fitness tests, and the relation of body disproportionateness are the bases on which decisions have been made.

Composed originally of a seven man crew: a physician, an anthropologist, a physiologist, two psychiatrists, a psychologist, and a personnel worker, plus over 270 students who have participated, the Grant Study has been gathering material for the past four years to analyze the forces which go to produce normal men. It is this material which will be the basis of their officer candidates selection program.

Advertisement