THE VESTIBULE SCHOOL 
271 
manifested than at rest. But neither a momentary- 
observation nor a brief psychological examination can 
actually determine which qualities the individual possesses 
or to what extent. 
Although brief tests give no certain indication as to the 
nature of the applicant’s character, it may be said with 
certainty that whatever valuable moral qualities an 
applicant possesses will be most likely to develop if the 
applicant is assigned to the work for which he is best 
qualified. Again and again it has been demonstrated, in 
the course of these experiments, that the qualities of 
laziness and discontent shown by a worker were not 
inherent qualities, but were due to the fact that the worker 
was not fitted for his particular task. When transferred 
to another kind of work which, as indicated by a psy 
chological examination, was more suitable, it also appeared 
time and again that the same employee would become a 
satisfied and consistent worker. On the other hand, there 
have been many workers, according to their performance 
in the tests well fitted for their work, who still were dis 
gruntled and lazy. How can we account for the moral 
traits which these workers manifested? Here, again, the 
root of the trouble may be mal-adaptation. A further ex 
amination, either by tests or by an inquiry into a worker’s 
antecedents and ambitions, may show that he is better 
qualified for some other type of work as well. His present 
failure may be due not to inherent laziness but to an 
ambition to do something else. If this worker is given 
the kind of work which he prefers and is just as able 
to do, he may manifest an entirely different set of moral 
qualities. 
To be sure there are cases where laziness, unsteadiness, 
dishonesty, etc., are inherent and manifest themselves