THE VESTIBULE SCHOOL
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manifested than at rest. But neither a momentaryobservation
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 psychological
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 disgruntled
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 examination,
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
