CLERKS

S 7

.  Although,  as  has  been  pointed  out,  there  were  certain
^adequacies  in  the  tests  applied  as  well  as  in  the  judgments ­
  obtained  from  the  office  heads,  the  value  of  the
r esults  became  more  and  mere  clear  with  each  passing
month.  The  inspection  or  follow  up  conducted  at  the  end
°f  each  month  showed  a  consistent  increase  in  the  percentage ­
  of  agreement  between  the  estimates  based  upon
ne  tests  and  those  given  by  the  office  chiefs.  For  example,
° n e  hundred  and  eighty-eight  clerks  recommended  on  the
asis  of  the  tests  and  followed  up  at  intervals  of  one
month  for  a  period  of  three  months  were  estimated  as
follows:
Percentage  of  those  called  good  by  their  superiors

At  the  end  of  one  month  75%
“  “  “  “  two  months  89%
“  “  “  “  three  months  9 2 %

n  brief,  the  verdict  of  the  tests  was  corroborated  with
mcreasing  certainty  as  the  various  office  heads  learned
know  their  workers  better.  Looking  at  the  matter
°m  another  angle,  the  verdicts  rendered  on  the  basis
te sts  occupying  only  a  few  minutes’  time  were  more
liable  than  those  rendered  by  the  office  heads  after  they
a d  known  the  workers  thus  selected  for  one,  two,  and
e ^en  three  months.  If  tests  have  any  value  it  is  in  this
juty  to  effect  in  a  few  minutes  a  selection  which  time
.  m  justify;  and  the  measure  of  that  value  is  the  degree
n  "which  succeeding  months  confirm  this  selection.