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 Form L-9-15m-8,'24 
 
 I'
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 STATE NORMAL SCHOO' 
 
 UNEMPLOYMENT AND FEEBLE - MINDEDNESS 
 
 BY 
 
 GLENN R. JOHNSON 
 
 [Note: These reprints are sent to subscribers because of certain errors 
 in Mr. Johnson's article, as originally printed. Through an unfortunate 
 circumstance, two of the misplaced lines appeared in Dr. Pintner's 
 review, page 99, lines 18 and 19. These should be deleted.] 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE JOURNAL OF DELINQUENCY 
 VOLUME 2, NO. 2, MARCH 1917 
 
 33112
 
 \. ^ LOS ANGELES 
 
 ^ STATE NORMAL SCHOOi 
 
 UNEMPLOYMENT AND FEEBLE-MINDEDNESS 
 
 GLENN R. JOHNSON* 
 
 Columbia University 
 
 This paper is based on a psychological study of unemplDyment 
 its relation to feeble-mindedness. The Stanford revision of the Jiinet- 
 Simon Scale and five Reed College tests have been applied to 107 
 destitute unemployed men picked at random from among the unem- 
 ployed in Portland, Oregon, during the unemployment season of 
 1914-15. The tests were supplemented by a questionnaire. 
 
 Industrial conditions on the Pacific Coast are not conducive to 
 steady employment. The unemployment problem is one of seasonal 
 industry. Fruit and grains ripen early in Southern California. As the 
 season advances the crops to the north gradually mature. Casual la- 
 borers migrate to the north in search of continuous employment. In 
 October, the last of the harvests are gathered in Washington. In the 
 vrinter months there is very little work to be obtained in the coun- 
 try districts, consequently, thousands of men congregate in the larger 
 cities, where few can be employed. In addition to these casual work- 
 ers, there is a large increment of loggers and sawmill hands who are 
 forced into idleness owing to the shutting down of the timber industry 
 due to unfavorable weather conditions. 
 
 Some of these men have saved enough money to tide them through 
 the winter. Others have not been able to save enough to main- 
 tain themselves in idleness for many months. Still others have 
 squandered their money in gambling and drinking and have thert 
 by become destitute. Mingled among these men are numerous pro 
 fessional beggars and tramps and physical and mental defectives 
 
 The men mentioned above congregate in the slums of the various 
 coast cities. Their usual environments have been sucn as to make 
 them seek the company commonly found in saloons or cheap lodging 
 houses. One of these men may come to town with the best of in- 
 tentions to live within his means and remain sober. But the only 
 
 *Formerly associated with Dr. Eleanor Rowland, Reed College. 
 
 (59)
 
 fiO The Joiirncil of Delinquency 
 
 places wIkti' Ik- is wcIcoi'hmI arc tlu; tt'iuliTloiii resorts. He has no 
 iiicliimtioii lO go lo cliurcli, n-iitl at tlie library, or mix witli local social 
 groups. Most of these meii are imt very well educated, are poorly clad, 
 do not have much money, and are not sanguine of the future. They 
 are not welconuMl among the so called better social groups and are 
 too proud to accept the hosi)itality of those who are inclined to be 
 condescending. Comi)liauce with the rules of charitable social centers 
 require too much inhibition. Besides, there are too few of these places. 
 Saloons are the most enticing lounging places. With a few drinks 
 all good intentions are thrown to the four winds, and destitution 
 comes quickly. 
 
 During several winter seasons, the writer mingled among the un- 
 employed men gathered in the slums of Portland, Oi'egon. It wa« 
 observed that many of the unemployed men seemed stupid or feeble- 
 minded. It was pretty certain that some were actually feeble-minded, 
 out it was impossible to determine from casual observation what per- 
 centage were defective. 
 
 I Mental defectiveness among vagrant women indicates that feeble- 
 mindedness is associated with the problem of unemployment as well. 
 Psychological tests given to women detained in houses of correction 
 have established the startling fact that from 25 per cent to 50 per 
 cent are feeble-minded. Dr. Davis of the Bedford Reformatory for 
 Women has found that out of 647 cases there were 20 of insanity, 107 
 of feeble-mindedness, and 193 of mental defectiveness according to the 
 Binet mental tests. Thus, 320 or about 50 per cent were mentally de- 
 fective. Other pyschological investigations seem to indicate that these 
 percentages of feeble-mindedness hold for the prostitute class as a 
 whole. 
 
 The Portland, Oregon, Vice Commission, after a thorough investi- 
 gation, reported that there were in Portland approxnnately 2,500 
 prostitutes. If 25 to 50 per cent of these women were mentally de- 
 fective, then there were in Portland 625 to 1,250 who were feeble- 
 minded. If this is true for the women of this class, U is to be ex- 
 pected from the knowledge we have of biology, that there is a similar 
 number of feeble-minded men in the same population. The factors 
 making for normality or abnormality are to be found in the germ cells. 
 One chance out of two or fifty chances out of one hundred the germ 
 cells develop into the male sex. Since feeble-mindedness is hereditary
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 61 
 
 and follows the Mendelian laws of inheritance*, one would expect to 
 tind the same number of feeble-minded men with the mental traits 
 of feeble-minded prostitutes. 
 
 Where there is stagnation in labor conditions, one would expect 
 that the first ones to be thrown out of employment would be those who 
 were mentally backward, and who were working on the margin of 
 productivity. Those who are mentally inferior could not hold their 
 positions when in competition with more intelligent people. Those who 
 are out of work in the largest numbers are the ones who follow un- 
 skilled or seasonal occupations. Men who are mentally inferior would 
 follow such occupations and hence be the first to be thrown out of 
 employment when business conditions become slack. Their earnings 
 would not be large and besides, they would not be apt to manage the 
 expenditure of the earnings properly. Therefore, the ^ntally back- 
 ward men would be among those who are likely to be destitute during 
 the unemployment season. 
 
 In the winter of 1914-15, Portland maintained two large head- 
 quarters for destitute men. One of these places was a large old- 
 fashioned abandoned lodging house in the North End or slum district 
 of the city. The city paid a nominal sum for rent. The 750 men who 
 sought refuge there co-operated in order to live as cheaply as pos- 
 sible. Benevolent citizens supplied them with flour and other pn«- 
 visions ; but the supply of provisions was extremely meager. There 
 were less than twenty beds in the house, so most of the men had to 
 sleep on bare floors. As a rule, these men were independent. They 
 scorned condescending philanthrophy. Many of the men Avere In- 
 dustrial Workers of the World and Socialists. Tlie otlier municipal 
 lodging h^use was located in a large old racant laundry building 
 on the East Portland water front. Rough bunks were constructed 
 for the men, A wood yard was operated in connection. The men 
 worked up rafts of logs into salal)le cord wood which was sold by the 
 city in order to pay expenses. Meals were supplied to those men who 
 presented meal checks given to them for working in the Avood yard. 
 On the average, 620 men found daily refuge and lodging in this place. 
 
 There were numerous othei" places where .destitute unemployed 
 men gathered. The Associated Charities looked after rlie welfare of 
 450 men; Jewish and Catholic organizations provided for 350 men; 
 the Salvation Army lodging house and other private benevolent insti- 
 tutions quartered about 400 each night; The Married Workers' Asso- 
 
 •H. H. Goddard, Feeble-Mindedness, pp. 547, 533 et seq.
 
 i]2 The Journal of Delinquency 
 
 ciation ciinillcl (i.')!). On April IT), llil,"), 1 list<'(l iJ.filO dfcrtiitute unem- 
 pluyeil iin'ii (lunrU'i't'd at tlic al)ove imiiMMl places, lu udditioii to this 
 iimnhor tliero were many huiidred others wlio were staying at cheap 
 iodt^'ing houses, walicing the streets, or wlio were being cared for by 
 friends. On any given night during tiie unemployment season, there 
 were proljably more than 5,000 idle destitute men in Portland. 
 
 The Stanford Revision of the Binet Scale was selected as com- 
 prising the best mental tests. The Binet tests have beT»n modified in 
 order to meet the requirements called for by extensive empirical 
 studies. Tests for average adults and superior adults have been added. 
 The range of the mental tests is between three years and nineteen 
 years mental ages. The sixteen year level approximates average adult 
 intelligence. The eighteen year level is that of superior adult in- 
 telligeuee. 
 
 In addition to the Binet Scale five tests given to 249 Reed College 
 students were used. One of these tests was for logical memory, an- 
 other for attention, and three for suggestibility. The tests were sup- 
 plemented by a questionnaire in order to bring out various factors 
 of environment and heredity. 
 
 The tests were given to the men in a secluded room of a business 
 building in the central part of the city. Few people or noises in- 
 terfered with the rapport of the subjects. Men were selected at ran- 
 dom, and great care was taken so that the group tested would be a 
 typical non-selected group of the destitute unemployed men as a whole. 
 Foreigners other than English speaking people w^ere eliminated. All 
 men who submitted to the tests were rewarded with money, meal 
 tickets, or useful articles. With few exceptions, the men submitted 
 to the tests gracefully and seemingly performed to the best of their 
 abilities. There was only one man who did not try to do his best. But 
 even this man tried to do as well as he could for the major portions of 
 the tests. Two other men refused to take the tests when they learned 
 the nature of them. 
 
 The time required to give the tests ranged from one hour and 
 fifteen minutes to two hours and a half. The usual time was about 
 two hours. The Stanford Revision tests required from an hour to 
 one and one-half hours, the usual time being about one and one- 
 quarter hours. The Reed College tests took from fifteen to thirty min- 
 utes. The questionnaire required about fifteen minutes or less.
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 63 
 
 107 men were selected at random from the following 
 places: The Associated Charities, the Old Troy Laundry, the Unem- 
 ployment Union, the Portland Commons, and the city employment 
 bureau. The places from whence the men came and their numbers 
 are as follows : 
 
 The Commons 12 Cases Troy Laundry 31 Cases 
 
 Unemployment Union ...... 29 Cases City Emp. Bureau 9 Cases 
 
 Associated Charities 26 Cases 
 
 Those who came from the Commons tested the highest. Then came in 
 order the Unemployed Union, Troy Laundry, City Employment 
 Bureau, and the Associated Charities. 
 
 The average age was 33 years, 9 months. The average mental age 
 was 14 years, 5 months. The median mental age wus 14 years, 7 
 months. 
 
 The average ages and mental ages of the men from the various 
 places are shown in the following table : 
 
 No. Av. Age Av. Mental Age 
 
 Commons 12 38 Yrs. 9 Mo. 15 Yrs. 8 i\lo. 
 
 Unemployed Union 29 30 Yrs. 4 Mo. 15 Yrs. 7 Mo. 
 
 Troy Laundry 31 33 Yrs. 10 ]\Io. 14 Yrs. 7 Mo. 
 
 City Emp. Bu 9 32 Yrs. 13 Yrs. 6 Mo. 
 
 Asso. Charities 26 34 Yrs. 13 Yrs. 3 Mo. 
 
 107 33 Yrs. 9 Mo. 14 Yrs. 5 Mo. 
 
 The following table shows the number of men according to age 
 and those in each group who tested high and low. Those who tested 
 under the median of 14 years, 7 months, are considered low and those 
 who tested above that age, high. 
 
 No. High Low 
 
 Under 20 5 3 2 
 
 20-29 36 17 19 
 
 30-39 35 17 18 
 
 40-49 „...„ - 23 12 11 
 
 50 and over _ _ _..._ 8 3 5 
 
 Total 107 52 55
 
 64 The Journal of Delinquency 
 
 l\n\v nicM or nO ptT t-ciit of those over 50 years of age tested under 12 
 yi'jir nieiitiil at,'e and are prol)al)ly feel)le-minded. 
 
 The followiiig table shows lliu imiiilxT of uum from the varioua 
 places who tested average adult or siii)C'rior udult: 
 
 No. Per Cent 
 
 Commons f'» ^0 
 
 Unemployment Union 12 41 
 
 Troy Laundry 8 26 
 
 Asso. Charities 3 12 
 
 City Emp. Bureau 1 11 
 
 Total 30 28 
 
 If those adults who test less than twelve years mental age are 
 considered to be feeble-minded, then there were at the various places 
 the percentages shown in the following table : 
 
 No. Cases 
 
 Commons _ _ 1 2 
 
 Tnein ployed Union 29 
 
 Troy Laundry _ 31 
 
 City Emp. Bureau 9 
 
 Asso. Charities _ - 26 
 
 Total - _ 107 19 18 
 
 If under 13 yea.'s mental age is considered feeble-mindedness, 
 then the following table will show^ the degree of mental defectiveness : 
 
 No. Cases 
 
 Commons 12 
 
 Unemployed Union _ 29 
 
 Troy Laundry 31 
 
 City Emp. Bureau 9 
 
 Asso. Charities _ 26 
 
 Total ™ 107 28 26 
 
 elow 12 
 
 Per Cent of Total 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 23 
 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 9 
 
 35 
 
 Below 13 
 
 Per cent 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 2 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 36 
 
 2 
 
 22 
 
 12 
 
 46
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 65 
 
 If under 14 years mental age is considered mental backwardness 
 then the following table shows the extent of backwardness : 
 
 No. Cases 
 
 Commons .„ _ _ 12 
 
 Unemployed Union 29 
 
 Troy Laundry „ 31 
 
 City Emp. Bureau 9 
 
 Asso. Charities _ _. ... 26 
 
 Below 14 
 
 Per Cent 
 
 3 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 34 
 
 12 
 
 39 
 
 4 
 
 44 
 
 16 
 
 62 
 
 107 45 42 
 
 If under 14 years mental age is the low adult level as Professor 
 Terman is led to consider by his tests of uneducated working people, 
 then there are among those I have tested, 63, or 58 per cent who are 
 low and superior adults in intelligence. 
 
 The results of these tests have been measured quantatively. It 
 will be noted that most of the questions referred to in the following 
 pages are questions of association. For instance, the question whether 
 those who pass high tests have better vocabularies than those who pass 
 low tests is a matter of association. Are high tests associated with 
 large vocabularies? If this is true then there is a relation or associa- 
 tion between high tests and large vocabularies. 
 
 High tests were correlated with the following factors : 
 
 1. 
 
 Large vocabularies. 
 
 2. 
 
 Jobs requiring high intelligence. 
 
 3. 
 
 Good logical memory. 
 
 4. 
 
 Good education. 
 
 5. 
 
 High suggestibility (line test). 
 
 6. 
 
 High suggestibility (weight). 
 
 7. 
 
 High suggestibility (weight). 
 
 8. 
 
 Wildness in youth. 
 
 9. 
 
 Good attention. 
 
 10. 
 
 Long jobs. 
 
 Since the median mental age was 14 years, 7 months, all who are 
 above that age are considered as having passed high tests. Those be-
 
 66 The Journal of Delinquency 
 
 low thai iiH'iital age are designated as having passed low tests. With 
 the exception of the faetor of wildness in youth, the median was as- 
 sumed to he the dividing line lietvveen "high" and "low". 
 
 The correlation between high tests and large vocabularies is plus 
 O.nS, with a i)r()l)al)le error of 0.14 (107 eases examined). The median 
 nuinher of words delined was 56 of the representative list of 100. 
 This number represents a vocabulary of 10,080 words. Among the 54 
 men who passed high tests, 45 men explained the meaning of more than 
 56 worils whereas 9 men explained less than 56 words. Among the 5.'i 
 men who tested under the median mental age, 8 explained more than 56 
 words and 45 men explained less than 56 words. 
 
 Tlie correlation between high tests and high intelligence jobs was 
 plus 0.5G, with a probable error of 0.17. The question regarding jobs 
 was answered by 96 men. Among these, 45 tested high and 51 tested 
 low. Of the 45 who tested high, 34 had worked at jobs requiring high 
 intelligence while 11 had worked at jobs requiring low intelligence 
 only. Among the 51 who tested low, 10 had worked at jobs requiring 
 high intelligence, whereas 41 had worked at jobs requiring low intelli- 
 gence only. 
 
 The correlation between high mental tests and good logical mem- 
 ory was plus 0.42 with a probable error of 0.20 (86 cases) 47 of these 
 men tested high and 39 tested low. Of the 47 who tested above the 
 median, 33 had good logical memory while 14 had poor logical memory. 
 Of the 39 men who tested low, 11 had good logical memory while 28 had 
 poor logical memory. This test is based on a short narrative in which 
 ten ideas are logically connected. The story was read twice to each 
 subject w^ho was then asked to repeat as many points as he could re- 
 member. If the subject could remember all points, he was given a 
 score of 10. If he could remember nothing lie was scored 0. The median 
 was 4. 
 
 The same test was given to 249 Reed College students. The median 
 was 7. Four-tenths of one per cent of Reed College students gave two 
 or less than two memories whereas 35 per cent of the unemployed men 
 gave two or less than two memories. Six per cent of Reed College 
 students remembered four or less than four points whereas 55 per cent 
 of the unemployed men remembered four or less than Tour points. 
 
 The correlation between high tests and good education was plus 
 0.23 with a probable error of 0.19. The correlation is 0.00 when the
 
 Unemployment and Feehle-Mindedness ^7 
 
 in Portland. Out of the 107 men tested there were 19 who were under 
 feeble-minded cases are eliminated. All of the feeble-minded subjects 
 failed to reach the higher grammar school grades in spite of the fact 
 that several attended school until manhood. Ninety-seven men stated the 
 extent of their formal education. Forty-nine of these passed high tests 
 and 48 low tests. Among those who were above the median in intelli- 
 gence, 30 were above and 19 below the median in education. Of those 
 who were below the median of intelligence, 18 were above and 30 below 
 the median of education. 
 
 The correlation between high mental and high suggestibility tests 
 in the line suggestibility test was minus 0.18 with a probable error of 
 0.21. In other words, there was a positive correlation between low 
 mental tests and high suggestibility. Eighty-three men took this test. 
 Forty -four of these passed high and 39 passed low mental tests. Of those 
 who tested high, 18 were above and 26 below the median in suggesti- 
 bility. Of those who tested low 23 were above and 16 below the median 
 of suggestibility. 
 
 In the second weight suggestion test there was a correlation of 
 minus 0.01 between high mental tests and high suggestibility, with a 
 probable error of 0.21. Ninety-one men took this test, of whom 48 were 
 above and 43 below the intelligence median. Of the 48 who were above 
 the intelligence median, 24 were above and 24 below the median of sug- 
 gestibility. Of the 43 below the intelligence median, 22 were above 
 and 21 below the median of suggestibility. 
 
 There was a correlation of minus 0.16 between high performance in 
 mental tests and high suggestibility in the test with weight sugges- 
 tion blocks. The probable error is 0.15. Ninety men took this test, of 
 the 46 above the intelligence median, 19 were high and 27 low in sug- 
 gestibility. Among the 44 below the intelligence median, 25 were high 
 and 19 low in suggestibility. 
 
 The correlation between high mental tests and good attention 
 was plus 0.20 with a probable error of 0.21. Eighty-two men took the 
 test. Of these, 42 were above and 40 below the median of intelligence. 
 Of the 42 above the intelligence median, 25 were above and 17 below 
 the attention median. The same test was given to 249 Reed College stu- 
 dents. Only six unemployed men made better records in the attention 
 test than the median attention of the college students. Thus, only 7 
 per cent of the unemployed men showed better attention aliility than 
 the lower half of the college group.
 
 G8 T/ic Journal of Delinquency 
 
 Thfi eorrclatioii bi-twccn lii^'li test perfonnaiu'c and parental care in 
 youth was pins 0.04 uilli a jtrohahlo error of O.HJ. Ninety-four men 
 answered I lie (jueslioM in re^';ird to wildness in youth. Forty-nine of 
 these passed hij;h tests and 4") passed low. Of the 41) above the intelli- 
 gence median, 27 did not and 22 did run wild as boys. 
 
 01" !)7 men, 'M, or 38 per cent had trades. Of the 24 who tested the 
 lowest there were 7 who learned trades. As a I'ule, the men started to 
 work at early ages. 
 
 The reasons given for coming west were of the usual nature. Some 
 wanted to better tiieir conditions, others had heard the west advertised, 
 and others "just wanted to see the country". 
 
 A large percentage of the men had accepted charity of various 
 sorts, but there were others who said they never accepted free help. 
 
 The men as a wdiole had dissipated a great deal. Nearly all the 
 men were victims of some of the usual vices. Eighty per cent of the 
 men admitted visiting prostitutes. 
 
 Very few of the men stated that their parents or relatives had been 
 in insane, feeble-minded, or other kinds of institutions. They seemed 
 rather shy in ansAvering questions having to do with inherited defects 
 in their parents or relatives. In this respect, the questions concerning 
 heredity were of little value. 
 
 Among the fathers of the unemployed men who were tested, 55 had 
 skilled trades or professions, and 33 were unskilled. Seventeen of the 
 men testing below the median had fathers who were not skilled in any 
 occupation. Nineteen men did not answer the question concerning the 
 occupation of the father. Of twelve men passing the lowest tests, 11 
 had fathers who were common laborers or otherwise unskilled, and the 
 father of the twelfth man was insane. 
 
 Dissipation did not seem to affect the efficiency of some of the men. 
 A few of them who tested superior adults were victims of extreme 
 dissipation. Thus, environment in some cases did not seem to affect 
 the intelligence. Of course, there was no way to show that if cer- 
 tain men had not been in bad environments they would have tested 
 higher. Nevertheless, it is significant that extreme dissipation in some 
 cases did not affect the intelligence appreciably. 
 
 One of the unexpected developments of the tests was to find that 
 long jobs are correlated with low tests, rather than long jobs with 
 high tests. In connection with this fact it is well to note the gen- 
 eral attitude of those who tested low compared with that of those who
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 69 
 
 tested high. As a rule, those who tested low were plodders and did 
 not seem to grow impatient with the tasks given them. On the other 
 hand, those who tested high were more or less flighty and would be 
 satisfied with an approximate answer. Herein may lie the reason 
 why the less intelligent can hold their positions for a long period of 
 time. They work steadily without becoming impatient. It is diflB- 
 cult to arouse antagonism in them. Thus, by becoming used to some 
 when he hires them for simple work. The restless ones who, as a rule, 
 given task, they get the routine habit and can please the employer 
 pass the higher tests, are more apt to be provoked to rashness or dis- 
 content, and as a consequence more liable to resign a position or look 
 for a change. Even those who were lowest in the tests held long jobs. 
 Of 24 who passed the lowest tests, 10 held short jobs only, whereas 14 
 held at least one long job, recently. However, when those who tested 
 low did lose their jobs they were often idle six months or more before 
 they were able to get other jobs. 
 
 I have stated that 25 to 50 per cent of all prostitutes are feeble- 
 minded or mentally defective. The Portland Vice Commission reported 
 the number of this class in Portland to be 2,500. If the general ratio 
 of mental defectiveness holds, there are from 625 to 1.250 mentally 
 defective women among them. The assumption was then made that 
 there should be, biologically speaking, at least the same number among 
 the men of the same population. The probable group among whom they 
 would be found would be the destitute unemployed men. Now, let us 
 see what light the tests on the 107 men will throw on the probable num- 
 ber of mentally defective men in Portland. Nineteen men or 
 18 per cent of the 107, tested under twelve years mental age. 
 The known destitute unemployed men on April 15, 1915, was 
 3,600. If 18 per cent were mentally defective, then there 
 were in Portland about 600 unemployed defective men. This is approxi- 
 mately the number equal to the minimum estimate of the feeble-minded 
 prostitutes in Portland. If those under thirteen years mental age are 
 considered feeble-minded, then there were 28 men or 26 per cent of 
 those tested who were feeble-minded, — or at least mentally backward. 
 If the ratio holds good for the 3,600 destitute men, then there were 
 about 900 out of the known total who were feeble-minded. This is 
 less than the maximum estimated. If we take the maximum estimate 
 of unemployed and the minumum estimated percentage of feeble-raind- 
 edness we have about 1,800 feeble-minded. If 26 per cent of the maxi-
 
 70 The Journal of Delinquency 
 
 uiurn were rccljlc-niindod llicn tliore were 2,600 mentally defective men 
 12 years in inttlli^ciict', Imt there were three out of tlu; nine in the 
 l2-3'ear-a^(! k'<'"I' ^\1'^> were i'echlc-niinded and ahsolutely unable to 
 manage tlieir own afl'airs with ordinary prudence. This would make 
 a total of 22, or 21 per cent of the 107 men tested. If tliis percentage 
 holds good for the .'{.OOO known dostitute unemployed men, then there 
 were in Portland about 700 mentally defective men who were unem- 
 ployed. If 21 per cent of the maximum (10,000) were aefective, then 
 there were 2,100. Since a large number of the 10,000 destitute unem- 
 ployed men were transients, there would be a considerable less num- 
 ber than 2,100 in Portland at any one time who were feeble-minded. 
 Still, when it is remembered that those who made the Portland school 
 survey stated that there were 2 per cent of the school population who 
 were mentally backward and 1 per cent who were mentally defective, 
 the maximum estimate I have made does not seem too large. If 2 9^ of 
 the school children were mentally backward, and one per cent feeble- 
 minded, then there were in the city schools 600 who were backward 
 and 300 who were defective. If this same ratio holds good for the 
 whole population of the city then there were 5,000 mentally backward, 
 2,500 of whom were defective. 
 
 Professor Terraan, referring to the tests which we have used in 
 our tests of the unemployed says: — "I am led to think that what we 
 have regarded as the average adult intelligence, namely, the sixteen- 
 year level, will really turn out to be the average for ordinary adults; 
 that what we have termed superior adult intelligence will only be 
 found among adults who are decidedly superior in ability ; and that the 
 fourteen-year level may reasonably be called the low adult average. I 
 think a majority of the people who test between thirteen, and, say 
 fourteen and one-half and fifteen, are decidedly dull, but by no means 
 necessarily dull enough to be considered by other people as feeble- 
 minded. Even twelve-year intelligence, I think, can make fairly good 
 success in life, provided it is backed up by honesty, industry, and a 
 reasonably agreeable personality." 
 
 Professor Terman says further: "Our recent tests of adults indi- 
 cate that average intelligent, but ordinarily successful men test about 
 sixteen years, at least we found that half tested between fifteen and 
 seventeen; one-fourth between seventeen and nineteen; and one-fourth 
 between thirteen and one-half and fifteen. One tested only slightly 
 above twelve."
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 71 
 
 Thus Professor Terman in his tests of the ordinarily successful 
 men, found only one who tested less than thirteen, whereas we found 
 28 out of 107 unemployed in Portland who tested less than thirteen 
 years by the same tests. A good indication that most of these 28 men 
 are feeble-minded is brought out by the school records made by the sub- 
 jects as shown by the questionnaire. One man started to school when 
 he was six and quit in the fifth grade when he was 20 years old. An- 
 other man entered school when he was seven years old, attended con- 
 stantly until he was 14, quitting school when he was in the third grade. 
 Another man went to school until he was eighteen years old. By that 
 time he was in the low sixth. Another man went to school until he was 
 seventeen, reaching the fourth grade. Several others had similar school 
 experiences. 
 
 An incident showing the ability of one who passed a very low test 
 is the following : Mr. Manning, general secretary of the Associated 
 Charities, of Portland, sent S. on an errand. He gave S. a note to the 
 proprietor of a certain bakery, who was to give a sack of bread for 
 charitable purposes. S. was given a large sack and ten cents for car- 
 fare. S. after he had been given explicit directions, departed, returning 
 an hour late. Instead of doing as he was told to do, he walked to the 
 bakery, spent the carfare for two loaves of bread, put the bread in the 
 sack, and without presenting the note returned to Mr. Manning's of- 
 fice. In spite of this man's mental defectiveness, he has performed 
 simple tasks such as feeding stock. To observe this man, as well as 
 several others, who tested low, one would not have suspicions at once 
 that he was feeble-minded. This man told me he did not speak a single 
 word until he was over six years old. 
 
 On the other hand there were many men who were as brilliant as 
 the most intelligent highly educated men. This was true especially of 
 certain men who stayed at the Unemployment Union. A large per- 
 centage of the men staying at this place were members of the I. W. 
 W. organization. 
 
 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 
 
 I. Feeble-mindedness is an important phase of the unemploy- 
 ment problem as it exists on the Pacific Coast. About 21 per 
 cent of the destitute unemployed men are feeble-minded (high-grad« 
 morons).
 
 TZ The Journal of Delinquency 
 
 II. Organized charity cared for a larger proportion of feeble- 
 minded than (lid tlie municipal lodging houses. 
 
 III. There is a iiigh correlation between the size of the vocabulary 
 and the degree of int(diigence. 
 
 IV. As a rule, the unemployed men who were above the average 
 in intelligenee had good logical memory. Reed Coll<!ge students were 
 far superior to the unemi)Ioyed men in logical memory. 
 
 V. Jobs requiring high intelligence are associated with high in- 
 telligence according to the tests used. 
 
 VI. There is little relation between the amount of education and 
 the excellence of intelligence of the men examined. The correlation ob- 
 tained is too low to be significant. When the feeble-minded men are 
 eliminated from consideration the correlation drops to zero. This is a 
 strong indication that the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale 
 is a good measure of natural intelligence. If the correTation had been 
 high, the indication would be that the tests measure nurture rather 
 than nature. 
 
 VII. There is little or no relation between the degree of suggesti- 
 bility and the intelligence level. 
 
 VIII. There was little relation between good attention and good 
 mental tests. The coefficient of correlation is too small to be signifi- 
 cant. 
 
 IX. There was no relation between wildness in youth and intelli- 
 gence. The men having roving dispositions when boys were as intelli- 
 gent as those wiio were inclined to remain at home. 
 
 X. Extreme dissipation did not seem to affect the intelligence 
 level of some men. In spite of much dissipation some men passed super- 
 ior adult tests. 
 
 XI. Taken as a group the destitute unemployed men were much 
 inferior mentally to a group of ordinarily successful men. The modal 
 intelligence level of the unemployed was in the 13- and l-I-year age 
 groups. The modal for a group of 62 adults, including 30 business men 
 and 32 high school pupils (tested by Lewis M. Terman)* over 16 years 
 of age, lay between the mental ages of 15 and 17 years. Nevertheless, 
 there was a larger percentage of superior adults among the unemployed 
 than among the business men and high school students. Although no 
 
 •Lewis M. Terman — The Measurement of Intelligence. 1916.
 
 Unemployment and Feeble-Mindedness 
 
 73 
 
 one of the 62 men tested by Professor Terman had a mental level under 
 13 years, there were 28 unemployed men or 26 per cent of the total who 
 fell under 13 years mental age. Thus unemployment is a problem af- 
 fecting both mentally deficient and mentally superior iv,en. 
 
 XII. The number of men examined in this study is too few to 
 make extensive generalizations. Further study should be made. The 
 generalizations which have been made in this paper relate to the unem- 
 ployment problem as it exists in Portland, Oregon, and probably the 
 Pacific Coast. Similar studies made by Professor Lewis i\I. Terman, 
 Dr. J. Harold Williams, and Mr. H. E. Knollin tend to parallel the 
 findings of the study presented in this paper.* 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 -_ 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 -n 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 Johnson, Glenn R. : Distribution of Mental Ages of 107 Unem- 
 ployed Men at Portland, Oregon. 
 
 NOTE — Since this study was made, the Stanford Revision of the Binet Scale 
 has been altered slightly. The latest revision yields somewhat lower mental ages 
 from nine and ten years up. 
 
 S112
 
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