Mass Test

The biggest, most democratic examination in the history of higher learning was being marked by professional scorers last week. The test had been taken early this month by about 400,000 U.S. boys from 17 to 21 years old (Navy put top age at 19). High rankers will get a chance for a commission in the armed forces via a college education at public expense (covering tuition, food, housing, books, uniforms and pocket money).

Devised by the 43-year-old College Entrance Examination Board, acting for the armed forces, the test was given in some 15,000 centers. Cramming for it was impossible. The boys were not asked to give cold-storaged facts or to write essays, but to reveal their aptitude. Typical questions:

> If one dozen hand grenades cost n cents to manufacture, how many cents will 30 hand grenades cost?

> If you were cooking something in boiling water and wanted to hurry, you should (a) increase the heat so the water would boil more rapidly, (b) put a cover on the pot (c) pour off some water, (d) use an airtight cooker.

By July 1 top-ranking, physically fit boys with good personal records and appearance will be offered an Army or Navy-sponsored college education. Those who choose the Navy will at once proceed to college (they can indicate a choice of college, perhaps get it). Those who choose the Army will get 13 weeks of basic training, further tests before going to college.

Also eligible for college training will be selected youths already in the armed forces. The services have already contracted with twelve of 488 relatively large colleges and universities listed as potential specialized training centers, will soon sign on more.

Hard College Years. The boys will find college no romp. They will be uniformed, on active duty (as apprentice seamen, buck privates), carry heavy class schedules. But military activities will be subordinated to academic training. Some opportunity will be given for athletics.

Periodic tests will winnow the unfit, return them to the ranks. The colleges, not the armed forces, will prepare most of the courses and set examinations according to their individual standards. Terms of study for apprentice seamen will range between eight months (aviators) and four years (chaplains, doctors, dentists). Both Army and Navy programs include some liberal arts subjects.

Incidental effects:

> Many boys will acquire a college degree or credits toward one.

> Colleges, always great producers of officers, will get a batch of raw material seemingly denied them when the draft age was reduced to 18.

> Just when colleges are scraping the bot tom of the private financial barrel, the Government will undertake a limited experiment in publicly financed higher education. Next autumn there may be another test for new 17-year-olds.

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