Here begins the obligation of the psychologist, and the
possibility of fulfilling this obligation will be the topic of our
discussion concerning the selection of the best man.
These two American movements which we have in mind are the effort to
furnish to pupils leaving the school guidance in their choice of a
vocation, and the nowadays still better known movement toward
scientific management in commerce and industry. The movement toward
vocational guidance is externally still rather modest and confined to
very narrow circles, but it is rapidly spreading and is not without
significant achievements. It started in Boston. There the late Mr.
Parsons once called a meeting of all the boys of his neighborhood who
were to leave the elementary schools at the end of the year. He wanted
to consider with them whether they had reasonable plans for their
future. At the well-attended meeting it became clear that the boys
knew little concerning what they had to expect in practical life, and
Parsons was able to give them, especially in individual discussions,
much helpful information. They knew too little of the characteristic
features of the vocations to which they wanted to devote themselves,
and they had given hardly any attention to the question whether they
had the necessary qualifications for the special work. From this germ
grew a little office which was opened in 1908, in which all Boston
boys and girls at the time when they left school were to receive
individual suggestions with reference to the most reasonable and best
adjusted selection of a calling.
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