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SOMETHING in the mental equipment of man has an important bearing upon his ability to hold his own in the struggle for existence. By some psychologists this quality is called intelligence and is defined as the degree of capacity one has for quick and effective adaptation to any situation that may suddenly arise. Others frankly decline to define it and say that it is only tentatively called intelligence for want of a better name.

We are told that there is a mental quality known as "natural intelligence" and that it is possible to develop mental reflexes which are called "acquired intelligence." The sum of the two is intellectual power. Here an interesting question enters: Do psychologists measure intelligence or something else ? Added to this is a practical question: Is it wise to proclaim broadcast that this mental quality is intelligence? Is it common sense to say that there is such a thing as natural intelligence and another thing known as acquired intelligence?

What does the average man understand by the word intelligence ? The average man does not care to look critically into abstract things, nor speculate over fine shades in meanings of words or the turning of phrases. To this man the word intelligence does not convey definitely enough the idea he has when he reads about the army mental tests, or hears them discussed. He knows a great many men who might rank low in a mental test who have made a fair, even a considerable success of the business of living and rearing their families. This average man considers intelligence and knowledge as being essentially synonymous. Intelligence is to him the sum of all the mental attributes, natural and acquired, that improve one's chances to achieve success. Success is popularly believed to be one-half opportunity. Given opportunity, any one can have success if possessed of gumption and special training. Gumption is supposed to be a mixture of energy and common sense. The formula for success is supposed to be,
Opportunity ................ 1/2 part
Gumption .................... 1/3 part
Special, training ............ .. 1/6 part

Gumption is said to be that quality which enables a man to conceal his ignorance and keep going. It is twice as valuable as special training, a belief that explains why so many children go to work at an early age, even when their parents can afford to give them more schooling. They feel that to much stress has been laid upon the utility of education as a tool for the making of a living. They see plumbers who have not completed eight grades in a common school and plasterers as ill-educated able to earn twice as much as college-trained men who cling to technical professions.

THE average man does not consider education and knowledge as synonymous. Education he looks upon as something to be gained in school during childhood and adolescence; but knowledge is something one continues to acquire day by day. Now we are told that this thing the average man regards as intelligence is intellectual power. This is confusing. He simply cannot see why intelligence is not bettered by every increase in knowledge through experience. Intellectual power means nothing to him, but intelligence has a distinct meaning. Then why does the psychologist make such fine distinctions?

There is in all human beings, no matter in what classification the mental tests put them, a belief that education and freedom of opportunity can increase intelligence. Should this belief be disturbed? Some psychologists say positively that there is no possibility of improving the intelligence. The average man believes otherwise. In support of his belief take a paragraph from page 30 of "Army Mental Tests," by Yoakum & Yerkes (Holt): " The comparison of Negro with white troops reveals markedly lower ratings for the former. A further significant difference based on geographical classification has been noted in that the northern negroes are mentally much superior to the southern." What but the better educational advantages and the preferable environment of the northern Negroes can account for this? The distribution of white blood in the Negroes is as general in the South as it is in the North; so we must believe that better opportunities and freer life of the northern Negro accounts for his slight superiority.

It is wise in dealing with the average man to consider that the literary usage of words counts for more than the usage of the scientist. Intelligence in common, or literary, usage means information or the result of instruction and experience. An intelligence office, for example, is a bureau of information. The intelligence service of the army is the service charged with the collection and dissemination of information about the enemy. In the philosophy of Kant the intellect is distinguished as being possessed of two faculties, understanding and reason. Understanding grows with experience. Here is an idea which clears up the attitude of the average man towards intelligence. In a dim way he regards it much as Kant did. Hence, in his opinion, no psychologist is able to measure intelligence. The thing that is measured is only that part of the intellect that reasons. When understanding aided by experience is added to reason, then and not until then does one have intelligence. The average man finds it hard to believe in two kinds of intelligence, natural and acquired.