Chapter II: Conditions Affecting Personnel Work

Abstract

THIS chapter reviews the researches on conditions affecting personnel work in educational institutions and similar studies in industry, government, and the armed services that have implications for education. The impact of the war is noted in many of the publications that have appeared during this period. In the sections that follow, attention is given to problems of school attendance, promotions, personnel records and reports, and evaluation as these relate to the establishment of conditions that make guidance effective. School AttendanceThe effect of the war on school enrolment and attendance has been a major concern in both research studies and in articles dealing with practices and procedures during the period covered in this volume. Back-toschool campaigns were conducted to encourage youths to continue their education, and school-work programs were inaugurated as one means of keeping more boys and girls in the secondary schools. Chiefly as a result of the war there appeared several new tendencies affecting attendance other than those noted in previous reviews of research (53) in this area: (a) reversal of the downward trend in the birth rate; (b) decrease in secondary-school and college and university enrolments; (c) greater population mobility resulting from the migration of people to war industry centers.