reinterviewing every unemployed disabled veteran who is registered in the employment office; (2) organizing a committee of community leaders; (3) publicity; (4) visiting employers to promote jobs for disabled veterans; and (5) follow-up.

Reinterviewing. Every unemployed disabled veteran, whose application is in the active file, is reinterviewed at the local employment office. Through this interview we obtain his complete occupational experience and learn about his aptitudes, sincerity of purpose, his current disability, and his willingness to accept suitable employment. At the conclusion of the reinterviewing program an inventory is prepared - listing the available disabled veterans, each identified by a symbol only, and including a concise resume of the qualifications and disability of each veteran.

Organizing a Community Committee. While the reinterviewing operation is proceeding during the 3 weeks prior to "Remembrance Week," the Assistant VER in charge of disabled veterans, together with the manager of the local office, organizes a community committee consisting of public officials, leaders of industry, labor, veterans organizations, service clubs and civic organizations. This committee sponsors our plan and assists in every practical way in reaching the objective.

Publicity. During the second and third weeks, the supervisor of information, together with ES and VES representatives, prepares information releases for newspapers, radio, and community publications. - Placards are posted in public places, and addresses are made at meetings of various groups, such as personnel managers, superintendents, employer institutes, labor, civic and veterans organizations, and wherever the interest in hiring disabled veterans may be increased.

Employer Contact. It is just prior to and during "Remembrance Week”—the climax of our endeavors

-that the combined forces of the VES and our State Employment Service make their strongest drive toward promoting jobs for disabled veterans. Every employer in the area is contacted preferably by personal visit, but if necessary by telephone. Employers are alerted to this activity by a letter sent out by the Community Committee. This letter outlines our objectives and lists disabled veterans available for employment in the community.

Follow-up. While much is accomplished during "Remembrance Week" in each community, the objective at its end is still beyond our reach since lay-offs, quits, new entrants from graduating classes or other circumstance keep the problem active. Adequate provisions have been made for follow-up, and the individual assigned to this task must necessarily be one acquainted with his responsibilities. Specifically, the duties include regular contacts with the members of the community committee; maintenance of a current inventory of disabled veterans; an employer relations program to develop jobs for disabled veterans. Should an increase of unemployed disabled veterans occur in any area, the VER for Massachusetts takes immediate action to again inaugurate a concerted drive similar to that of "Remembrance Week."

Results thus far are encouraging in that the organized efforts exerted by the Veterans Employment Service, the State Employment Service, and the community have aroused the public to an awareness of its responsibilities. Leaders of the community have stirred their business associates to a realization that the disabled are able workers when placed on proper jobs. Public officials have cooperated wholeheartedly. Newspapers and radio have given valuable space and time to sponsor our aims. As a result the State employment office is being accepted as a service vital to the community.

rest period at the bow-and-arrow plant, he's back again, dispensing his wares.

Jerome has a speech impediment, but he points out that it does not require a lot of talk to sell ice cream. "It just goes to show a fellow can earn his way if he wants, handicap or no handicap," says Mr. Pearson. "We do not want the public to think we are operating an institution for the handicapped," Mr. Pearson points out. "We are operating a business, and on sound business principles. But if a person has a handicap, and still can do the job we require, the handicap will not be considered as a hindrance to hiring him."

The jobs performed in the Ben Pearson plant represent such high skills and unusual occupations that a motion picture company has developed a color film of the "unusual occupations" series at the plant. The film is being shown in theaters throughout the country. Watch for it.

The opportunities that handicapped persons have been given at the Ben Pearson factory have won the commendation of the people of this section of the country and the State Employment Service in Pine Bluff which Mr. Pearson uses.

The Ben Pearson Company was presented with The American Legion National award for employing physically handicapped veterans. To make the presentation, a group of American Legion and Employment Service officials visited the Pearson plant. In the group were Perry Faulkner, National Chief of the Veterans Employment Service, Joseph B. O'Connor of New York, then Regional Director for the United States Employment Service, Neill Reed, and Jack Pearman of Little Rock, Arkansas, Veterans Employment Representatives, and Clovis Copeland, Public Relations Officer for the State Department of The American Legion in Arkansas.

PRO

OF PLACING the handicapped which seemed almost insurmountable 25 or 30 years ago, are being resolved over the years: and what then seemed a miracle, now often is a commonplace experience.

Before the first World War, little was known about the types of work handicapped people could perform. Training opportunities were practically non-existent, and the handicapped person was truly the "forgotten man." Much has been learned since that prevents diseases from leaving permanent impairments, and treatment of the handicapped has improved through better use of physical medicine, surgery, therapy, and psychiatry.

The return of our disabled veterans at the end of World War I brought home the fact that something had to be done to restore these men to their rightful places in society and to arouse public responsibility for the task. Since that time, the lot of the handicapped worker has improved and the less severely disabled are part and parcel of the regular employment market.

However, the counseling and successful placement of the severely disabled, is still extremely limited. This group includes the cerebral palsied, the epileptic, and the blind, to mention only a few principal types. Through the facilities of the Division of Rehabilitation, services of the best doctors and hospitals are available to the severely handicapped. In counseling these workers, it is important not to counsel around a disability that can be remedied, and that every opportunity for physical improvement or restoration be provided.

Counselor Should be Well-Informed

To perform the job successfully, the counselor must have a knowledge of the facilities for physiotherapy, psychiatric care, prostheses, surgery, and training for better locomotion or mobility. A wide familiarity with the needs of industry and commerce is also necessary. He must know the physical requirements of jobs and be able to recognize suitable job opportunities. A knowledge of trade schools is important. Sometimes an applicant can better decide which trade to choose by a visit to a trade school. Occupational testing may be necessary, and a counselor must be at least generally conversant with the techniques involved and the evaluation of results.

To illustrate how some problems of the severely disabled have been met, a few cases will be cited.

A spastic with severe limitations of extremities and speech expressed an interest in electrical work. We discussed the situation with a manufacturer of trans

formers who had just started in business. We pointer out that while we were not certain this lad would succeed, we felt he might if handled sympathetically The applicant was hired. Today, after 5 years on the job, he is a sample coil maker, and earns the highest salary in the shop. This applicant had hoped also to learn radio repair, which at first also seemed impos sible for one who had apparently so little control of his hands. However, after his successful employment with the transofmer manufacturer, the Division of Rehabili tation, to which we referred him, arranged for his admission to evening classes in electrical theory and radio repair. He now repairs radios as a side line.

Will to Get There Finds the Way

Another problem in placing the severely handicapped is overcoming transportation difficulties. An example is the story of L. W., 21 years old, a victim of polio with a severe spinal involvement, who had spen: the greater part of his life in hospitals confined to a wheel chair. He was referred to the Institute for Crippled and Disabled, where therapy and exercise over a period of years made it possible for him to walk with crutches and a spinal brace. While undergoing treatment, he spent time learning the jewelry trade. After he mastered this trade, he was referred back to the Employment Service for placement. Because of his spinal involvement, it was necessary for him to stand for a few minutes each hour.

A manufacturer of gold rings was prevailed upon to give the boy a chance. Now, after 3 years, he is a firstclass jeweler at $1.50 an hour, his health is improved. and he is leading a well-adjusted, satisfactory life. I: is necessary for him to get to and from work in a taxi. 1 but he has reduced the cost by sharing transportation expenses with three or four similarly handicapped men in the same neighborhood. This proves that use of public transportation facilities is not an essential factor in placement of the handicapped.

One problem which often has to be met is that of the applicant who, having finally achieved all pos sible physical restoration through surgery or medicine. finds himself anxious for work but without any way of knowing whether he has the capacity to meet the standards of regular industry.

To illustrate, take the case of E. G., 27 years old, a victim of spinal arthritis. His back is stiff and I badly disabled, but he is without pain, and gets about on crutches. A great part of his life has been spent in hospitals. He is a very intelligent young man with a great desire for financial independence. Tests indicate a high degree of mechanical skill. He did well in most occupational therapy occupa

tions, and rather excelled in bookbinding and leather work. A special seat, like that of a bicycle, was developed for him so that he could sit in a fairly comfortable position at a bench. The hospital can do no more for him physically, so he must leave. He feels he is capable of holding a job. We, too, think if courage alone were a test, he would make the grade with high honors, but he seems very delicate after so much hospitalization. Traveling presents a serious problem, as he has difficulty in using public transportation.

Although we believe an employer would find this young man a treasure, we have serious reservations regarding his ability to meet the rigorous grind of every-day work life. Arrangements are under way for a try-out in a rehabilitation clinic to discover whether he can stand the strain of traveling to and from work, in addition to doing a day's work. If he can, we shall place him in industry. If he is physically incapable of this, we will try to arrange for further training in bookbinding and leather work, so he may start his own business, where he can control the number of hours he can work.

During the war many blind persons who had never worked in industrial employment, desired to help in the war effort. Employers were not aware of what the blind were capable of, and we had no experience in placing them. An arrangement was made between the Employment Service and the Radio Maritime School for try-out and training. Men and women were sent to learn specific occupations for which we had been able to secure employer orders.

No Handicap Given

There was a period of try-out for each applicant - before he could be accepted for regular training. Upon completion of training, he had to produce perfect work in the same time as the sighted workers. Having completed the course, which usually lasted 6 weeks, the blind worker was taken to the job, helped in orientation by the Selective Placement Interviewer, taught to punch the time card, and to go to and from the rest room by himself. His work was positioned so that he could locate materials readily. From there on, he was on his own.

Results were magnificent. The trained blind workers not only achieved ordinary success at their jobs but, in most cases, excelled the records of the sighted workers. It is heartening to be able to report that a large number of these jobs are still being held by the blind, but, at the same time, it must be noted that many excellent blind mechanics are at present, and have been for long periods, without work since the end of the war. Among the reasons given are that contracts are of short duration, that more flexibility is required than most blind people are capable of, and a general disinclination to hire blind persons when able-bodied workers are available. We have had much better success in placing blind

transcription typists who, when they are well trained and know spelling and grammar, have been kept steadily employed during the years. The end of the war made no difference to them, as it so seriously did to industrial workers. Perhaps the shortage of stenographers has been a factor.

Still another problem concerns itself with the workers trained in trades for which there is no demand. There is the case of a man on crutches whose legs are paralyzed and who was trained in watch repair. It was impossible to find an opening in that trade when he applied for work, and he was making a very precarious living at this work at home. We made use of his skill with fine tools by placing him with a manufacturer of electrical measuring instruments, where he developed into an expert mechanic, earning at least as much as he would have earned as a thoroughly skilled watch repairman. He has not lost his skill for watch repairing, but has gained an additional skill.

Cardiacs and persons with arrested pulmonary tuberculosis often are discharged from sanitariums, able to work only part-time. We have at times been able to secure 4-hour jobs for them in clerical fields, but rarely in mechanical jobs. The emotional attitudes of these workers also plays a part, as there are some who feel they can do less than is indicated by the medical report and those who think they can do more. Both attitudes, of course, present serious problems, and it is often necessary for the counselor to explain why work within the doctor's recommendation is advisable.

Then there are the shut-in handicapped workers. who wish and need work. In most States the Employment Service has no facilities for placing this type of applicant, and finding even moderately gainful home employment becomes difficult for them. In a limited way, some of the private social welfare organizations and the State Rehabilitation Agencies take care of these home people. As a first step, efforts should be made to see if they can be made ambulatory outside of their homes. However, much more should and can be done for this group.

Another serious and growing problem is presented in connection with persons of advanced age who are also physically handicapped. While in a few instances, applicants over 65 with high skills have been placed and well-liked by employers, they are the exception rather than the rule.

We hope that some day provision will be made in sheltered shops for those unable to meet competition in industry and yet in need of employment. When employed they should be relieved of financial worry by grants such as are given to the blind.

Placement of the severely handicapped can only be made when unusual care is taken to consider all pertinent factors with the full support and cooperation of the employer. It offers rich personal satisfaction. to the worker.

I

N THE EARLY DAYS of World War II, General Mills, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. began preparing for the return of its own men and women in military service and for its proportionate responsibility toward returning servicemen in general. Prominent in company plans was the specific attention directed to the problem of handicapped persons.

As stated by Harry A. Bullis, Chairman of the Board of Directors, "We in General Mills recognize our responsibility to provide employment opportunities jobs with real economic value, not charityfor handicapped individuals, especially our returned veterans. In the case of handicapped servicemen who have not previously been employed by the company, it will be our policy to give every consideration to them for positions available."

Since that policy was placed in effect, certain underlying "principles of operation" have been developed, especially as applied to all persons with vocational handicaps. They are:

1. Have it mutually understood that there is a specific productive job to be done placement not based on sympathy.

2. Recognize capabilities rather than disabilities. 3. Avoid "tagging" individuals as "disabled."

4. Conduct careful placement and training on an individual basis-but when a person is properly placed, give him the same consideration given other employees in the section or department.

5. Keep publicity to a minimum-both internally and externally. (Exceptions have been made where it was believed that such publicity would assist the placement of other handicapped persons.)

6. Pay the prevailing wage or salary rates for the job assigned.

7. Keep no special records, i. e., absenteeism, turnover, efficiency, and accident frequency and severity. in order to instill a spirit of teamwork and in no way discriminate between the groups of employees within the departments or sections.

Opportunity for handicapped persons in flour and oat mills is limited. The milling operation is highly mechanized and most of the jobs require the em ployee to be very active. There is some opportunity. however, in certain phases of other company operations such as breakfast cereal and soup processing home appliance production and assembly, industria machinery manufacturing, research and, of course. sales and office-type positions.

The General Mills Mechanical Division, Minneapolis, in cooperation with the State Employment

Service and the State Vocational Rehabilitation office, placed a number of persons with rather serious handicaps. These persons included a partially blind girl, a deaf mute, a paralysis victim, several amputees, as well as others with less serious physical deficiencies. In 1946 most of one shift (approximately 25 jobs) at the soup processing plant in Oskaloosa, Iowa, was manned by disabled veterans. A year later there were 47 disabled veterans on the pay roll at a plant out of a total work force of 185 employees. Similarly, the breakfast cereal plant in Buffalo, New York, employed approximately 45 disabled veterans. Other plants and offices in the company have also utilized the services o physically handicapped persons.

The employment, placement, and training of physically impaired persons is handled locally at the plant or office where the person is going to work. The Industrial Relations Department in Minneapolis, upon request, reviews and offers advice and counsel to the operating personnel when difficulties in placement and training occur. Through excellent cooperation of company executives and supervisors and with the assistance given by Government and State agencies, the aims of the original policy seem to have been accomplished to a very satisfactory degree.

In the final analysis, success in the rehabilitation of all handicapped persons depends upon three main factors: (1) appropriate placement; (2) proper training; and (3) intelligent and conscientious supervision that does not set the handicapped person apart as an object of pity or curiosity.

Ability remains despite handicap.

Job Study Facilitates Placement

of Disabled Veterans

ABILITY COUNTS

THE LETOURNEAU COMPANY of Georgia, Toccoa, Ga., has assumed a realistic view of the problem of placing the handicapped, as has most every industry having occupational dangers and hazards.

Several months before the end of World War II, it was anticipated that some of our returning veterans would come back with physical or mental difficulties that would bar them from their pre-service occupations. We knew they would need careful counseling and training to fit them again into gainful employment.

The plan developed called for a study of all supervisory, clerical, and technical office jobs and of each manufacturing process in our factory producing heavy earth-moving machinery. Jobs were analyzed on a form "Summary of Operation Requirements" with respect to the minimum physical requirements for satisfactory performance on the job. This study was made in much the same manner as any job analysis program for classification purposes the difference being that we were defining only the physical limitations and requirements of the various functions. All analysis work was completed by the training department with the assistance and cooperation of the various supervisors.

After this first step, it was possible to index the many jobs into groups defining their physical requirements. Specific attention was given to defining jobs that could be performed with no vision, little vision, no hearing, little hearing, one artificial hand, two artificial hands, one artificial leg, two artificial legs, no lifting, light lifting, sitting, no strains, no reaching, no stooping, outside jobs, in and out jobs, normal conditions, quiet surroundings, and isolated stations.

Everyone was agreeably surprised at the result of this systematic survey indicating what the minimum physical requirements were for all jobs.

Following this a form, "Summary of Placement Qualifications," was designed. It was for use of the Company examining physician and noted the physical capacities and abilities of each handicapped employee or job applicant.

With this information from the doctor, and the job physical requirements on the "Summary of Operation Requirements" form, the Employment Department and counsellors could very easily and quickly "match" any person's physical abilities with the physical requirements to determine proper placement permitting normal performance on the job. Many situations called for supplemental or complete training. This was incorporated into the functions of the Training Department and was easily accomplished through its regular program.

No doubt there are many variations of this same plan and procedure in practice elsewhere. It has worked very satisfactorily in our particular organization and we can recommend it for its simplicity and validity.-TOм N. BOGGS. Personnel Manager, LeTourneau Company of Georgia.