perfect balls, and added a recorded number of defective balls of each
kind. Neither the inspectors nor the over-inspectors had any means of
distinguishing this prepared lot from the regular commercial lots. And
in this way all temptation to slight their work or make false returns
was removed.

After insuring in this way against deterioration in quality, effective
means were at once adopted to increase the output. Improved day work was
substituted for the old slipshod method. An accurate daily record was
kept both as to the quantity and quality of the work done in order to
guard against any personal prejudice on the part of the foreman and to
insure absolute impartiality and justice for each inspector. In a
comparatively short time this record enabled the foreman to stir the
ambition of all the inspectors by increasing the wages of those who
turned out a large quantity and good quality, while at the same time
lowering the pay of those who did indifferent work and discharging
others who proved to be incorrigibly slow or careless. A careful
examination was then made of the way in which each girl spent her time
and an accurate time study was undertaken, through the use of a
stop-watch and record blanks, to determine how fast each kind of
inspection should be done, and to establish the exact conditions under
which each girl could do her quickest and best work, while at the same
time guarding against giving her a task so severe that there was danger
from over fatigue or exhaustion. This investigation showed that the
girls spent a considerable part of their time either in partial
idleness, talking and half working, or in actually doing nothing.

Even when the hours of labor had been shortened from 10 1/2 to 8 1/2
hours a close observation of the girls showed that after about an hour
and one-half of consecutive work they began to get nervous. They