Psychological Tests

In 1972, when I was applying for admission to Asbury Theological Seminary, I was required to take several psychological tests that took hours to complete. I knew I was "normal", so I willingly submitted expecting a quick nod of approval to the application process.  Imagine my surprise when I received a letter of acceptance with a contingency.  I was required to participate in an Interpersonal Relationship (IPR) group for the first semester that would be led by one of the faculty members. SHOCK!!!  FEAR!!!  SELF-DOUBT!!!!

Debbie and I were married in August and immediately moved to Wilmore, Kentucky to establish our first home.  When the semester began, I reported to the office of the designated faculty member along with about six other, equally shocked students.  None of us knew why we were there!  We had all been through the battery of tests and had been assigned to submit to this process that was apparently designed to purge us of our demons?

I resented being there.  I was a healthy young man who had grown up in a Christian home with loving parents;  what was I doing here?  I'm confident that the others felt the same.

The 90 minutes seemed to last forever!  The professor sat with his back to us while working at his desk.  We sat in a circle without speaking.  We examined one another's shoes.  We daydreamed.  We exchanged frustrated looks.  We subdued our anger.  Finally, the time expired and we got up and left.

A week later found us back in the professor's office passing another wordless 90 minutes.  Our frustration was building...

The third week brought no relief.  Another 90 minutes of awkwardness. Outside of his office we never spoke.  We didn't know one another's names. We were not friends.  We were simply co-sufferers of this obligatory process.

Week four arrived and we took our seats.  Eye contact was rare during our 90 minute wait.  Occasionally the Prof would swing around to join our waiting game.  About half-way through our time, however, the game changed.

I happened to look at the guy who was sitting across from me;  he seemed to single me out with his eyes. Suddenly, to everyone's shock, he spoke - directly to me!  He said:  "I don't like the way you look."

I was dumbfounded!  Why me?  What did he mean?  Now everyone in the group was staring at me - waiting for my response.  Time froze!  My personal heat rose.  I was verbally paralyzed!  I felt like I couldn't even think!

It was then that our professor sprung into action.  He impulsively rolled his chair across the room, stopping directly in front of me.  He rolled in close until our knees were almost touching.  He leaned in till we were face-to-face - then he said:  "Harold, how does that make you feel?"

We never had another silent session after that!