"Degree of Instruction". "Well" "Imp." "N".

[ColinClarke1945]

In various legal/court records/committal papers I have seen statements such as "can read and write imp. average intelligence", or in book records a column headed "Degree of Instruction" and similar abbr. appear. "well" "imp" "n".

Am I to assume this all refers to the person's education - "well" implying quite a bit of schooling, maybe into the young teen years, "imp" meaning "improved" maybe ? and until they were about 10-12, and that they could read and write and knew the earth was round :-), and last, "n" meaning they didn't go to school or be schooled, and were illiterate (X being their mark).

Just curious.

Thanks.

[Sue Mackay]

I think Imp stands for Imperfect(ly)

[pejay]

yes I think the imp is for imperfect not sure about the others though. I think in the late 19th century school leavuing age was 12, I think a lot of Children did not go that often to school and often struggled with reading and writing, and I think if they had something better to do they did that instead of school. What years would you be talking about. I think well often implied their frame of mind.

[ColinClarke1945]

Hi Super Duper and Dizzy Moderator Sue ! :-)))

Thanks for the note. So, for the heading for the Column in the Register book "Degree of Instruction", where you see "imp", you understand that to be in regards to writing/reading ability? OK.

I can imagine on the committal papers where it is simply a comment in the space allotted for "Read, Write, General Intelligence" that the handwritten phrase - "can read and write imp. average intelligence" - could mean the reading and writing are "assessed" as being somewhat "imperfect". So, I guess that the "Degree of Instruction" column in the Register also just relates to 'readin' and writin'. What about 'rithmetic', he wonders.?

Cheers,

Colin

PS. Elsewhere, when I was 'wondering' why this was noted at all on the records, it was proposed to me that illiteracy may have been 'mitigating circumstances': eg, "Why did you walk on the grass when the sign said no walking on the grass?". "Umm. Can't read, M'Lord.".

Reminds me about the Judge who asked the old fellow why he robbed banks, and he replied "Because that's where the money is, Judge...". LOL

[ColinClarke1945]

Hi Pejay:

Many thanks.

The years - 1840s and 1850s. Looking through Court and County Records (old books) in Cambs, and a copy of a Committal Paper of the same timeframe I got from Nat Archives. There were other places on the forms for "Health" and "Do you Hug Trees" etc. (well, maybe not about the Trees).

Yes, 12 would be about right from the history I have read for middle Victorian. It seems an alternate way to get educated as a child was to be in a workhouse ... Gulp!

Cheers,

Colin