A STUDY OF THE THEORY OF APPRAISAL FOR SELECTION By ...

that documented important historical episodes, or customs and
mores of past ages.24 While Meissner's approach attempts to
identify all possible subject areas of interest to future
historical research, the identification of "important" historical
episodes cannot help but reflect the particular interests that
dominated historical study in Meissner's time. Even while
attempting to provide for future research needs, it was
inevitable that such an approach would fail.
In 1940, Hermann Meinert participated in a special
commission to formulate appraisal standards for the Prussian
Privy State Archives. Meinert endorsed Meissner's standards,
especially the evaluation of the administrative source of the
records. He argued that the significance of a records creator
to an administrative hierarchy can be determined through an
analysis of "the position of each administrative unit in the
government structure, the nature of its activities, and the
relations of its activities to those of superior and subordinate
administrative units."25 In this manner, Meinert first
articulated the now well accepted theory that records must be
appraised in their administrative context. The theory was later
supported and expanded until it became the foundation for the
methodology of appraisal.
Meinert accepted the importance of evaluating the
subject content of records.^He also sought an objective
24 Schellenberg, Modern, 135-137.
25 Schellenberg, Modern, 137.
42