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

the connexion in which they were originally preserved, a
connexion which in nine cases out of ten is important, if not
vital, for the full understanding of their significance."29
According to Jenkinson, the archivist's "moral defence of
archives" is primarily accomplished through careful arrangement
and description practices, in which provenance and original order
are identified and preserved.30 Proper arrangement must
illuminate the archival significance of every document, and
provide an "exposition of the Administrative objects which the
Archives originally served. . . ."31 In this manner, the
archival integrity of documents can be preserved.
Jenkinson's argument establishes that the essential
qualities of archives are impartiality and authenticity, and the
primary duty of the archivist is to safeguard those qualities.
He then turns to his primary concern of discussing the legitimacy
of the archival function of the destruction of useless records.
Immediately, questions of value and subjectivity enter the
discussion, questions that to his mind raise "insuperable"
29 Ibid, 42.
30 Jenkinson, Manual, 97.^Jenkinson uses the term
"provenance" to refer to the place of custody from which the
archival repository receives the archives, and rejects this as a
means of determining arrangement. His following discussion about
administrative history and organization, and the correct
identification of fonds clearly indicates his understanding and
acceptance of the modern archival principle of provenance that
guides the arrangement process. Jenkinson's principles of
arrangement, which attempt to preserve archival integrity, can be
found on pages 97-115.
31 Ibid.
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