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

diminished from its previous absolute affirmation. In the end,
we can affirm only that archives "do and should embody an
essential element of truth," and that the record we hold "must be
as complete, impartial and truthful as it is possible for us to
ensure."44 In spite of our increased awareness of the relativity
of truth, however, society's practical reliance on and need for
the preservation of the probative nature of documentary evidence,
as seen in the proceedings of the judicial system, remains
paramount.
Jenkinson's careful articulation of the integrity of
archives clearly established the theoretical framework for
appraisal. He convincingly argued that in order to maintain the
usefulness of archives to those who rule and explain the conduct
of society, any theory of appraisal must identify ways to
preserve the impartiality and authenticity of records. In
essence, his "golden rule of archive making" applies the
structural analysis inherent in the principle of provenance to
the identification of records that document the creator's
functions and activities. His emphasis on the judgement of the
creator ensures that no outside perspective can distort the
historical value and the future research use of the records.
In spite of Jenkinson's arguments for administrative value
as the sole arbiter of preservation, the supremacy of historical
value has remained intact, as enunciated in the 1889 appraisal
rules, and reaffirmed in the Grigg Report of 1952. The Report
44 'bid, 130.
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