The custom dates back at least to the late 18th century, being recorded in 1803, and continued until 1909. : 284 In the 1860s about three-quarters of the roughly 400 candidates did not score enough to be awarded honours, and were known as poll men. Students unfortunate enough to place below the wooden spoon, by achieving only an Ordinary degree, were given a variety of names depending on their number. In contrast, the highest-scoring male student was named the " senior wrangler". The lowest placed students earning a second-class ( senior optime) or first-class degree ( wrangler) were sometimes known as the "silver spoon" and "golden spoon" respectively. By tradition, they were dangled in a teasing way from the upstairs balcony in the Senate House, in front of the recipient as he came before the Vice-Chancellor to receive his degree, at least until 1875 when the practice was specifically banned by the university. The spoons themselves, actually made of wood, grew larger, and in latter years measured up to five feet long. The solid honours of the Wooden Spoon : 98 Whose value all can feel, the weak, the wise ĭisplays in triumph his distinguish'd boon, Wooden spoon at Selwyn College, CambridgeĪnd while he lives, he wields the boasted prize The term "wooden spoon" or simply "the spoon" was also applied to the recipient, and the prize became quite notorious: The wooden spoon was presented originally at the University of Cambridge as a kind of booby prize awarded by the students to the person who achieved the lowest exam marks but still earned a third-class degree (a junior optime) in the Mathematical Tripos. Wooden spoon at the University of Cambridge In most cases it is simply a colloquial term for coming last – there is no actual award given. The term is of British origin and has spread to other English-speaking countries. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events. Award that is given to an individual or team who/which has come last in a competitionĪ wooden spoon is an award that is given to an individual or team that has come last in a competition.
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