Responsions was the first of the three examinations formerly required for acceptance for an academic degree at the University of Oxford. It was nicknamed Little Go or Smalls and was normally taken by students prior to or shortly after matriculation, on the basis that without standardised qualifications from school examinations, the university had to verify for itself the quality of the students that colleges were accepting. The examination consisted of comparatively simple questions on Latin, Ancient Greek, and mathematics. It was abolished in 1960.[1]
John Henry Newman wrote to his father on 29 May 1818: "I go up for my Little tomorrow", and records in his journal for the following day that he had 'passed Responsions'.[2]
P. G. Wodehouse in The Inimitable Jeeves wrote: "Well, they're down there, too, reading for some exam or other with the vicar. I used to read with him myself at one time. He's known far and wide as a pretty hot coach for those of fairly feeble intellect. Well, when I tell you he got me through Smalls, you'll gather that he's a bit of a hummer. I call this most extraordinary."[3][4]
Responsions derives from Anglo-French responsion from Latin responsio "a reply or an answer", from the Latin verb respondeo, to answer, or give a response.
The equivalent at Cambridge to Responsions at Oxford was the Previous Examination, so called because it was taken a year previous to graduation; it was often called the 'Little Go'. Says one writer[who?][citation needed] of the Cambridge 'Little Go':
"Latin Responsions was a requirement for entry, School Certificate and the GCE Latin allowing exemption. However, in the early 1950s several bright students had to go to Cambridge to take it because the then Labour Government decreed that those under 16 could only take GCE as a non-candidate[clarification needed] and so deprived them of the certificate. It presumably died when the Latin requirement was dropped in the 1960s."
Brewer (1894) defines Little Go as: "The examination held in the Cambridge University in the second year of residence. Called also "the previous examination", because it precedes by a year the examination for a degree. In Oxford the corresponding examination is called The Smalls."[5]
However the 1996 edition of Brewer gives: "A nickname for the former Previous (Entrance) Examination for undergraduates at Cambridge, unless excused on account of successes at other examinations. It ceased to operate after 1961, owing to new regulations."
Other sources also suggest that at some point the Little-Go came to refer to the entrance examination.
Karl Pearson's obituary of Raphael Weldon (p. 8) refers to Weldon "preparing (c. 1877) for Little-Go and the London Preliminary Scientific. For the classical part of the former he seems to have worked by himself." Pearson also refers to 'Little-Go' in Cambridge in 1842 in his biography of Francis Galton.[6] Taking the examination was called 'having a little go' and the counterpart of taking Part II examinations (final year) was 'having a great go'. Both are not now used.
Trinity College Dublinedit
The Final Freshman examination at Trinity College Dublin was also termed 'Little-go', which all students whether Honours or Pass had to pass till 1959 if they were to rise to Sophister standing. The ordinary undergraduate course in Arts itself (along with the Little Go examination) was abolished in 1979.[7]
Referencesedit
^"Bibliography & Glossary". Oxford College Archives. Oxford Archivists’ Consortium. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
^John Henry Newman, (eds. Ker and Gornall), Letters and Diaries, vol. I, pp.53 & 54
^P. G. Wodehouse, The Inimitable Jeeves, Chapter 13. The Great Sermon Handicap
^Dean, Mildred (1928). "The Oxford 'Smalls' and Some Other Matters". The Classical Weekly. 22 (8): 58–60. doi:10.2307/4389223. JSTOR 4389223.
^Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
responsions, first, three, examinations, formerly, required, acceptance, academic, degree, university, oxford, nicknamed, little, smalls, normally, taken, students, prior, shortly, after, matriculation, basis, that, without, standardised, qualifications, from,. Responsions was the first of the three examinations formerly required for acceptance for an academic degree at the University of Oxford It was nicknamed Little Go or Smalls and was normally taken by students prior to or shortly after matriculation on the basis that without standardised qualifications from school examinations the university had to verify for itself the quality of the students that colleges were accepting The examination consisted of comparatively simple questions on Latin Ancient Greek and mathematics It was abolished in 1960 1 John Henry Newman wrote to his father on 29 May 1818 I go up for my Little tomorrow and records in his journal for the following day that he had passed Responsions 2 P G Wodehouse in The Inimitable Jeeves wrote Well they re down there too reading for some exam or other with the vicar I used to read with him myself at one time He s known far and wide as a pretty hot coach for those of fairly feeble intellect Well when I tell you he got me through Smalls you ll gather that he s a bit of a hummer I call this most extraordinary 3 4 Responsions derives from Anglo French responsion from Latin responsio a reply or an answer from the Latin verb respondeo to answer or give a response Contents 1 Similar examinations 1 1 University of Cambridge 1 2 Trinity College Dublin 2 References 3 BibliographySimilar examinations editUniversity of Cambridge edit The equivalent at Cambridge to Responsions at Oxford was the Previous Examination so called because it was taken a year previous to graduation it was often called the Little Go Says one writer who citation needed of the Cambridge Little Go Latin Responsions was a requirement for entry School Certificate and the GCE Latin allowing exemption However in the early 1950s several bright students had to go to Cambridge to take it because the then Labour Government decreed that those under 16 could only take GCE as a non candidate clarification needed and so deprived them of the certificate It presumably died when the Latin requirement was dropped in the 1960s Brewer 1894 defines Little Go as The examination held in the Cambridge University in the second year of residence Called also the previous examination because it precedes by a year the examination for a degree In Oxford the corresponding examination is called The Smalls 5 However the 1996 edition of Brewer gives A nickname for the former Previous Entrance Examination for undergraduates at Cambridge unless excused on account of successes at other examinations It ceased to operate after 1961 owing to new regulations Other sources also suggest that at some point the Little Go came to refer to the entrance examination Karl Pearson s obituary of Raphael Weldon p 8 refers to Weldon preparing c 1877 for Little Go and the London Preliminary Scientific For the classical part of the former he seems to have worked by himself Pearson also refers to Little Go in Cambridge in 1842 in his biography of Francis Galton 6 Taking the examination was called having a little go and the counterpart of taking Part II examinations final year was having a great go Both are not now used Trinity College Dublin edit The Final Freshman examination at Trinity College Dublin was also termed Little go which all students whether Honours or Pass had to pass till 1959 if they were to rise to Sophister standing The ordinary undergraduate course in Arts itself along with the Little Go examination was abolished in 1979 7 References edit Bibliography amp Glossary Oxford College Archives Oxford Archivists Consortium Retrieved 5 March 2009 John Henry Newman eds Ker and Gornall Letters and Diaries vol I pp 53 amp 54 P G Wodehouse The Inimitable Jeeves Chapter 13 The Great Sermon Handicap Dean Mildred 1928 The Oxford Smalls and Some Other Matters The Classical Weekly 22 8 58 60 doi 10 2307 4389223 JSTOR 4389223 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable E Cobham Brewer 1894 galton org https www tcd ie about content pdf history college pd bare URL PDF Bibliography editMerriam Responsions Websters Dictionary nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Wood James ed 1907 Responsions The Nuttall Encyclopaedia London and New York Frederick Warne Portals nbsp Education nbsp England Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Responsions amp oldid 1154106332, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
