The various fascinating examples provided by contributors to this discussion demonstrate that it is impossible to generalise and that we should evaluate every piece of evidence in the appropriate context. Educational provision in Scotland varied a great deal, especially prior to 1872, but even before that we can tell from existing sources that the vast majority of children in Aberdeenshire had access to elementary teaching. By the 19th century few spoke Gaelic, except in the Highland parishes on Deeside. As regards the significance of abbreviations, we need to ask ourselves who created the record and for what purpose. The census records to which Gaye referred were compiled by ministers in Perthshire who distinguished between parishioners' religious practices, which suggests that 'communicant' was intended. In an earlier religious census for the Catholic church in Bellie parish, 'comt' is also used as an abbreviation for 'communicant'. In an educational record, on the other hand, it is likely to have an entirely different meaning. Alison On Sat, Sep 7, 2013 at 5:59 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > I had checked my father's school records from Old > Aberdeen earlier today as the abbrevation sounded > familiar. He was the top student of his year when > he graduated, and all through school all but one > of his courses were marked "sup." for superior. > HIs penmanship, however, was consistently "comt" > (and I think that was generous -- "chicken > scratches" would have been more apt :-) .) As > others have mentioned, handwriting by even the > working classes was often a thing of beauty. My > father's father attended school in Old Deer until > he was fourteen, and his letters home from the > trenches of WW1 as an ordinary Private are models > of copperplate penmanship. My father (b 1905) > attended university and was an engineer, clever > with his hands, so I don't know why his writing > was so awful. > > Further to comments about the reputed superiority > of Scottish education in the late 19th and early > 20th centuries, my paternal grandparents had > emigrated to Canada c1900 and my father and his > two younger brothers were born here. When my > father was coming up to school age, however, his > parents packed up the family and returned to > Aberdeen, where they were convinced their bright > oldest son would receive a better education. I > don't know if it was true or not, but that was > their conviction. Certainly, looking at his yearly > report cards, the subjects he studied in school > were more difficult (Trigonometry, > Latin/Greek/Hebrew -- and this was in an ordinary > city-run school, not a "private" grammar school) > and begun at a younger age than what my > Scottish-born mother was studying in Canadian > schools at the same time, from c1910-1922. > > Margaret Gibbs > > > > > > On 06/09/2013 5:49 PM, Ronald and Laura wrote: > > I wonder if it means competent and competent small might mean a small > understanding of reading / writing... > > > > > > > >> ________________________________ > >> From: B&A Smith <[email protected]> > >> To: [email protected] > >> Sent: Friday, September 6, 2013 3:03 AM > >> Subject: Re: [ABERDEEN] Language & Literacy in Scotland and the Gaelic > language > >> > >> > >> 'Compt' seems likely to be an abbreviation for 'communicant', hence the > >> Episcopalians and Baptists being noted separately. It's unclear what > the > >> meaning of 'compt small' might be. > >> > >> Alison > >> > >> On Fri, Sep 6, 2013 at 4:56 AM, Gaye Ruru <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >>> > >>> > >>> Hello Listers, > >>> > >>> Have been following this thread with interest. Not directly to do with > >>> Aberdeenshire [where my YOUNGSON line is from] but in my Perthshire > FORBES > >>> line my great grandfather who emigrated to New Zealand in 1861 was > >>> definitely a fluent Gaelic speaker, and his brother, the Rev Daniel > FORBES, > >>> Minister in the Free Church of Scotland in Edderton, Rosshire, > travelled > >>> as far as London preaching in Gaelic during the right up until shortly > >>> before his death in May 1900. > >>> > >>> Also I have copied of the1806-7 and 1820-21 Census compiled by the > >>> Minister of Moulin Parish in Perthshire. In the 1806-7 Census > parishioners > >>> are judged as "Good, Indifferent, or None' as to their knowledge of the > >>> bible and in the 1820-21 Census there are two headings, e.g. Comt - > which I > >>> understand is something to do with their knowledge of the bible again, > with > >>> most adults having "Comt', or 'comt small' or 'Episcopalian' or > 'Baptist' > >>> or no entry at all in that column and under a second column, 'Read or > ?' it > >>> identifies if they 'can't read' with all other adults being able to > >>> 'read'[whatever that means at that time]. It is interesting to note > that > >>> some of the few who are noted as 'can't read' are also noted as 'comt' > i.e. > >>> have knowledge of the bible but can't read. > >>> > >>> As a general comment I would also say that standards of literacy and > >>> schooling appear to have been better in Scotland than that of my > English > >>> ancestors of the same period and all my ancestors who signed with their > >>> 'mark' have been English - but that may well be completely incidental > to > >>> this discussion. > >>> > >>> Gaye in New Zealand > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ------------------------------- > >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >>> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >>> > >> > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > >> > >> > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >