wooden spoon?

[inter]

just a stupid question, were did the saying ( getting the wooden spoon for coming last) come from?

[robrooter]

wouln't have a clue sorry mate

[malscar]

From the Oxford English Dictionary
Wooden spoon: a spoon made of wood; spec. one presented by custom at Cambridge to the last of the Junior Optimes, i.e. the lowest of those taking honours in the Mathematical Tripos; hence, this position in the examination, or the person who takes it. Also, in extended use, referring to the lowest of a list or set in other connexions.

: 'At Yale, formerly, the student who took the last appointment in the Junior Exhibition; later, the most popular student in a class' ("Cent. Dict.").

: 1803 "Gradus ad Cantab." . . . Wooden Spoon, for wooden heads: . . . the lowest of the Junior Optimes. 1820 BYRON "Juan" . . . Sure my invention must be down at zero, And I grown one of many 'wooden spoons' Of verse (the name with which we Cantabs please To dub the last of honours in degrees). 1858 EARL MALMESBURY "Mem." . . . The 'wooden spoon' which is given to the Minister in the House of Commons who has been in the fewest divisions.

To get the wooden spoon is now a prize for finishing last in a sporting event or other competition. It derives from a Cambridge University custom of presenting such a spoon to the person last in the Maths Tripos. In 1811 there were three classes of Honours degree; the first were called Wranglers and were said to be born with golden spoons in their mouths. The second were Senior Optimes and had silver spoons in their mouths. The third type were Junior Optimes and were born with lead spoons; the last Junior Optime was called the Wooden spoon. Those without Honours were either meritorious, in the Gulf, or just one of the Many.

My first thought was about being born with a silver spoon, and that the wooden one would be the opposite.

[Road Runner 72]

Or being bad you got wacked over the head with a wooden spoon LOL I still have the lumps!

[pitcrew]

I remember being told to get in the bath as a kid and my mum used to say "last one in gets a whack on the backside with the wooden spoon" (one of three Kids).
Oh!!! child hood memories
So to me coming last ment you got the wooden spoon. :D:D

[grease]

I thought it was similar to getting a hat-trick in cricket malscar (a present sort of thing, in a jockular way)

[VP_VIXEN]

I am pretty sure that it came from way back in the 1800s when they used to compare educational levels and achievments by the different type of spoons. Somthing like the the saying those who were born with golden spoons in their mouths attained the highest level, those with silver second highest and then the lowest acedemics had wodden spoons.

[VP_VIXEN]

From the Oxford English Dictionary
Wooden spoon: a spoon made of wood; spec. one presented by custom at Cambridge to the last of the Junior Optimes, i.e. the lowest of those taking honours in the Mathematical Tripos; hence, this position in the examination, or the person who takes it. Also, in extended use, referring to the lowest of a list or set in other connexions.

: 'At Yale, formerly, the student who took the last appointment in the Junior Exhibition; later, the most popular student in a class' ("Cent. Dict.").

: 1803 "Gradus ad Cantab." . . . Wooden Spoon, for wooden heads: . . . the lowest of the Junior Optimes. 1820 BYRON "Juan" . . . Sure my invention must be down at zero, And I grown one of many 'wooden spoons' Of verse (the name with which we Cantabs please To dub the last of honours in degrees). 1858 EARL MALMESBURY "Mem." . . . The 'wooden spoon' which is given to the Minister in the House of Commons who has been in the fewest divisions.

To get the wooden spoon is now a prize for finishing last in a sporting event or other competition. It derives from a Cambridge University custom of presenting such a spoon to the person last in the Maths Tripos. In 1811 there were three classes of Honours degree; the first were called Wranglers and were said to be born with golden spoons in their mouths. The second were Senior Optimes and had silver spoons in their mouths. The third type were Junior Optimes and were born with lead spoons; the last Junior Optime was called the Wooden spoon. Those without Honours were either meritorious, in the Gulf, or just one of the Many.

My first thought was about being born with a silver spoon, and that the wooden one would be the opposite.

Learn somthing new every day ..lol