Reward of merit presented to [blank] as an honorable testimony of approbation for industry, punctuality and good conduct, Ohio, ca. 1870.
For generations, teachers have given small tokens of congratulation, called rewards of merit, to students for good behavior and scholastic accomplishments. The practice was most popular during the nineteenth century when printing techniques evolved to make this form of ephemera readily available. Some rewards of merit include images emphasizing polite behavior, patriotism, and education.
AAS's unique collection of hand colored, engraved, printed, and chromolithographed examples provide a glimpse into educational and cultural issues over a span of almost one hundred years.
Access
Most of the collection is cataloged in the General Catalog. Follow the link in each General Catalog record to view an image of each reward of merit.