Rewards of Merit

"Reward of merit presented to a good scholar from your teacher, S. Ayres. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1867 by L. Prang & Co. in the Clerk's office of Mass."

"Presented to Lizzie Kensinger by E. A. Feight, teacher."

"Reward of Merit for Punctuality, Industry, and Good Conduct presented to Mary Geller by Virginia Fair, teacher." With an illustration of a U.S. Civil War soldier in the middle panel.

"Reward of Merit. Book Mark. To: Nellie Briggs, by Hattie E. Perry, teacher."

This delicate Victorian-era Christmas greeting card (smaller in size than a modern business card) displays an eye-catching, three-dimensional design featuring embossed flowers, die-cut stems and leaves peeking out from under a faux folded corner, and stippled shadowing around fake slits through which the flowers and pin extend.

Reward of Merit Presented to Charles Burns, by Maria S. Hale. Come let us haste to the schoolroom away, Nor tarry a moment of time on the way, For when lessons are learn'd & our tasks are done, We may sport on the green till the set of the sun.

This advertising trade card showing Christopher Columbus (above) was intended to appeal to students. R. H. Buttorff (1849-1934), a photographer in York, Pennsylvania, gave cards like this to teachers, who could then reward students for good behavior by filling out the " Certificate of Reward " (below) that was printed on the back of the card. The certificate also offered a discount on special "Columbian" cabinet photographs that students could purchase at Buttorff's studio.

R. H. Buttorff (1849-1934), a photographer in York, Pennsylvania, used an advertising trade card showing Christopher Columbus (below, front of card) to promote his "special highly finished 'Columbian' photographs" in 1893. The "Certificate of Reward" (above, back of card) that he offered to teachers for distribution to students was similar to the rewards of merit they were already familiar with. In addition to the usual student recognition for "deportment and standing in studies," however, this reward certificate doubled as a coupon redeemable for a half-price deal on cabinet photographs. Unfortunately for us, however, the expiration date was March 1, 1894.

Uncut block of six rewards of merit. See also Bird-Themed Sunday School Cards (below).

"The Lord will raise us up. Blessed be the name of God. Deliver my feet from falling. Turn unto Him with all thy heart. My times are in Thy hand. Depart from iniquity. Enjoy Christ's s service. In God I have put my trust." A block of eight uncut Victorian-era Sunday school cards (or rewards of merit) featuring birds, flowers, and snow-covered landscapes. See also Rewards of Merit with Birds and Flowers (below).

"At last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Prov. 23-32." The verses that proceed this one in the Book of Proverbs place this quoted Bible verse in context and make it clear that this colorful Victorian-era card was intended as a temperance message: "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." (Proverbs 23:29-32.) At the same time, the handwritten notation on the back of the card (see below) reveals that it also served as an attendance reward for a student who only missed a few days of instruction during the 1893-1894 school year. Handwritten on the back of this card: Katie Whitmyer, Mar. 22, 1894. School Opened - 120 Days Attended - 115½ Days Missed - 4½ L. S. Sahm, teacher

Handwritten on the back of the card: "Etta M. Smith."

"Diligence. The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov. X. 4." Stamped on the back of the card: "Union S.S., Churchville, Penn'a." Handwritten name on the back: "Kate." Kate evidently received this small Sunday school card as a reward for her attendance (or perhaps for some activity like reciting a Bible verse) at the Union Sunday School in the appropriately named town of Churchville, Pennsylvania.

"Merit Reward Merit. Look up and not down. Look forward and not backward. Look out and not in. And lend a hand. Presented to David Snyder, by R. C. McNamar, teacher. Colton, Zahm & Roberts, N.Y." American author Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909) published variations of his "Four Mottos" ("Look up and not down, look forward and not back, look out and not in, and lend a hand!") as early as 1870. For another reward of merit printed by Colton, Zahm, & Roberts, see Those Who Know Everything in General Know Nothing in Particular .

A reward of merit dated 1875. Unfortunately, the small but colorful chromolithographed scrap glued to the middle of the card isn't positioned correctly (take a look at a rotated version instead of craning your neck), but the elaborate design surrounding the scrap makes up for it. The nineteenth-century "maxim" printed on the card reminds me of the modern quip about know-it-alls: "Those who think they know everything annoy those of us who do." For another reward of merit printed by Colton, Zahm, & Roberts, see Look Up and Not Down . Golden Maxim Reward Those who know everything in general, know nothing in particular. Colton, Zahm, & Roberts, New York. Written on the back of the card: "1875, James M. Stoner."

A rotated view of this reward of merit provides a better--though still tilted--view of the chromolithographed scrap added in the middle For the original, see Those Who Know Everything in General Know Nothing in Particular .

"Reward of Merit presented to Oliver K. Ott, by William C. Weiss, teacher. An honorable testimony of approbation for industry, punctuality, & good conduct." Probably the same Oliver K. Ott (1860-1944) who's listed on Find A Grave.

A small Victorian-era greeting card that's about the size of a modern business card. This is a generic "stock card" that could have served as a calling card, advertising trade card, reward of merit, or--as in this case--greeting card, depending on what was printed on it. The colors of the leaves in the illustration, of course, suggest an autumn theme rather than a winter-time Christmas celebration.