Reward+of+Merit

=Rewards of Merit: 1776-1860=

Sometimes the students were given a Reward of Merit, which showed them that they had done something well. It was an honor to receive these certificates because paper and printed materials were scarce.  === These charming little cards were given to apt pupils by their teachers, for good conduct or for devotion to their studies. Many early rewards of merit are printed on paper, often hand-colored; later in the century, rewards were bright lithographs. ===

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Early rewards often included text emphasizing obedience to parents and teachers and the importance of study and hard work. Illustrations on the rewards were not just decorative, but symbolic. The skep with bees was an emblem of hard work and perseverance since bees work hard to gather nectar for honey. Some rewards used images of mythological figures to represent education.