The Awaeds System. 525- 



the plan and granted $103,000 for bronze medals and diplomas, to be 

 furnished under the sole authority of the Secretary of the Treasury. 

 It is worthy of note that the Columbian Commission had absolutely no 

 rehUious-hip to the preparation of the medals and diplomas. Both are 

 made under the supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury, and by 

 him delivered to the Columbian Commission, to be awarded to exliibit- 

 ors m accordance with the findings of the judges and juries appointed 

 by it. The medals were designed by Augustus St. Giaudens, and the 

 diplomas by Will IL Low. 



Money awards, graded awards and competitive awards were carefully 

 excluded by tlie plan adopted by the commission and Congress. A 

 standard of excellence was established in each class or group of exhibits, 

 and the merits of the exhibits were measm-ed by that standard, and 

 not by comparison with each other. Tersely put, an exhibit had merit 

 enough to warrant an award or it had not. If it had, the examining 

 judge noted the specific points of excellence in the exhibit and reported 

 to tlie jury of his department. If his report was sustained by the 

 jur}' the award was granted. If not sustained by a majority vote the 

 award was defeated. In cases of controversy additional examinations 

 of the exhibit were made by judges appointed, or by the jury as a 

 whole. 



This system of awaras was adopted November 24, 1890, and on 

 January 14, 1891, the President of the United States issued his invita- 

 tions to the foreign nations to participate, but it was not until March 3, 

 1893, that Congress made the necessary appropriation to enable the 

 committee on awards to proceed with its labors. An organization was 

 at once effected, and the necessary regulations framed and published. 

 Under these regulations the thirteen departments of the fair were each 

 provided with an expert jury, varying in numbers according to the mag- 

 nitude of the several departments. These juries were authorized and 

 required to control their own organization, having their respective offi- 

 cers of their own selection, and making the necessary subordinate 

 arrangaments to give executive effect to their organization. Out' of 

 their number from day to day individual examiners were instructed to 

 investigate and report upon assigned exhibits, such examiner being 

 selected for his supposed qualifications and esj)ecial fitness as an expert, 

 in connection with the class of exhibits to be examined, and each being 

 required to submit to his departmental jury a written report, wherein 

 he would state the various features of his examination and the special 

 points of excellence upon which he recommended the allowance of an 

 award in each instance. The departmental jury meeting as a whole 

 and making further examinations through such committees as they 

 might find it necessary to appoint amongst themselves, but resulting 

 finally in the aggregate judgment of the wliDle committee, would there- 

 after carefully examine these written rei^orts, and if dissatisfied with 

 their correctness or sufficiency, or otherwise, would secure the appoint- 

 ment of other examiners, either one or more, and would have such 

 further report or series of reports submitted to them as they might 

 deem sufficient for their information. When finally satisfied that they 

 had all the facts before them which, in their judgment, were necessary 



