When was the Caldecott Medal first established?
Caldecott Medal
The award is named for Randolph Caldecott, a nineteenth-century English illustrator. Rene Paul Chambellan designed the Medal in 1937. The obverse scene is derived from Randolph Caldecott's front cover illustration for The Diverting History of John Gilpin (Routledge, 1878, an edition of the 1782 poem by William Cowper), which depicts Gilpin astride a runaway horse.[2][3] The reverse is based on "Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie", one of Caldecott's illustrations for the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence".
Certificate of Merit Medal
The original Certificate of Merit was authorized by an Act of Congress related to the expansion of the US Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). The legislation authorized brevets to non-commissioned officers and for privates who distinguished themselves in service "the President may in like manner grant him a certificate of merit, which shall entitle him to additional pay at the rate of two dollars per month." This was a step forward in the recognition of the individual contributions of soldiers. The first certificates were only authorized for Privates and it was not until 1854 that the Certificate of Merit was awarded to NCOs the rank of Sergeant and above. The Certificate of Merit was never authorized for officers. During this period from at least 1865 to 1904, the Certificate was used as an alternative to the award of a Medal of Honor. This created a dilemma for some soldiers, who applied for both in the hopes of the pay increase from the Certificate but who could only be awarded one award. George Jordan is an example of a soldier who received both. It was issued to 545 soldiers during the Mexican–American War. After the war, the Certificate of Merit was discontinued.