Comfort A. Adams 1956 Edison medalist: Medal history

THE EDISON MEDAL presented today is the 46th in the series. The Medal is awarded annually “… for meritorious achievement in electrical science or electrical engineering or the electrical arts.” The award traditionally has consisted of three articles. The first item is a gold medal which is valuable enough, and we hope cherished enough, so that it is kept in a bank vault, seldom seen by the owner and never seen by others. The second one is a full-size bronze replica of the Medal which is useful as a paperweight. It is therefore likely to be found on the Medalist's desk in company with assorted bits of glass and various advertising gimmicks used for the same purpose, so that it is seldom noticed by anyone. Of course, if the Medalist is a perfect executive, nothing ever appears on his desk except a set of 12 push buttons, so that the bronze medal replica is never seen. The third article traditionally awarded is a certificate. This is sometimes filed away with the Medalist's other papers and forever lost to view. In other cases it is framed and hung on the owner's office wall but, if so, it is hung behind him so that it is visible to visitors but rarely to himself.