This begins the weakening of the merit system.

We have some discretionary funds based on need or merit. We thought the need for this program was there because of the growing Hispanic population in Logansport schools.

Merit is much more cheaply acknowledged than rewarded

But they did, and it's amazing. It's a high, high honor. And they were each judged on their own merit.

Man's chief merit consists in resisting the impulses of his nature

Bleep theory belongs in philosophy, not a science class. But I think it does have enough merit to be a topic of conversation somewhere other than the backwoods and closets.