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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)




                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


The Board of Directors
Signal Corp:


We consent to the inclusion in the Form 8-K of FirstMerit Corporation dated
August 31, 1998 of our report dated February 6, 1998, except as to note 1 (Stock
Dividend), which is as of April 22, 1998, and note 15, which is as of June 29,
1998, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Signal Corp and
subsidiaries as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the related consolidated
statements of income, changes in shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the
years then ended.

Our report refers to the adoption of the Financial Accounting Standards Board's
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 125, "Accounting for Transfers
and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities," in 1997.


/s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

Cleveland, Ohio
August 28, 1998