couraging, and as your Governor, speaking for all Maryland citizens,
I congratulate you for a public service of immeasurable value.

A year ago in this same hall, I talked with you briefly about the
plans of this Administration to embark upon a new program of
State support of public education. A few months before, I had asked
the Legislative Council's Committee on Taxation and Fiscal Matters
(the so-called Hughes Committee) to study the need of additional
State assistance and the possibility of revising the formula of dis-
tribution. I had instructed the committee to submit its proposals
in time for action at the 1964 session of the General Assembly. I
declined to discuss the details of the plan for the reason, as I stated,
that I felt it would be premature to do so at the time since the matter
was under consideration by the Committee. Nevertheless, I made it
clear that I believed strongly that the time had come for bold new
action on the part of the State to enable Maryland to maintain its
high standards of excellence in the field of public education.

As we all know, the Committee's proposal was submitted to the
General Assembly, under the sponsorship of my Administration and
with strong endorsements by this Association, the State Department
of Education, Parent-Teacher Associations and other groups which
have consistently supported programs for the betterment of our edu-
cational system. It is not necessary for me here to enumerate the
specific provisions of this legislation, the details of which you are
all familiar. It is sufficient to say that the formula for the distribution
of State aid was revamped and that State assistance to local govern-
ments for the operation of their public schools was increased to an
extent that would allow them to pay higher salaries for teachers,
reduce the size of classes, provide more special educational services
and purchase more books and materials for instruction.

The legislation, adopted by the General Assembly and signed into
law by me, was acclaimed as the most significant advancement in
public education made by the State in more than forty years. This
Association of teachers, in its official publication, called it a "mile-
stone in Maryland education" and said the 1964 Legislature which
enacted it could "justifiably be labeled the 'education General As-
sembly. " These statements are no mere flights of fancy. On the
contrary, the aptly and accurately describe the measures we have
taken to improve our educational system. The plan which we have
adopted, and which is now in effect, represents the determination of
the enlightened people of Maryland to meet the educational challenges
of our age.

233