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DELEGATE BLAIR: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gen-

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tlemen, we have had a State board of education, with a

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State superintendent of schools since 1916, and the duties

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of the State superintendent are completely spelled out in

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Article 77 of the Code, and he has been a very effective

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and efficient person in connection with the operation of

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the State board . I think it is very fundamental to the

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effective operation that this board be appointed by the

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governor and that the State superintendent being appointed

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by the board is an integral part of the whole system of the

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operation. If the State board at all has been successful,

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I think the enstrumentality of its success has been the

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functioning, with the expert personnel of the board and the

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specific specialties, who is an ancillary part of that

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board and an important and integral part of that board,

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who is the State superintendent of schools .

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I think it is important that this not be deleted

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in any way and that the time never comes when the adminis-

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tration of government would decide to substitute some other

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method of operation, rather than having State superinten-

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dent. I think we can guarantee this feature, if there is