(1872-1900) being ex-officio State Superintendent. The State Super
intendent of Schools is appointed by the State Board of Education
for a term of four years and is ex-officio secretary and treasurer of
the Board.

He is the executive officer of the State Board of Education, which,
ill addition to having general control of the State School System, is
charged with the duties of interpreting school laws and acting with-
out expense to the parties concerned in all controversies and dis-
putes involving the proper administration of the public school system.
lie carries out the educational policies of the State Board of Educa-
tion. He conducts conferences of school officials and teachers, issues
teachers' certificates, passes upon proposals for the sale of school
sites and buildings, and the plans for the construction of new build-
ings. He directs the taking of the bi-ennial school census, prepares
courses of study and an annual report. He also issues bulletins from
.time to time on the conditions and needs of the schools.

Either in person, or through his assistants, he has general super-
vision over the educational affairs of the counties, co-operates with
county school officials in welding together school interests in a State
aystmil. He certifies to the Comptroller each year a, list of schools en-
titled to receive State aid, and the amount due each county in part
payment by the State of the salaries of superintendents, supervisors
and attendance officers. He audits the accounts of the county boards

•of education and sees that their expenditures conform to the law,

The appointment of the county superintendents and supervisors
and attendance officers is made by the county boards of education
subject to the approval of the State Superintendent.

All communications pertaining to the supervision and administra-
tion of the State School System (Baltimore City not included) should
be sent to him either as State Superintendent of Schools, or as secre-
tary to the State Board of Education.

Work of the State Department of Education.

The twenty-three counties of the State in 1923-24 enrolled in school
151,500 pupils in nearly 2,300 schools in charge of over 4,500 teachers.
Over 16,600 of these pupils were in the 155 high schools distributed in
the twenty-three counties of the State. In the same year the counties
expended on schools approximately $6,500,000 for current, expenses and
$950,000 for capital outlay. Of the former amount, over $2,000,000, or
31.9 per cent, was received from the State of Maryland. Baltimore City
received over $1,000,000 from the State school funds.

The State public school budgets for 1925 1926, and 1927, totaling
$3,629,745, $3,742,600, and $3,826,681, to be expended in the counties,
for the normal schools, and the State Department of Education, will in-
sure continued progress in carrying forward the policies established by

•the Legislature of 1922. State aid for high schools, the Equalization
Fund, and provision for a new Eastern Shore Normal School at Salis-
bury are the only items with increases of more than $10,000 over the
corresponding appropriations for 1924.

High school enrollment and attendance in the counties increased last.
year approximately ten per cent, necessitating sixty additions to the
teaching staff. The larger amount of State aid provided annually
merely takes care of this necessary and normal increase required by
greater enrollment.

There were 7,570 graduates from county white elementary schools
and 2,218 from county white high schools, in 1924. Twenty-one per