The purpose of the MARYLAND MANUAL is to present in concise
form to the citizens of Maryland an account of their government—
State, County, and Town. Since it is a publication of the State, the
emphasis is primarily on the agencies of the State Government; that
part having to do with local government is not intended to be more
than a directory..

Essays devoted to individual governmental agencies contain in each
case reference to the legal status of the agency, its function, the name
of the official in charge and the name of any governing board or
commission, the current publications, if any, the number of persons
employed, and the total annual budget..

In addition to information about its government the citizens of
Maryland have come to expect the MANUAL to contain a considerable
amount of historical and miscellaneous information. All of this kind
of information given in the past is included in the present volume and
with some additions. Moreover, it has all been thoroughly checked
with the original records now at the Hall of Records but formerly
unavailable to the compilers of the MANUAL..

This volume of the MANUAL is the first compiled by the Archivist
of the Hall of Records. It has been entirely rewritten, although the
form of past volumes has, for the most part, been retained. The task
has proved to be long and difficult. Its accomplishment is due in
great measure to the complete cooperation of every state agency.
Special thanks are due the following: James P. Brock and Mary L.
Wilson of the Secretary of State's Office, who, with utmost patience,
made available the official rosters kept by that office; the Clerks of
the various County Courts, who checked the names of county officers;
Dr. Carl Everstine, Assistant Director of the Department of Legisla-
tive Reference, who prepared a corrected version of the Constitution
and made a new index; John P. Trimmer, head of the Department of
Information, who provided a new version of "Maryland at a Glance"
and some miscellaneous information; and William H. Zander, Jr., of
the Department of Budget and Procurement, who helped guide the
book through the press..

Of the members of the staff of the Hall of Records who helped,
special mention is due John P. Hively, who with K. Elizabeth Brewer
visited every agency and institution of the State Government; Gust
Skordas, who checked the Maryland Charter, the lists of Maryland
Governors, and some of the other historical material; Roger Thomas,
who wrote the Historical Sketch of Maryland; Mary B. Ellershaw,
Judith Palmquist, Peggy Benning, Angelyn Parks, and Lois Green,
who typed the manuscript and helped with the proofs and index..

Finally, the Compiler is grateful for the confidence of the Governor,
who entrusted him with the task; the members of the Board of Public
Works, who appropriated the additional funds required; and the mem-
bers of the Hall of Records Commission, who approved the MANUAL as
a project of the Hall of Records..

MORRIS L. RADOFF, Archivist.
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