60 MARYLAND MANUAL

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

President: Tasker G. Lowndes, 1963
Wendell D. Allen. 1956; Richard W. Case, 1962; Horace

M. Morgan, 1950; Nicholas Orem, 1964; Mrs. Alvin Thal-

heimer, 1961; Helen Curtis Walker, 1966.

Thomas G. Pullen, Secretary-Treasurer of the Board and
State Superintendent of Schools.

John J. Seidel, Assistant Superintendent for Vocational Edu-
cation

James E. Spitznas, Director, Division of Instruction

David W. Zimmerman, Director, Division of Finance and Re-
search

Merle S. Bateman, Director, Division of Certification and
Accreditation

Helen M. Clarke, Director, Division of Library Extension

Robert C. Thompson, Director, Division of Vocational Re-
habilitation
Mathieson Building, Baltimore 2 Telephone: Lexington 3071

Although a centralized administration of the public schools of
Maryland was attempted in 1866, it was not until 1870 that the State
Board of Education was established. The Board, composed of seven
members appointed by the Governor for terms of seven years, is re-
sponsible for the public school system, for the formulation of policy
governing education within the State, and for the passage of by-
laws and administrative regulations necessary for the governing of
the school system (Code 1939, 1947 Supp., Art. 77, sees. 6, 11-13, 17).

The State Superintendent of Schools is appointed by the State
Board of Education for a term of four years. He is responsible for
the direction of the State Department of Education, the execution
of policy governing the school system, and the enforcement of the
administrative regulations adopted by the Board (Code 1939. Art.
77, sees. 27, 28). The State Department of Education is composed
of the State Superintendent of Schools and the professional staff
employed by the Board to assist him in the supervision and direction
of the Maryland public schools. The department has six divisions,
each with its specific duties to perform.

Division of Instruction

The Division of Instruction provides leadership in planning and
supervising educational programs for young people and adults in
the public schools of the State. It plans programs and assists with
the education of the handicapped also. Specific aids provided for
teachers and pupils include courses of study cooperatively planned,
certain types of visual aids, and workshop and consultant service.
The division is responsible also for the administration of high school
equivalence examinations and for leadership in teacher education
(Code 1939, 1947 Supp., Art. 77, sees. 32, 33, 36, 191, 191A).

Division of Vocational Education

The Division of Vocational Education is responsible for the super-
vision of the vocational curricula of the public schools.home eco-
nomics, agriculture, and industrial arts. In addition the division
supervises the .school lunch program and renders educational services
to industry. The Federal funds granted to the State for these pur-
poses are allocated through the division (Code 1938, Art. 77, sees.
256-2B8).