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

Sketches of individual governmental agencies contain at the very least
evidence of the legal status of the agency, its functions, the name of the
administrator and the members of any governing body or commission, the
number of persons employed, appropriations for fiscal years 1953 and 1954.
A list of current publications of all agencies is given in a separate section.

The cooperation of many State agencies is gratefully acknowledged. Special
mention is due the following: James P. Brock and Mary L. Wilson of the
Secretary of State's Office; Dr. Carl N. Everstine, Director of the Department
of Legislative Reference, who cared for changes in the Constitution; Janet
Hoffman of the Fiscal Research Bureau, who prepared a new governmental
chart; Dr. William H. Bayliff, who brought up to date "Maryland at a
Glance," which had previously been prepared by John P. Trimmer; and
Edward Johnson, Executive Secretary of the Maryland Municipal League, who
furnished a list of incorporated places and the name of the mayor or other
chief executive of each.

In one way or another most of the staff members of the Hall of Records
have a hand in preparing or publishing the MANUAL. Ultimately all of it
goes through the competent hands of John P. Hively whose special assignment
it is. Typing and proofreading are the tasks of Dorothy B. Cullinane and
Rose Mary DiStefano. The pictures of the Governor, the members of the
General Assembly, the Court of Appeals and Washington College are by
Marion E. Warren; all the others were furnished by the State or Federal
agency which built or has in charge the structure shown.

MORRIS L. RADOFF, Archivist and Records Administrator.