sponse to a request by the President of the United States. The Com-
mittee coordinates and promotes the programs of counseling, train-
ing, and placement that exist among State agencies for the physi-
cally handicapped. It works to create greater public awareness of
the problems faced by the handicapped in finding employment, and
to develop in employers a desire to give work to these people when
possible. The Committee has publicized the experience of employers
with handicapped workers and endeavors to stimulate public interest
in providing suitable facilities for the handicapped in Maryland.

In order to reach all sections of the State, twenty-four local com-
mittees have been organized, one in each county and one in Baltimore
City.

Appropriations 1957 1958
General Funds $3,000 $3,500

Supervision of State Employment

STATE COMMISSIONER OF PERSONNEL

Russell S. Davis, State Commissioner of Personnel, 1961
Wayne W. Ransom, Assistant to the Commissioner
Margaret Dambly Frank, Director, Examination Division
Betty Wintz Klare, Director, Classification and Com-
pensation Division

Nathan E. Needle, M.D„ Medical Examiner
Ruth Engel Hubbard, Supervisor, Merit System
Lillian Hoshall Trost, Supervisor, Merit System

31 Light Street, Baltimore 2 Telephone: Saratoga 7-7000

The State Commissioner of Personnel is the head of the State
Merit System, which was established in 1920 by the Act now codi-
fied as Article 64A of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edi-
tion), The title of State Commissioner of Personnel was established
by the Acts of 1953. The position had previously been known as
Commissioner of State Employment and Registration (Code 1951,
1957 supp., Art. 64A, sec. 9). The Commissioner, who is appointed
by the Governor for a six-year term, administers the Merit System
Law, and with the approval of the Governor, makes such rules as
he deems necessary. The purpose of the Merit System Law is to
test the fitness of candidates for positions in the classified service
according to a standard of business efficiency, without regard to
political or religious opinions or affiliations; to provide means for
promptly removing from positions in the classified service all per-
sons therein who may be indolent, incompetent, inefficent, or other-
wise unfit; and to keep in a workable state the provisions for the
promotion of employees as provided in this Law to ensure that the
best class of candidates will be attracted to the classified service
(Code 1951, Art. 64A, sec. 39). The State Commissioner of Person-
nel is, therefore, the Chief Personnel Officer for the State of Mary-
land, which at present employs approximately 14,500 Classi-
fied and 5,078 Unclassified workers. The Commissioner is an ex
officio member of the State Employees' Retirement System (Code
1951, Art. 73B, sec. 9) and Chairman of the Standard Salary Board
(Code 1951, 1957 supp., Art. 64A, sec. 24), His Department is the