The Commission maintains liaison with the State Department of
Education, the city and county Boards of Education, private and paro-
chial schools, and physical fitness commissions. It also disseminates
information about physical fitness, collects and assembles information
from other departments and agencies of the State, and employs such
personnel as necessary to carry out its functions. The funds for the
Commission may not exceed $25,000 in the annual budgets.

The Governor also appoints in each county and the City of Balti-
more a local Physical Fitness Commission, each to be composed of
from fifteen to twenty-five residents of the particular political sub-
division. The Governor designates the Chairman of each Commission
(Code 1957, 1963 Supp., Art. 41, secs. 319-325).

Appropriations 1963 1964

General Funds $24,600 $25,000
Staff: 2.

Public Welfare

STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE

Board of Public Welfare
Chairman: Alvin Thalheimer, 1969

Calhoun Bond, 1965; Edmund P. Dandridge, Jr., 1965; Mrs.
John L. Sanford, 1965; Mrs. Ralph O. Dulany, 1967; Howard
H. Murphy, 1967; Julius O. Shuger, 1967; Sam Eig, 1969;
W. Richard Ferguson, M.D., 1969.

Raleigh C. Hobson, Director
Elizabeth G. Smith, Assistant Director

301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore I Telephone: 837-9000

The General Assembly created the State Department of Public
Welfare by Chapter 99, Acts of 1939 to supersede the Board of State
Aid and Charities established by Chapter 679, Acts of 1900. The De-
partment is the central, coordinating, and directing agency of all wel-
fare activities in the State, including aid to dependent children, old
age assistance, public assistance to the needy blind, aid to the perma-
nently and totally disabled, child welfare services, and any other wel-
fare activities financed in whole or in part by the State or Federal
government. The Governor designates the Chairman of the Board and
appoints its nine members for six-year terms so arranged that three
terms expire on June 1st of every second year (Code 1957, Art. 88A,
secs. 2,3).

In each county there is a County Welfare Board, constituting an
administrative department of the local government, which adminis-
ters under the supervision and control of the State Department
the welfare activities within each county, including the care of neg-
lected, dependent, and delinquent children. Each County Board con-
sists of six persons appointed for six-year terms by the Board of
County Commissioners and one County Commissioner chosen yearly
by the Board of County Commissioners (Code 1957, Art. 88A, secs.
13,14).

The Department investigates the public and private institutions, or-
ganizations, and agencies of a charitable nature in the State of Mary-
land, including those which receive part of their income from the
State, but excepting those placed by law under the supervision of
another State agency. Each year before the General Assembly con-
venes, the Director reports to the Governor on activities of the