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Maryland Manual, 1975-76
Volume 177, Page 11   View pdf image (33K)
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SUPPLEMENT 1975-1976 II
STATE SYMBOLS
GREAT SEAL OF MARYLAND
The Great Seal of Maryland is used by the Governor and the
Secretary of State to authenticate the Acts of the Legislature and
for other official purposes. The first Great Seal was brought over
during the early days of the Colony. It remained in use, although
slightly altered, until the Revolution. The State of Maryland adopted
a new seal similar in form and spirit to those of the other States.
After the passage of a hundred years, Maryland readopted its old
seal (Joint Resolution No. 5, Legislative Session of 1876). Only the
Reverse of this seal has ever been cut. The Obverse is, however, still
considered as part of the seal and is used, among other things for
decorating public buildings.
The Reverse consists of an escutcheon or shield bearing the Calvert
and Crossland arms quartered. Above is an earl's coronet and a full-
faced helmet. The escutcheon is supported on one side by a farmer
and on the other by a fisherman, symbolizing Lord Baltimore's two
estates of Maryland and Avalon. The Calvert motto on the scroll is
usually translated "manly deeds, womanly words." The Latin legend
on the border is translated "with favor wilt thou compass us as with
a shield." (Psalms v, 12.)
The Obverse of the Seal shows Lord Baltimore as a Knight in full
armor mounted on a charger. The inscription translated is "Cecilius,
Absolute Lord of Maryland and Avalon, Baron of Baltimore." Avalon
was the name of Lord Baltimore's grant in Newfoundland (Chapter
79, Act of 1969; Code 1957, 1971 Repl. Vol., Art. 41, sec. 74A).
STATE FLAG
Maryland's flag bears the arms of the Calvert and Crossland
families. Calvert was the family name of the Lords Baltimore who
founded Maryland. Crossland was the family of the mother of the
first Lord Baltimore. The escutcheon or shield in the Maryland Seal
bears the same arms. This flag in its present form was first used
about 1886. It was officially adopted by Chapter 48, Acts of 1904.
The cross bottony affixed to the top of the flagstaff was made the
official ornament by Chapter 862, Acts of 1945 (Code 1957, 1971 Repl.
Vol., Art. 41, sees. 72-74).
STATE SONG
The Maryland State song, "Maryland, My Maryland," was written
by a Marylander who was living in the Confederacy during the War
between the States. The air is not original. Its words reflect the bitter
feeling following the passage through Baltimore of Union troops in
1861 (Chapter 451, Acts of 1939; Code 1957, 1971 Repl. Vol., Art. 41,
sec. 79).
STATE FISH
By Chapter 513, Acts of 1965, the striped bass or rockfish (Roccus
saxatilis) was designated as the official fish of the State of Maryland
(Code 1957, 1971 Repl. Vol., Art. 41, sec. 71A).

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Maryland Manual, 1975-76
Volume 177, Page 11   View pdf image (33K)
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