980 ARTICLE 77.

section at an annual salary of six hundred dollars ($600) less than that
paid to supervising teachers. The State of Maryland shall pay, as here-
inafter provided, out of the General State School Fund to the treasurer
of the county board of education two-thirds of the annual salaries of the
supervising teachers or helping teachers required by this section. County
boards of education are free to employ as many additional supervising
teachers or helping teachers as in their judgment are necessary, but the
State shall not share in the payment of their salaries. The State of
Maryland shall pay, as hereinafter provided, to the Board of School
Commissioners of Baltimore City two-thirds of the annual salaries of not
more than ten supervising teachers.

(2) There shall be appointed in each county at least one attendance
officer, whose duty it shall be to compel the regular attendance of children
at school. Such person shall receive such compensation as the county
board of education shall direct; provided that the appointment of any
person as an attendance officer shall be invalid without the written ap-
proval of the State Superintendent of Schools. And provided, further,
that no attendance officer, appointed under the provisions of this section
or continued in office under the provisions of this section, shall be paid
an annual salary of less than twelve hundred dollars ($1, 200), and the
State of Maryland shall pay, as hereinafter provided, out of the General
State School Fund to the treasurer of the county board of education the
entire annual salary of one attendance officer not to exceed twelve hundred
dollars ($1, 200), provided that the county board of education shall pro-
vide suitable individual means of transportation for the attendance officer.
County boards of education may pay an additional amount to the attend-
ance officer, but the State shall not share in this additional payment.
County boards of education are free to employ as many additional attend-
ance officers as in their judgment are necessary, subject to the approval
of the State Superintendent of Schools, but the State shall not share in
the payment of their salaries. Provided that the State Board of Educa-
tion in its discretion may excuse any county from employing an attendance
officer and may designate the county superintendent of schools, the super-
vising teacher or the helping teacher to perform the duties of the attend-
ance officer, and when so designated the amount allowed each county for
such work shall be used for general school purposes.

(3) There shall be employed in each county at least one statistical and
stenographic clerk.

(4) And such other clerical, statistical and stenographic assistants and
such other professional assistants, assistant superintendents, supervising
teachers, helping teachers, attendance officers, medical inspectors and
school nurses as the county board of education shall authorize; provided
that no professional assistant shall be appointed who does not hold the
appropriate certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Schools, and
the appointment of no professional assistant shall be valid without the
written approval of the State Superintendent of Schools.