6 TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT

A meeting of the Hall of Records Commission was held at the Hall of
Records on April 9, 1958. Judge Brune called the meeting to order at 2:50
P. M. Other members present were Dr. Weigle, Governor McKeldin, Senator
Radcliffe and Mr. Tawes.

The following members of the Hall of Records staff who had received
tentative appointments subsequent to the last meeting of the Commission
were approved as permanent employees: Martha M. France, Senior Account
Clerk, Lois G. Clark, Junior Archivist, Jackson S. Saunders, Public Records
Examiner, George W. Straubinger, Senior Archivist, and Dorothy Harris,
Senior Clerk.

The Archivist advised the Commission that Senate Bill No. 88, whose
purpose was the transfer of responsibility for the Maryland Manual from the
office of the Secretary of State to the Hall of Records Commission, had failed
of passage. It was pointed out that for the last ten years the Manual had been
compiled by the Hall of Records staff but issued and paid for by the Secretary
of State. This arrangement was administratively difficult, especially since
we could never know in advance whether we would be asked by an incoming
Governor or Secretary of State to continue this task. As a result, each new
Manual has been a new crash program. It was agreed by the Commission that
we should make a new effort to accomplish this purpose at the next meeting
of the General Assembly.

The Commission then gave its attention to the revised edition of the
Maryland Guide which is being prepared by the Hall of Records staff. An
effort to contract for publication of our manuscript had failed because the
first publisher insisted that its rights to the book had not lapsed. The Archi-
vist was authorized to present the whole problem to the Attorney General
and to seek his opinion as to the property rights involved before proceeding
further.

Final plans of the Record Center to be operated by the Records Manage-
ment Division in the new Annapolis State Office Building were explained by
the Archivist. He also advised the Commission that much needed space for
the Hall of Records would be made available in our building if the Com-
missioner of the Land Office were also to move to the new building. The Com-
mission agreed with the Archivist that this would be a desirable solution to
our space problem if adequate quarters and equipment for the Land Office
could be provided.

The meeting adjourned sine die at 3:50 P. M..