The "How to Practice Public History" and "Views from the Field" are new sections. Do you have any thoughts about the future direction of these sections or suggestions for content?
Since they're new features, they should be featured more prominently on the home page. In fact, I don't see how to get to "How to Practice Public History" from the home page other than through the map at top. It's kind of buried in the site - it should be emphasized.
2001/3/28
I looked at Maryland, A Middle Temperment. I found the chronology in the back to be helpful - I'm a big fan of chronologies. Also, it had a lot of good background information on the state of Maryland during my era.
2001/3/21
I spent about two hours at McKeldin reading microfilm of the Baltimore Sun. This was moderately productive. I worked my way through 1919 and 1920.
2001/3/8
At the archives again. I'm adding some information to the information from 3/6.
Also spent some time re-reading sections of Wilner pertinent to my era.
2001/3/6
I spent some time at the archives today. I looked at a couple of newspaper items and the biography compiled by the archives
2001/02/01
Hi everyone. I would like to select E. Brooke Lee as my comptroller to cover. He was Comptroller from 1920 to 1922. I picked him for a couple of reasons. One, I study 20th century history so I thought it might make sense to pick someone from the 20th century and 2. he's the first comptroller in what Wilner labeled the Modern Board. I did a quick web search and found that UMD has Lee Family Papers so perhaps that will be helpful.
Wilner, A.M., The Maryland Board of Public Works: A History. (Hall of Records Commission, Department of General Services:Annapolis, MD), 1984.
In, The Maryland Board of Public Works: A History, Alan Wilner traced the development of the Maryland Board of Public Works since its beginning in 1825 through 1983. The Maryland Board of Public Works is part of the executive branch of Maryland’s state government and is comprised of the governor, the comptroller, and the treasurer. According to Wilner, the growth and development of the Board is, “intertwined with the political, economic and fiscal history of the state.” (ix) As the state expanded so did the responsibilities of the Board.
The book is organized in a logical and clear order. Appendices include a list of commissioners and members of the board, and a guide to the records of the board (1851-1983). The history of the board is presented chronologically. Each chapter presents an era where the responsibilities, nature and character of the board changed. In each chapter, Wilner examined the type of issues with which the Board concerned itself and the composition of the Board itself. He illustrated the workings and evolution of the Board in each era by examples. For example, his discussion of the Board’s experience in the granting of state contracts to minority owned businesses in the 1970s demonstrate a new area of responsibility for the Board. Wilner’s presentation clearly outlines how the Board of Public Works changed from its inception in 1825 to 1983. He effectively demonstrated how the development and evolution of the Board was affected by the state’s political, fiscal and economic history.
First Wilner looked at the early policies up to 1825. By 1825, the state’s involvement in corporations of internal improvement led to the creation of the Board of Pubic Works. One of the factors that figured into the creation of the Board was the General Assembly’s desire for the state to discover new ways of encouraging, increasingly through state funds, an increase in the “works of internal improvement”. Such works included a network of roads, canals, and river improvements designed to open efficient trade routes to the West. (1) Additionally, the General Assembly wanted to continue operating the state without funds provided by direct taxation. Funds were to be raised through state investments in internal improvement companies.
In 1828, the General Assembly dismantled the Board and, “proceeded to open the state’s pocketbook to the demands of the voracious entities it had created.” (18) By 1841, state finances were in a state necessitating a property tax. This tax did not cover the costs associated with the state involvement in the internal improvement companies so in 1846 a Stamp Tax was introduced to help deal with the situation.
At the Constitutional Convention of 1850-1851, a new state constitution was adopted. This ushered in an era where the state’s public works were overseen by a committee of commissioners representing four regions of Maryland. Wilner labeled 1857-1864, “The Reign of the Commissioners.” The Board during this era served two roles. One was to see that the internal improvement companies “operated efficiently in order to maximize the return to the state on its invested capital,” and two was to, “use all legal means to adjust tolls to promote the agriculture of the state”. (41)
Another Constitutional Convention convened in 1864. This convention resulted in the first constitutionally created Board of Public Works. The Board of Public Works was to be comprised of the Governor, Treasurer, and the Comptroller. The duties of this Board did not differ from that of the Board during the “reign of the commissioners”.
Wilner illustrated how, until the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the Board mainly concerned itself with the internal improvement of the state. Most of its time was spent on issues dealing with the management of Maryland’s railroad and canal systems. The Board’s involvement with these internal improvements amounted to the appointment of directors to companies (i.e. the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company) dealing with internal improvement. With industrialization the state faced new demands as its citizens looked to the state for more services including education and pubic safety. “It was not long before the General Assembly looked to this unique body (the Board of Public Works) to superintend the provision of these new services and the raising of capital necessary to put them into place.” (62) Wilner described some of the changes to the Board brought about by its new responsibilities. For example, 1878 witnessed the creation of two new offices: the office of the Tax Commissioner, and the office of the Insurance Commissioner. Adding to its responsibility, the Board was charged with the responsibility to superintend the issuance, management and redemption of public debt.
Wilner labeled the era 1920-60 as, “The Modern Board”. The legislature’s view of what “public works” encompassed widened during these years. New Deal programs to deal with the Depression introduced an era where government programs touched the lives of most Americans on an unprecedented level. With the government playing an increased and active role in public and private life, the responsibilities of the Board of Public Works increased. According to Wilner, by the end of the 1930s, the Board of Public Works emerged as one of the most powerful units of state government. He also pointed out that, as the definition of “public works” and the areas of responsibility of the Board of Public Works expanded, its staff did not. This leads into the Board’s final era covered in this work, “The Overburdened Board”.
The “Overburdened Board” covered the years 1960-83. According to Wilner, the legislature increased the responsibilities of the Board. “The last two decades have seen the board of Public Works become, in truth, a microcosm of state government itself. Its expanded role has mirrored the expanded role of the larger entity.” (103) Concerns stemming from Affirmative Action concerns complicated the running of the Board during these years. Wilner discussed how a number of consultants and groups called for a retraction in the duties and areas of responsibilities of the Board. Despite these calls the legislature continued to increase the responsibilities of the Board.
This books is useful for anyone who desires to learn more about the history, development, and responsibilities of the Maryland Board of Public Works. I must admit that, before reading this book, I had only vague notion of what a Comptroller is and what constitute public works. All I knew was that the Comptroller normally deals with issues regarding taxes and money. After reading this I have a better idea of what is done by the Board of Public Works and the development of this entity in the state of Maryland. It is clearly written and logically laid out and provides us with a good foundation for the writing of the public history of the comptroller’s office. According to Wilner, the Board of Public Works in Maryland is unlike public works groups in other states. Unfortunately, I really have very little basis for comparison. As stated, my knowledge on public works and/or comptrollers in general is rather vague. I would have found brief coverage of the differences between Maryland’s Board and the boards’ of other states helpful. Nevertheless I think this book prove useful in our mission for this course. A glimpse into the historical development of this Board will, no doubt, prove vital in the writing of the public history of the Comptroller’s office.
