Ledgers, 1916-1953

This series consists of seven ledger books containing information relating to the Maryland Agricultural Society, the Southern Maryland Immigration Commission, the Advanced Registry Testing Fund, the National Rural Electric Project, and the Cooperative Extension Service. These books, and the loose correspondence found within them, span the dates 1918 to 1953. They primarily contain treasurers' accounts from the various organizations.

The Maryland Agricultural Society was incorporated by the state of Maryland in 1823, to promote agricultural and family domestic manufactures. By 1916, its purpose had become "to foster and develop the agricultural resources of Maryland and to utilize all agencies intended to further the interests of rural people and to promote the welfare of the State." Among the officers of the Society in 1916 were Thomas B. Symons and Ernest N. Cory, both of the University of Maryland. Dr. Symons was dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Maryland from 1939 until 1950, and his successor as dean, Gordon M. Cairns, also took his place as treasurer of the society, which explains the presence of the accounts in the records of the College of Agriculture.

The Southern Maryland Immigration Commission was created by the Maryland General Assembly in 1922 for the purpose of advertising Southern Maryland and its resources as effectively as possible to entice people to settle there. The University of Maryland provided office space for the commission on campus, and the university president was a member of the group. In 1922, Dr. Symons took over the position of secretary for the organization.

One of the ledger books contains the accounts of four of the organizations, the Maryland Agricultural Society, the Southern Maryland Immigration Commission, the Advanced Registry Testing Fund, and the National Rural Electric Project.

The series is arranged alphabetically.