Research

The first state-sponsored program using visual aids for educational purposes was funded by the New York State Legislature in 1886. At this time, the Superintendent of Public Instruction contracted with the American Museum of Natural History to provide free illustrated lectures on scientific subjects such as anatomy, physiology, zoology, and physical geography. At first, these lectures were only given in New York City and were attended by teachers and the general public. Soon after, lecture materials were provided to normal schools throughout the state.

The origins of this agency can be traced back to the founding of an association on January 7, 1862 whose purpose was to afford relief to sick, wounded, and destitute New York State soldiers stationed in the Washington, D.C. area. Recognizing the usefulness of such an organization, the state legislature appropriated $30,000 for transportation, care, and hospital supplies for sick and wounded New York State soldiers. Under authority of this act (Chapter 458, Laws of 1862) Governor Edwin D. Morgan appointed S. H. Swetland agent in charge of disbursing these funds.

Petitions to the legislature from voters in twenty-four counties in 1844 asked for legislation authorizing the people to vote on the question of calling a Constitutional Convention. The legislature responded by passing such an act on May 13, 1845. The voters approved the Constitutional Convention at the polls that November. Delegates to the convention produced a major reorganization of the judiciary article of the constitution.

A court of chancery existed in New York from 1683 to 1847. Patterned after the English Court of Chancery, which traced its origins back to medieval jurisprudence, the Chancery court dealt with matters of equity rather than law. The English system of equity emerged during the late Middle Ages in response to several defects in the rigidly prescriptive English common law. Litigants sought to redress the defects in the common law through the Chancellor, the King's chief legal advisor and head of the Chancery (the government's writing office).

Through a Concurrent Resolution of February 8, 1944, the New York State Legislature created the Joint Legislative Committee to Inquire Into and Study Legislative Methods, Practices, Procedures, and Expenditures. The Committee consisted of six members, with Senator Floyd E. Anderson serving as Chairman. The Committee was to function for one year. Two subsequent resolutions extended the Committee until April 1946.

Earl W. Brydges was a member of the New York State Senate from 1948 to 1972, representing the Niagara County region. From 1966 to 1972, Brydges served as the Senate's Majority Leader. He was very active in the fields of education and mental retardation. In addition to other committee assignments, he was the chairman of the Standing Committee on Education. He was also the chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee to Revise and Simplify the Education Law and of the Joint Legislative Committee on Mental Retardation.

Warren M. Anderson, State Senator, was born on October 16, 1915. After attending college, Anderson practiced law in Binghamton, N.Y. He was assistant Broome County attorney, 1940-1942, and served in the army during World War II. He was elected to the New York State Senate as a Republican from the 47th district (Broome County) in 1952 and was re-elected at each subsequent election until 1988.

The State Nursing Council for War Service was formed in August 1942 to serve as the coordinating body for New York State nursing programs. These programs included conducting studies and inventories of the number of nurses in the State and recruiting students to nursing schools.

A Personnel Relations Board was established by a 1950 executive order (February 23, 1950) to administer a program for resolving employee grievances. The Board consisted of a Chairman appointed by the Governor and two other members selected by the Chairman from each of two panels. The panels were selected by the Governor; one consisted of twelve competitive class employees and the other of twelve State officers and employees who were not necessarily in the competitive class. The Board was placed in the Department of Civil Service (D.C.S.) but reported directly to the Governor.

The Temporary State Commission on Fire Laws was created (Laws of 1953, Chapter 500) to study laws relating to volunteer firemen and fire protection in towns, villages, and fire districts and to make recommendations for the appropriate revision and codification of such laws. The commission gathered a wide range of evidence from local governments on qualifications of firemen, liability insurance, financing of fire protection, relation of fire protection statutes to other local laws, and other topics of concern.