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In the early 1930's, political corruption was rampant throughout the City of Los Angeles. Cronyism and patronage were prevalent at all levels of local government. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, the situation resulted in the replacement of over 700 District employees by "friends" and supporters of local politicians. As a result, there was a reaction by concerned citizens who petitioned the State legislature for the establishment of an independent civil service commission for the District. The Personnel Commission came into existence on June 15, 1936, as the first legally sanctioned Personnel Commission in the country to administer a personnel program under a merit system for non-certificated employees of a school system. Its primary purposes were to ensure that employees are selected for employment and promotion solely on the basis of merit and removed for just cause. It also provided for an impartial body to adjudicate employee appeals of discipline, medical disqualification and examinations. Both employees and administrative representatives sponsored the merit system law when it was under consideration by the State Legislature and the Board of Education in a spirit of reform, formally adopted it.