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Biography/History
Frank E. Baker, born in Clymer, New York, in 1877, graduated from Clarion State Normal School in Pennsylvania in 1895, and from Allegheny College in 1905. He received his master's degree from Harvard in 1909. In 1929, Allegheny College also awarded him an honorary doctorate.
While in college he had paid his way by playing semi-professional baseball, farming, and teaching. His first teaching job was in a one-room school in Erie County, Pennsylvania, and from this he became principal of a grade school and then several high schools. Between 1909 and 1911 he served as head of the science department at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, and then went into administrative work on the Normal School level.
Frank E. Baker came to Wisconsin in 1923 from a position as principal of the East Stroudsburg State Normal School in Pennsylvania, to become president of the Milwaukee Normal School. He remained as head of the Milwaukee institution during the years when it was known as Milwaukee State Teachers College, and later when it became the University of Wisconsin State College, Milwaukee. From this last position he retired in 1947.
President Baker was widely known as an educator with very liberal views, and was a militant pacifist. He published many articles on education and frequently spoke at institutes and convocations. He was married twice, the second time to his former secretary, Ruth M. Geiser of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He had two sons, Robert F. and F. Richard. Mr. Baker died at his home at Mountain Home, North Carolina, in 1961.
Education
- Clarion Pennsylvania Normal School, graduated, 1895
- Allegheny College, B. A., 1905
- Harvard University, M. A., 1909
- Allegheny College, M.A. (Honorary), 1915
- Allegheny College, L.H.D. (Honorary), 1929
- Teacher, One Room Rural School, Erie County, Pennsylvania, 1895-1896
- Principal, Grade School, Spring Creek, Pennsylvania, 1896-1898
- Principal, Union School, Clymer, N.Y., 1898-1900
- Principal, Union School, Randolph, N.Y., 1900-1902
- Vice President, Chamberlain Institute, Randolph, N.Y., 1903
- Principal, High School, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, 1905-1908
- Science, Head, Preparatory. School, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, 1909-1911
- Principal, State Normal School, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, 1911-1920
- Principal, State Normal School, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, 1920-1923
- President, State Teachers College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1923-1946
- Summer Lecturer, Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pennsylvania, 1923
- Summer Lecturer, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1934, 1937-1939
- Visiting Professor, University of Illinois, 1940
- World War I: Chairman Liberty Loan Campaign Committee, Edinboro, Pennsylvania
- World War II: Milwaukee County Red Cross (awarded Presidential Citation), and Alien Enemy Hearing Board (awarded Attorney General Citation)
- Advisor Institute of Propaganda Analysis
- Public Land Commission, Milwaukee, 1927-1929
- National Panel of Arbitrators - American Arbitration Association
- Chairman Wisconsin Civil Liberties Committee
- Education Policies Committee Affiliated with Federation of Labor
- American Association Teachers Colleges, President, 1933-1934
- Progressive Education Association Executive Board, 1933-1934
- Mid West Progressive Education Association, Vice President, 1938-1940
- American Association Teacher Educating Institutions, 1941
- National Council of Education
- American Association for Advancement of Science
- Economic League
- Allegheny College Trustee, 1926-1929
- John Dewey Society, Charter Member
- National Education Association Policies Commission Advisory Committee
- National Safety Council Committee on Teacher Education
- American Federation of Teachers Education Policies Committee
- Wisconsin Children's Home and Aid Society Vice Chairman
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