Thomas Baker (college president)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Stockham Baker was an American
scholar and educator who served as the second President
of Carnegie Mellon University
in Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
, United States
.
and studied at Johns Hopkins University
. He did graduate work at the University of Leipzig
in Germany
, then returned to Baltimore
to complete his Ph.D.
at Johns Hopkins in 1895. For the next decade he taught German language and literature at Hopkins and served as a music critic for the Baltimore Sun. In 1909 he became director of the Jacob Tome Institute
, a prep school for boys in Port Deposit, Maryland
. He moved to Pittsburgh in 1919 to take an administrative position at Carnegie Institute of Technology
. When Tech's first president, Arthur Hamerschlag
, resigned in 1922, Baker became the second president.
and the University of Notre Dame
on many occasions, and falling short of the national championship in 1928 by just one game.
Because of poor health Baker resigned from Carnegie Tech in 1935. He died in 1939. Baker Hall, home of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences is named after Thomas Baker.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scholar and educator who served as the second President
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
of Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life
He was born in Aberdeen, MarylandAberdeen, Maryland
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,166.2 people per square mile . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of 922.4 per square mile...
and studied at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
. He did graduate work at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, then returned to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
to complete his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at Johns Hopkins in 1895. For the next decade he taught German language and literature at Hopkins and served as a music critic for the Baltimore Sun. In 1909 he became director of the Jacob Tome Institute
Tome School
The Tome School is a private school located in North East in Cecil County in Maryland, USA and is one of the oldest schools in the state of Maryland.-Port Deposit:...
, a prep school for boys in Port Deposit, Maryland
Port Deposit, Maryland
Port Deposit is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the north bank of the Susquehanna River near its discharge into the Chesapeake Bay...
. He moved to Pittsburgh in 1919 to take an administrative position at Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Institute of Technology
The Carnegie Institute of Technology , is the name for Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering. It was first called the Carnegie Technical Schools, or Carnegie Tech, when it was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie who intended to build a “first class technical school” in Pittsburgh,...
. When Tech's first president, Arthur Hamerschlag
Arthur Hamerschlag
Arthur Arton Hamerschlag was an American electrical and mechanical engineer who served as the first President of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.-Early life:...
, resigned in 1922, Baker became the second president.
Carnegie Tech years
Baker's administration worked to lift Tech out of its "construction phase" under President Hamerschlag, focusing on deepening the school's academic offerings, research, and beautifying the campus. Football was prominent during the Baker years, with Tech defeating the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
on many occasions, and falling short of the national championship in 1928 by just one game.
Because of poor health Baker resigned from Carnegie Tech in 1935. He died in 1939. Baker Hall, home of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences is named after Thomas Baker.