Fonds paa-6528 - Thomas Baker fonds

Thomas Baker was born in Scotland in 1910, emigrating to Canada when he was 12 years old. He was active in Alberta in the fields of education, social work and health care. Thomas Baker passed away in Edmonton in 1997. He received a teaching certificate in 1928 and taught in various schools in Alberta before becoming a school principal in 1947 for the Edmonton Public School Board. In 1955 he was appointed Assistant Superintendent and shortly thereafter was appointed Deputy Superintendent for the Edmonton Public School Board, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. In addition, he spent 20 years on the Executive Committee of the Alberta Teachers Alliance and the Alberta Teachers Association. His main contributions were in the creation of special programs for underprivileged and handicapped children. He developed the Glenrose Provincial General Hospital and was the Chairman of the Board of this hospital from 1963 to 1972. The T. D. Baker Junior High School in Edmonton is named in his honour. As a crusader in the fight against cancer, Thomas Baker had a major impact on the establishment of diagnostic and treatment services throughout Alberta. From 1967 to 1977 he served as Chairman of the Provincial Cancer Hospitals Board and he continued to volunteer for this Board until 1988. The Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary was named in his honour. In 1974, an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree was conferred upon him by the University of Alberta.