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Collection Overview
Title: Ray Palmer Baker papers, 1919-1981
Primary Creator: Baker, Ray Palmer (1883-1979)
Extent: 1.0 Linear Feet
Arrangement: Arranged in two Series: Series I, Professional Papers and Series II, Personal Papers.
Languages: English
Collection processed by: Jenifer J. Kuba
Abstract
The collection contains some correspondence, extensive newspaper clippings, bound volumes and journal articles and speeches.
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Ray Palmer Baker papers (MC 19) are from the period 1919 to 1980 following his 1915 arrival on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty. The majority of the collection documents Baker’s interest in and literary contributions to improving education and his particular concern with the value of writing skills for engineers. The collection contains some correspondence, extensive newspaper clippings, bound volumes and journal articles.
The correspondence is primarily concerned with the publication of Baker’s books and articles. Most of the correspondence is with notable engineers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Charles Steinmetz and Isham Randolph. The newspaper clippings span from 1922-1980 and are primarily about Ray Palmer Baker with the majority of the accumulated clippings included in a scrapbook.
Biographical Note
Ray Palmer Baker’s career falls into three categories: education, public service and scholarship. Baker arrived at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1915 as Professor of English. An active member of the Faculty for 39 years, Palmer was head of the Department of Arts, Science and Business Administration, Assistant Director, then Dean of Students and in 1949 was elected Vice-President of R.P.I. Baker introduced the humanities and social studies to R.P.I. while also establishing the natural sciences-physics, chemistry, and biology as independent disciplines and organized curricula in economics and other related subjects. Throughout Baker’s tenure as Faculty member he maintained an interest in research and scholarship. As author of numerous books and articles Baker contributed to the Dictionary of American Biography as well as several encyclopedias.
Administrative Information
Repository:
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Preferred Citation:
Ray Palmer Baker papers, MC 19. Institute Archives and Special Collections, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Processing Information:
Collection was re-processed and finding aid was updated July, 2011 by Jenifer Kuba. Series and Subseries were added.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series I: Professional Papers],
[
Series II: Personal Papers],
[All]
- Series I: Professional Papers
- Subseries A: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Box 1
- Folder 1: R.P.I. Speeches by R.P. Baker, 1924 and undated
- Folder 2: R.P.I. Program: "Order of Exercises", 1924
- Folder 3: R.P.I. Administrative announcements by R.P. Baker, 1942 and 1950
- Folder 4: Essays re: R.P.I. administration and student curriculum by R.P. Baker, 1950-1952 and n.d.
- Folder 5: Miscellaneous R.P.I. administrative memorabilia, undated
- Folder 6: R.P. Baker, Retirement from R.P.I., 1954
- Folder 7: Press Releases, re: R.P. Baker, 1954-1967
- Folder 8: Tributes and resolutions to R.P. Baker, 1966-1979
- Subseries B: Essays and Publications
- Box 1
- Folder 9: Correspondence and reviews of publications, 1924-1968
- Folder 10: Essays, 1924
- Folder 11: Essays, 1928-1933
- Folder 12: Miscellaneous publications, 1924 and undated
- Box 2
- Item 1: Baker, Ray Palmer. A Chapter in American Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1824-1924 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons), 1925. (2 copies)
- Item 2: Baker, Ray Palmer. Engineering Education (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 1919. (2 copies)
- Item 4: Baker, Ray Palmer. The Preparation of Reports (New York: The Ronald Press Company), 1924.
- Item 8: Baker, Ray Palmer and William Haller. Writing: A First Book for College Students (New York: The Ronald Press), 1929. (2 copies)
- Item 9: Clapp, John Mantle and Homer Heath Nugent. How to Write: Meeting the Needs of Everyday Life (New York: The Ronald Press Company), 1930.
- Box 3
- Item 3: Baker, Ray Palmer. The Legacies of the Revolution (Washington Depot, Conn.: Shiver Moutnain Press), 1980.
- Item 5: Baker, Ray Palmer. The Preparation of Reports (New York: The Ronald Press Company), 1924.
- Item 6: Baker, Ray Palmer. War in the Revolution (Washington Depot, Conn.: Shiver Mountain Press), 1976.
- Item 7: Baker, Ray Palmer. What I Remember: A Personal Chronicle (Washintong Depot, Conn.: Shiver Mountain Press), 1981. (2 copies)
- Item 10: Baker, Ida Emma Fitch. Selected Poems (Toronto: The Ryerson Press), 1951.
- With an introduction by Ray Palmer Baker
- Series II: Personal Papers
- Box 1
- Folder 13: Almanacks and newspaper, 1796, 1819-1833
- Folder 14: Biographical information, 1924-1979
- Folder 15: Miscellaneous correspondence, 1925-1980
- Folder 16: Newspaper Clippings, 1928-1978
- Folder 17: Scrapbook, 1924
Browse by Series:
[
Series I: Professional Papers],
[
Series II: Personal Papers],
[All]
