Alice Graham Baker
Alice Graham Baker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alice Graham 18 October 1864 |
| Died | 9 May 1932 Houston |
| Resting place | Glenwood Cemetery (Houston, Texas) |
| Known for | Civic leader, social work, and philanthropy |
| Board member of | Houston Settlement Association |
| Spouse | James A. Baker (born 1857) |
| Children | Frank Graham Baker, Alice Graham Baker , James A. Baker, Jr., Walter Baker, Ruth Baker, and Malcolm Baker |
| Parent(s) | Francis Hughes Graham and Mary Augusta (Wilson) Graham |
| Relatives | James Addison Baker, III, grandson |
Alice Graham Baker (née Graham; 18 October 1864 – 9 May 1932) was an American civic leader, social worker, and philanthropist. She was the founding president of the Houston Settlement Association. She was married to Captain James A. Baker, who collaborated with her in civic ventures. She was the grandmother of James Addison Baker, III, former United States Secretary of State and former Secretary of Treasury.
Family life
Alice Graham was born on 18 October 1864 to Francis Hughes and Mary Augusta (Wilson) Graham in Waco, Texas. On 10 January 1883, Alice married James Addison Baker, a Houston attorney in his father’s firm, Baker & Botts. The couple resided in Houston, where they grew into a family with four sons and two daughters: Frank, Alice, James, Jr., Walter, Ruth, and Malcolm.[1]
Philanthropy and social work
Baker started her civic engagement through the First Presbyterian Church and the DePelchin Faith Home Association.[2] Baker founded the Houston Settlement Association in February 1907. She and Captain Baker composed a constitution for the nascent organization. In the next meeting, the charter members tapped Baker to serve as the first president of the Houston Settlement Association, a post she held until 1918. Based on Jane Addams and the Hull House model, volunteers resided in buildings in disadvantaged areas to help immigrants assimilate. They first established a settlement near Rusk Elementary School in a working-class area in Houston’s Second Ward, where many Mexican immigrants were living. The Houston Settlement Association created subsidies for kindergarten and vocational training for adults.[3]
Baker established a standard of accountability, filing a detailed report for the Houston Settlement Association each year. These reports included articulation of the organization’s values, goals, and objectives; an explanation of the settlement movement; a listing of the organization’s officers, employees, and volunteers; and a financial statement. After 1910, Baker obtained permission from the school board to move the headquarters of the Rusk Settlement House inside the Rusk School, and continued to expand their programs for several years. Meanwhile, the Houston Settlement Association opened the Brackenridge Settlement in 1916.[4]
Baker and her husband worked together to advocate for urban playgrounds, securing some donated land on Louisiana Street from the Rice Institute. She recruited and mentored Corinne Stephenson Tsanoff, who later assumed many of Baker’s leadership positions.[5]
Death and legacy
Baker died on 9 May 1932 in Houston and was interred at Glenwood Cemetery.[1]
The Houston Settlement Association continued its work after Baker’s death. From 1956, it was known as Neighborhood Centers Association of Houston and Harris County, Inc;[1] and from 2017, it is known as BakerRipley.[6]
References
- ^ a b c Chapman, Betty Trapp (23 February 2017). "Baker, Alice Graham". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ Kirkland, Kate Sayan (2012). Captain James A. Baker of Houston, 1857–1941. College Station: Texas A&M University Press. pp. 231–232.
- ^ Kirkland (2012), pp. 232–234.
- ^ Kirkland (2012), pp. 236–237.
- ^ Kirkland (2012), pp. 239–240.
- ^ Lewis, Brooke A. (16 February 2017). "Non-profit Neighborhood Centers changes name to BakerRipley". The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
External links
- Acosta, Teresa Palomo María-Cristina García, and Cynthia E. Orozco (29 November 2017). "Settlement Houses". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
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