William Bert Baker was the founding president of North Arkansas College (Northark) in Harrison, Bill led Northark from 1974 until his retirement in 2001. As a result of his vision, Northark's off-campus programs led to two new colleges: Arkansas State University-Mountain Home and NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.
Bill grew up in Gilbert, Arkansas where he met the love of his life and future wife, Bonnie King. His was the kind of remarkable childhood only possible in such a small town with great friends, caring neighbors, and a supportive family that consistently exhibited unconditional love. A place where there was someone around to lend an ear or a hand. Bill found new adventures every day along the Buffalo River and the River served as a place of reflection to gain perspective on his life and his core values of love and acceptance. These values continued to draw Bill back to Gilbert over the years and ultimately was the natural choice for retirement for Bill and Bonnie.
Bill attended school primarily in Marshall, Arkansas. He and his brother, Noel Jr. spent their free time playing basketball and were teammates on a Marshall Bobcat team that advanced state basketball tournament under the coaching of Cecil Medley. With his typical self-deprecating wit, he often said Arkansas Tech recruited him to play basketball in 1949 because he was outstanding in his field. “That’s where they found me,” he would say, “out standing in my field.”
A four-year starter for legendary Tech coach Sam Hindsman, Baker and his Wonder Boy teammates posted a record of 98-14, won the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) all four years, and played in four NAIA national tournaments. Named All-AIC three times in basketball, Bill graduated from Tech in 1953, and he and Bonnie were married that summer on July 13.
After Bill earned a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas in 1954, he served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Stationed at the Pentagon, he was impacted significantly as a result of his daily walk to work past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Bill was honorably discharged from the Army in 1957 and returned to his alma mater, Arkansas Tech as a faculty member and administrator. He earned a doctorate in education from the University of Arkansas in 1962. During his 17 years working at Tech, at various times he served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and vice president of student affairs before accepting the challenge to start a new college in Harrison.
The founding president of what is now North Arkansas College in Harrison, Bill led Northark from 1974 until his retirement in 2001. He was the longest tenured president or chancellor of any public college or university in the state when he retired.
As a result of Bill’s vision and leadership, Northark’s offcampus programs directly led to the creation of two new colleges: Arkansas State University-Mountain Home and NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.
A strong believer in the community college model of bringing education to students where they live, Bill and his faculty and staff also offered credit classes in partnership with three vocational technical schools. Those efforts provided the spark that helped ignite a statewide conversion of vo-tech schools into technical colleges.
In 1993, Bill led the merger of North Arkansas Community College and Twin Lakes Technical College, the first union of its kind in Arkansas history. He also was instrumental in creating Arkansas Community Colleges (originally, the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges) and was a leader of the state’s two-year college presidents and chancellors throughout his career.
Throughout his distinguished tenure at Northark, he welcomed with the same open arms the Vice President of the United States and students who were the first in their families to attend college. He created a family atmosphere that nearly replicated the one he grew up with in Gilbert.
Bill had a remarkable ability to encourage others and let them know they were loved and special. He was beloved by employees and students alike, and his success as an advocate for his college with legislators at the Arkansas General Assembly was legendary.
Among his many awards and achievements, the Bill Baker Amphitheatre on the South Campus of North Arkansas College was named in his honor in 2001. Bill was inducted into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction, received Marshall High School’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and just last year was named a John Paul Hammerschmidt Man of Distinction. He taught Sunday school at the First United Methodist Church of Harrison for 27 years and served as a lay speaker at numerous rural churches during his time in Russellville and Harrison.
A member of the Harrison Lion’s Club, he served on the boards of the Area Agency on Aging and Security Bank. He was a 33rd degree mason and received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America.
For all of his accomplishments as an educator and a leader, it was Bill Baker’s love for his family, his passion for serving others, his sense of humor, and his amazing positive attitude that made him special. Two of his favorite sayings were: “Even when it doesn’t work out, it works out!” and “Always have something to look forward to!”
He once explained his philosophy of life in this way: “I try to approach everyone with love.” Certainly, the thousands of students and others whose lives he touched would agree.
William died on Friday, January 6, 2017, at his home in Gilbert.
THE LINEAGE:
(William Bert Baker was the son of Riley Noel and Loucille Anne Moore Baker, grandson of Jesse White and Alpha Gemima Myatt Moore and great-grandson of James Hardy and Permelia Emily Vinson Myatt. Permelia was the third child of Thomas Allison and Alpha Gemima Sholar Vinson. Alpha was the ninth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar. Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)
