Class of 2010
Raymond H. Bacon was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He attended St. Ann Parochial School in the city and later graduated from St. Francis High School in Biddeford, Maine in 1954. He is a veteran of the United States Army and served in Iceland.
After his discharge from the service, Raymond enrolled in Providence College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1962. He was in the American History Fellowship Program at Illinois State University and received his master’s degree in American History. He also holds a MAT in History from Rhode Island College. Bacon began his teaching career at Woonsocket High School that same year and remained there as a history teacher until his retirement in 1992. During those years he was involved in the introduction and teaching of local history. He has also authored and coauthored works dealing with Woonsocket history, including multi-media presentations.
For many years Raymond has been involved with several civic and community activities. He was a member of the Woonsocket Bicentennial Committee and the Woonsocket Centennial Committee. He is a member of the Woonsocket Historic Districts Commission.
In 1989, he was appointed by Woonsocket Mayor Charles C. Baldelli to examine the feasibility of creating a museum in the city. Bacon participated in a series of workshops and seminars about the project and eventually was charged with selecting a designer and creating a story line for the proposed Museum of Work and Culture. Ray was later hired as a consultant to help gather artifacts and material for the exhibits and media productions.
In 1997, Bacon was appointed by the Rhode Island Historical Society as the first manager of the Museum of Work and Culture. He currently shares that position with Anne Conway. Raymond is married to Simone (Bousquet) Bacon. They have four children and eight grandchildren.
