Alice Winifred O’Connor, the daughter of Irish immigrants, was a lifelong resident of Lawrence. Born in 1887, she was valedictorian of her Lawrence High School class about a decade after Robert Frost had achieved that honor. After completing further education at Lowell Normal School, she began teaching at the Oliver School in Lawrence in 1906.

Miss O'Connor spent her life meeting the needs of the workers in Lawrence. Her carer included education, social work, legal work and, in later years, being appointed Director of the International Institute in Boston and the Director of the National Organization of American Immigration, Citizenship Conference.