James N. H. Waring facts for kids

James H. N. Waring (born September 22, 1861 – died December 29, 1923) was an important educator and doctor. He worked in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland. He helped start special trade classes in Baltimore schools. He also studied how society affected African Americans. During World War I, he treated soldiers at Camp Devens when the Spanish flu was spreading. He was also on the Board of Trustees for Howard University, where he had studied.

Early Life and School

James Henry Nelson Waring was born in Niles, Michigan on September 22, 1861. His parents were Amanda Fitzallen (Hill) Waring and Reverend William Waring. James's father, William Waring, was a lawyer and a minister. He also helped start the country's first bank for Black people, called Capital Savings Bank. He was also on the board at Howard University.

James had six siblings: Charles, Robert Louis, Lavinia, Hattie, Bert, and Alice. He went to public schools in Michigan and Oberlin, Ohio. He started teaching school in St. Louis, Missouri when he was just 15 years old. He earned two degrees from Howard University: a Bachelor's degree in 1877 and a medical degree (M.D.) in 1888. Howard University also gave him a Master's degree in 1897.

A Career in Education and Medicine

James Waring worked as an educator and supervisor in Washington, D.C., schools for about 23 years, starting in 1879. Later, he became the principal of the Colored High School in Baltimore. He then became a supervising principal for all of Baltimore's colored schools and the Teacher's Training School.

New Classes for Students

He created new courses for students in subjects like carpentry, cooking, drawing, sewing, and printing. These practical skills classes were first offered in the colored schools. Because they were so successful, they were later added to the curriculum of the city's white schools too.

Helping His Community

Waring noticed that African Americans often faced unfair treatment. He was part of a group called the Colored Law and Order League. This group included doctors, lawyers, and educators who wanted to improve life for African Americans. He studied the challenges faced by African Americans in Baltimore. He wrote about how difficult living conditions could affect people. He believed that children needed good environments to grow up well. He also started the very first Boy Scout troop for African American children in Washington, D.C.

A Doctor's Work

Besides his work in education, Waring also practiced medicine in Washington, D.C. He ran a free medical clinic at the People's Congregational Church. He was also a doctor at Howard University. In 1916, he became the principal of the Howard Orphanage Industrial School in Kings Park, New York.

During World War I, he worked at Camp Devens in Massachusetts. He was an educational secretary and a doctor, helping soldiers during the Spanish flu epidemic. After the war, he continued to practice medicine. He also worked at the Industrial School for Boys in Downington, Pennsylvania. He served on the Board of Trustees for Howard University until 1920.

Family Life

James Waring married Carrie Brown in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1883. They had seven children together. Some of their children were Roberta, Regendia, James, Dorothy, Mary, and Alfred.

His son, James N. H. Waring, Jr., also became an educator. He was a principal at the Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School. His daughter, Dorothy, started one of the first private nursery schools in 1929, called The Garden of Children.

James Waring passed away on December 29, 1923, in Cochituate, Massachusetts, which is part of Wayland, Massachusetts.