WAITE, FREDERICK CLAYTON

WAITE, FREDERICK CLAYTON (24 May 1870-30 Mar. 1956), founder of the Dept. of Histology & Embryology at WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Medical & Dental Schools, was born in Hudson, Ohio to Nelson and Cynthia Post Waite, graduated from Western Reserve Academy in 1888, and graduated from WRU with the B.Litt. degree in 1892 and A.M. degree in 1894. From 1892-95, he worked at WRU as an assistant in biology; then earned his A.M. (1896) and Ph.D. (1899) from Harvard. Waite taught at Peter Cooper High School in New York (1898-1900), at New York University (1899-1900), and spent 1900-01 as an assistant in anatomy at Rush Medical College in Chicago. In 1901, Waite was appointed assistant professor of histology and embryology at Reserve's Medical & Dental Schools, promoted to associate professor in 1904, and to professor in 1906. He remained chairman of the department until his retirement in 1940, when he was appointed professor emeritus. Before WORLD WAR I, Waite devoted much time working with the American Medical Assoc., inspecting virtually every U.S. medical school several times. During WORLD WAR I he was a captain in the U.S. Surgeon General's Office. After the war, working for the Natl. Dental Education Conference, he inspected and raised standards at both medical and dental schools throughout the country. Waite was a prolific author, after retirement writing books on the history of WRU Medical & Dental Schools and the Hudson Academy years. Waite married Emily Fisher Bacon in 1916. They had no children. Waite died in Dover, New Hampshire and was buried there in the Pine Hill Cemetery.


Article Categories