About Dr. Charles Waldo Scott
Dr. Charles Waldo Scott, the son of the late Dr. Charles Waldo Scott and the late Mrs. Eva Price Scott Gatling, was born in the city of Atlanta, Georgia on April 22, 1916. He received his primary and secondary education in the Newport News Public Schools, graduating from Huntington High School in 1932 as its Salutatorian.
In 1936, he earned his Bachelor’s degree, graduating cum laude, from Howard University where he also received his Master’s Degree in 1937. His degree in medicine was awarded by the University of Michigan Medical School, from which he graduated, cum laude. 1941. After an internship and residency in surgery at Cleveland City Hospital, he accepted a residency in thoracic surgery at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. where he trained under and worked along with Dr. Charles Drew. Dr. Scott accepted an appointment as Assistant in the Thoracic Surgery at Howard University Medical School in 1945, and subsequently joined its faculty as Instructor in Surgery.
Dr. Scott returned to Newport News in 1948, where he entered the private practice of surgery beginning a long and distinguished medical career characterized by dedicated service to his community. As a practicing surgeon, Dr. Scott became known not only for his skill, but also for the kind and friendly manner in which he went about his work. His caring attitude and his helpful and gentle demeanor brought him praise and lasting friendships among his colleagues, his patients and all who knew him. Dr. Scott used his hands deftly in relieving human suffering and restoring health to hundreds in our community for more than 43 years. He never claimed to work alone, he always recognized God as his co-surgeon.
He served for nine years as a consultant in thoracic surgery at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Hampton. He also served as Medical Director and Chief Surgeon at Whittaker Memorial Hospital (Newport News General Hospital) and was on the surgical staff of Mary Immaculate Hospital and Sentara Hampton General Hospital, where he also served as a member of its Board of Directors from 1982 to 1991. Dr. Scott was a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American college of Surgeons. He was the first general surgeon on the Peninsula to be certified by the American Board of Surgeons and one of the first blacks on the East Coast to be certified.
His professional affiliations included memberships in the National Medical Association, the Peninsula Medical Society, which he served as President from 1975 to 1976, the Old Dominion Medical Society, which he served as President from 1955 to 1956, the Hampton Medical Society and the Medical Society of Virginia. Dr. Scott was both a medical practitioner and scholar. He was published in the Journal of the National Medical Association, The American Journal of Disease of Children, and Crisis, a publication of the NAACP. He was an active member of the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross, on which he served with distinction for twenty-three years.
In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Newport News Warwick Tuberculosis Association, the Community Services Planning Council, and the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Scott’s concern and interest in the improvement of educational opportunities were reflected in his service as the first black member of the Newport News School Board in this century, where he served two terms from 1952 to 1958, and from 1962 to 1966. He also served as Chairman of the Peninsula Coordinating Committee from 1961 to 1964. He was a member of the Board of Visitors of Virginia State College from 1964 to 1969 and the Board of Visitors of Norfolk State College from 1969 to 1972. He served on the Educational Foundation Board of Christopher Newport College from 1983 to 1991. Dr. Scott’s civic and professional achievements brought him recognition and honor from his colleagues and from a host of organizations. He was the recipient of the Citizenship Award of the Chi Eta Phi Sorority, was twice honored as Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s Outstanding Brother in Newport News, and received the Sigma Gamma Rho New Frontiers Award and the National Medical Association’s Service Award.
His commitment to his community earned him many other honors and citations, among which were the Brotherhood Citation of the Peninsula Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Peninsula Junior Chamber of Commerce’s “Man of the Year” designation in 1957, and a special commendation from the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1988. He also received Distinguished Service Awards from the Virginia Teacher’s Association in 1957, and the Newport News Education Association in 1964, and he was awarded the Madam Daniel’s School of Beauty Culture Community Services Award in 1979.
Dr. Scott was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Beta Lambda Boule. He was also a Life and Golden Heritage member of the NAACP. He was a member of Saint Augustine’s Episcopal Church where he had served as a member of the Vestry and the Men’s Club.
The Southeast Community was the richer because of the many contributions of this great man. The Center is pleased to have had the continued support of the Scott family. Both the Center and the Southeast Community remain fortunate by having the continued support of the family of Dr. and Mrs. Scott, to include their children U. S. Representative Robert C. Scott, Dr. Jon L. Scott and Mrs. Valerie Scott Price (Dr. McKinley L. Price) as well as their grandchildren Dr. McKinley Price II (Amy), Virginia Delegate Marcia S. Price, Michelle Taylor, Michael Foster (Susan), Jocelyn Scott Goldman (Dylan), Jaielle Scott, Jon Waldo Scott, and great grandchildren Zoe Taylor, Zachary Taylor, Ella Taylor, Asa Price, Seila Foster, and Addison Goldman.