John Peters Humphrey - Childhood, Education and Academic Career

Childhood, Education and Academic Career

Humphrey was born to Frank Humphrey and Nellie Peters on April 30, 1905 in Hampton, New Brunswick. His childhood was touched by tragedy as he lost both his parents to cancer; he also lost one of his arms in an accident while playing with fire. Humphrey attended a boarding school where he endured teasing from other students; it is claimed that this was instrumental in building his character and compassion.

Humphrey applied to Mount Allison University at age 15 and was accepted. He transferred to McGill University and lived with his sister Ruth who was a teacher in Montreal. Humphrey graduated from McGill in 1925 where he was awarded a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He promptly enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law at McGill, graduating in 1927 and 1929 respectively. Upon graduation, Humphrey was awarded a fellowship to study in Paris, sailing from Montreal on the RMS Aurania. He met fellow passenger Jeanne Godreau while onboard and they were married in Paris shortly after arriving.

Humphrey returned to Montreal after the fellowship to practice law for five years before accepting a teaching position as a professor at McGill; he also enrolled in a Master of Law specializing in international law. During the 1930s Humphrey was considered a renaissance man with his interests in education, the arts and humanities, and human rights. While teaching at McGill in the early 1940s, Humphrey met Henri Laugier, a refugee from France who was working on behalf of the Free French. In 1943 Laugier moved to Algeria to teach at the University of Algiers and later became the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.