Conrad C

Conrad C. Ott 83 passed away on March 29 2010. He was born in Louisville Kentucky and attended school there. In 1948 Eastern Kentucky State University awarded him the Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction. The following year he received the Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Kentucky. He had taken additional graduate work at Syracuse University Rhode Island University and The University of Akron. In 1949 Mr. Ott began a sixteen-year association - in Louisville Kentucky - with the Jefferson County Schools one of the largest in the south. He moved successively from the position of teacher to supervising teacher elementary principal junior high principal Director of Research and finally to Associate Superintendent of the Jefferson County Board of Education. In 1965 he became Superintendent of Schools in Lexington Kentucky. He assumed the superintendency of the Akron Public Schools in September 1966 and concluded his service in January 1991 after a period of 25 years. Since 1966 - in Akron - Mr. Ott had been engaged in curriculum development and program designs reflected in Special Education Vocational Education Career Education and Extended Education. He had been actively involved in lobbying efforts to provide state funding for education. He directed an extensive school building program - remodeling and updating older schools and building new ones in step with housing development and urban change. Major construction included two new high schools - Central-Hower and Kenmore - facilities for vocational training at eight high schools and three new elementary schools - one with facilities for handicapped children which was a landmark in the nation. Under his leadership the Akron Public Schools received an A+ evaluation from the Ohio Department of Education in 1987. In January 1991 Conrad Ott was appointed to direct the Center for the Study of Urban Education at the University of Akron. At the January graduation exercises of the University president William V. Muse conferred the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters upon Mr. Ott. Upon leaving the superintendency of the Akron Public Schools Dr. Ott was given the title of Superintendent Emeritus by the Akron Board of Education. The School Board also named its Staff Development Center after Dr. Ott. Dr. Ott received many other awards including Jennings Foundation Distinguished Educator Award Governor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Education University of Akron Centennial Award for Exemplary Leadership in Urban Education Distinguished Service Award from Ohio Association of Classroom Teachers Leadership Awards from both the Kentucky Education Association and Eastern Kentucky University. One of his proudest accomplishments was leading the ticket for a seat on the Akron School Board. He felt that the community truly supported him. Conrad was preceded in death by his parents Conrad C. Ott II and Mary Jane (Meredith) Ott. He is survived by his wife of 35 years Jeanne (Schreiner) Ott; his step-son Pep (Angela) Wahl; granddaughters Samantha Wahl and Lindsay (Antonio) Giannobile; and many friends and colleagues. A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday April 6 2010 at St. Anthony Catholic Church 83 Mosser Place Akron. Please no flowers however if you wish memorial donations may be made to the Akron Children's Zoo 500 Edgewood Ave Akron Ohio 44307; St. Anthony Church 83 Mosser Place Akron Ohio 44310; or Mt. Union College Athletic Dept Attn: Advancement 1972 Clark Ave Alliance Ohio 44601. At his request there will be no calling hours prior to the service.