Three To Be Inducted Into Hall Of Honor
Last updated Wednesday, August 27, 2008 7:29 PM CDT in News
By Rose Ann Pearce
THE MORNING NEWS
Related Photos
FAYETTEVILLE -- A Fayetteville High School graduate, a retired principal and a longtime supporter of Fayetteville schools and students are the newest names to be added to the Fayetteville Schools Hall of Honor.
The Fayetteville Public Education Foundation announced J. Alan Adams, Oma Blackwell and Larry Bittle will be inducted into the Hall of Honor on Oct. 9, joining a prestigious list of 42 previous honorees named since the program began in 1997.
"I'm so humbled," Bittle said, following the noon announcement Wednesday, while acknowledging others from Fayetteville with whom he has worked on various school issues.
"I guess I was in the right place at the right time," he said.
Bittle is a local insurance agent who began his insurance career in Fayetteville in 1970. He was chairman of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, followed by serving as chairman of the 1986 Citizens Advisory Committee which established a strategic vision and plan for Fayetteville schools.
He led successful millage campaigns in 1993 to construct Holcomb and Vandergriff elementary schools and in 1994 to fund a comprehensive technology program. In his leadership roles with the chamber of commerce, Bittle implemented the Leadership Fayetteville program.
Bittle also was among local school patrons who convinced the Arkansas High School Activities Association to move the All Star games from Little Rock to Fayetteville in 2000. He was instrumental in the development of the Holiday Hoops basketball tournament in Fayetteville in 2005.
Blackwell, who retired as principal at Root Elementary School in 2001, said her selection was "overwhelming," especially because she is to be honored for accomplishments as a principal that she saw as "day to day things."
"I was a green as grass principal" when she was hired by retired Superintendent Harry Vandergriff as Root's principal in 1981.
During Blackwell's tenure at Root, the school was recognized in 1993 as a National Blue Ribbon School and won six national and state awards for excellence in teaching economics.
Blackwell has received numerous awards for her leadership, including named National Distinguished Principal of the Year in a Washington, D.C., after being named Arkansas Principal of the Year in 1986.
Her formula for success was to make sure each child was effectively taught necessary, basic academic skills; insure that the school taught and upheld the basic tenets of American citizenship; and do all possible to make sure each child thought that school was a great place to be, according to a news release from the education foundation.
Adams was born in Fayetteville, attended Washington Elementary School and graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1953. He was a member of the National Honor Society, a multiyear letterman in football, basketball and track and received awards for leadership and athletics.
He did not attend Wednesday's announcement.
He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and master's and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. He served in the U.S. Air Force for three years.
He was a civilian professor of mechanical engineering at U.S. Naval Academy for 43 years, retiring in 1998. He now holds the rank of professor emeritus.
Now retired, he and his wife, Ginger, compose piano duet music and perform for charity, religious and social events.
At A Glance
Induction Ceremony
The 2008 Fayetteville Schools Hall of Honor induction ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 9, at the Fayetteville Town Center. Tickets, at $75 each, are available by calling the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation at 527-3655. The foundation provides classroom grants to Fayetteville teachers and scholarships to Fayetteville High School graduates.
Source: Staff Report
Reader Comments (No comments posted.)
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.
Not already registered?
