Educator took special interest in kids from single-parent families
John Albert Ourth was principal at Oak Terrace School in Highwood for so long he saw a second generation of students, or children of his former pupils, come through its doors.
Now, his former school community, as well as principals and administrators across the state, are mourning his passing. A former resident of Itasca, Mr. Ourth passed away Dec. 10 at 66.
He grew up in central Illinois, in the Mississippi River town of Nauvoo. The middle of five sons of Arnold and Florence Ourth, Mr. Ourth experienced a pivotal moment in his life when, at the age of 13, his father passed away.
His mother returned to school to earn her teaching credentials, and all five sons went into teaching. In particular during Mr. Ourth's career as an administrator, advancing the needs of children from single-parent homes continued to drive him.
"Of all of us brothers, including one who is a college professor, we always felt that John was the smartest," says his brother Lee Ourth of Nauvoo.
Mr. Ourth earned his undergraduate degree from Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, before getting a master's in administration from Western Illinois University in 1967.
He began teaching in Willoughby, Ohio, before serving as principal of several rural elementary schools in Illinois, before landing at Oak Terrace. He retired in 1992.
Along the way, Mr. Ourth became a leader at the state and national levels. He was a charter member of the Illinois Principals Association when it formed in 1971, and served as its president from 1976 to 1977.
Since his retirement, Mr. Ourth had been a field services director for the IPA in northern Illinois, acting as mentor, problem solver and advocate to administrators in the field, says Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association.
Mr. Ourth worked with a colleague, Fred Singleton, to write the association's professional development program, which over the years trained thousands of educators, Leahy adds.
Most recently, Mr. Ourth worked with ACT testing officials and state educators to come up with a better assessment data collection method for analyzing student performance.
At the national level, Mr. Ourth was president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals from 1980 to 1981. It serves nearly 30,000 members.
"During his term as president, he established what was back then the first national study on single-parent families and the challenges of educating their children," says Gail Connelly, NAESP executive director.
"He was a tireless advocate for principals, schools and children," Connelly adds, "and a phenomenal leader and role model."
Mr. Ourth is survived by four children and two step-children, as well as 11 grandchildren and three of his brothers.
Services have been held.