William “Bill” Myers

Teacher/Coach/Director Mr. William (Bill) Myers taught at Ottawa Township High School for 28 years, in a teaching career that spanned 43 years. He graduated from Earlville High School as the valedictorian of the Class of 1963, received his bachelor’s degree from Loras College, and his M.A. in English from Northern Illinois University. He was the initial founder of the OTHS Fine Arts Festival in 1975, directing it for more than twenty years, a program which continues to this day. After retiring from Ottawa Township High School he became a professional story teller, yet missed teaching which brought him back as a classroom teacher to Marquette Academy, as he continued his professional story telling performances. Mr. Myers was a finalist for the Illinois State Board of Education Teacher of the Year designation in 1980, and was featured nation-wide as “Teacher of the Month” on an educational television station, Whittle Communications, Inc., in 1996. He also coached the Ottawa Township High School football team to its first playoff season, and first playoff victory, in 1988. He was responsible for the OTHS student magazine the Passageway for many years. He hosted his own radio program, “Myers’ Back Porch,” for five years and authored a weekly newspaper column, “Prairie Roots,” for the newspaper The Earlville Post.