John Hitt: Outspoken professor is big hit in class

By Kristina Walton
Staff Writer

Watch out, he might embalm you if you don’t
have an open mind in his classroom.

John Hitt, a faculty advisor and a government professor at North Lake College, uses his background in his family’s funeral business to make his classes a bit more interesting and entertaining.

Hitt grew up in a small east Texas town, graduating high school in a class of 72 students. “It was a very stable childhood and environment to be raised in,” he said.

Stable, yes, but normal it was not. Hitt was born with cerebral palsy, and a specialist told his mother that he would never attend public school and should be institutionalized.

“I’ve always wanted to go back and show him (the neurologist) my college degrees,” said Hitt.

With 40 percent hearing in one ear and 60 percent in the other, Hitt was taught to lip read at an early age. His lack of athletic ability caused him to be more social, he said. “I became the cut-up and the one who always had the parties.”

Going into his family’s mortuary business was the logical step in his life. But tired by the small-town atmosphere, he moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas at the green age of 17.

Hitt was a partying college boy who found he was more attracted to the living than the dead. “I’ve always been interested in government and politics. I just kind of grew into it and I love teaching so it kind o went hand-in-hand. I’m the star of the show,” he said jokingly.

While working on his Ph.D. at the University of North Texas, Hitt was led to North Lake’s campus as an adjunct professor in 1990 and has made himself at home ever since. He encourages his students to do more critical thinking and to question everything because that’s what democracy is, he said.

Freshman Matt Hines enjoys his distinct teaching style. “I took government in high school and it was pretty dull. Professor Hitt brings life to class and he’s totally compassionate about what he does,” he said.

Hitt had led a unique lifestyle doing everything from choosing a college from Playboy magazine to partying with The Rolling Stones when he was the Special Assistant to the Governor of Louisiana.

“He brings in individual stories about himself and makes it easier to relate to government than someone who just throws facts at you. It’s more of a relaxed atmosphere to learn in,” said sophomore Morgan McDonald.

“I love teaching,” Hitt said. And it shows.