Scott Willits

Who was Scott Willits?

Scott Willits was a prominent violin teacher with the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Illinois who coached many members of Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1940 through 1973. He was a student and "first American Representative" of Otakar Ševčík who created a leading pedagogical method for teaching violin that is still widely used today.

Willits married Elizabeth Blanch Britton on November 21, 1917. Elizabeth Britton is the sister of Nan Britton and aunt of Elizabeth Ann Blaesing rumored to be the daughter of the Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States. In 1921, Elizabeth and Scott Willits adopted Blaesing. They raised Elizabeth Ann Blaesing until Nan Britton once again took custody 5 years later. The Willits role as adoptive parents to Blasing was documented in The Strange Deaths of President Harding.

Mr. Willits, in recounting how he became guardian for Elizabeth Ann Britton told a student that he was summoned to the White House by President Harding. When asked how Willits reacted to the request he replied, "When the President of the United States asks for your help, you don't say 'no'."