SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington D.C.  20549
                                
                          Schedule 13G
                                
            Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                      (Amendment No. ____)*
                                
                                
                       Ohio Edison Company
                        (Name of Issuer)
                                
                   7.36% Cumulative Preferred
                 (Title of Class of Securities)
                                
                             6773477700
                         (CUSIP Number)
                                
                                
Check  the  following  box  if a fee  is  being  paid  with  this
statement  [  X  ].  (A fee is not required only  if  the  filing
person:    (1)  has  a  previous  statement  on  file   reporting
beneficial  ownership of more than five percent of the  class  of
securities  described in Item 1; and (2) has filed  no  amendment
subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent
or less of such class.)  (See Rule 13d-7.)

* The  remainder  of this cover page shall be filled  out  for  a
  reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect  to
  the  subject  class  of  securities,  and  for  any  subsequent
  amendment   containing  information  which  would   alter   the
  disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
  
The  information  required in the remainder of  this  cover  page
shall  not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section  18
of  the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934  ("Act")  or  otherwise
subject  to the liabilities of that section of the Act but  shall
be  subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see  the
Notes).

















                        Page 1 of 4 Pages
CUSIP No.   677347700


1)  Names of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos.
    of Above Persons
    The Colonial Group, Inc.; 04-2934627
    
2)  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See
    Instructions)
    (a)   [    ]
    (b)   [    ]
    
3)  SEC Use Only


4)  Citizenship or Place of Organization
    Commonwealth of Massachusetts
    
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned as of December 31, 1993, by
Each Reporting Person With
5)  Sole Voting Power:  --
6)  Shared Voting Power:  --
7)  Sole Dispositive Power:  --
8)  Shared Dispositive Power:  23,000

9)  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
    23,000
    
10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 9 Excludes Certain
    Shares (See Instructions)
    [    ]
    
11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9
    6.57%
    
12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
    HC
    






                        Page 2 of 4 Pages
CUSIP No.   677347700


1)  Names of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos.
    of Above Persons
    John A. McNeice, Jr.; ###-##-####
    
2)  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See
    Instructions)
    (a)   [    ]
    (b)   [    ]
    
3)  SEC Use Only


4)  Citizenship or Place of Organization
    U.S.A.
    
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned as of December 31, 1993, by
Each Reporting Person With
5)  Sole Voting Power:  --
6)  Shared Voting Power:  --
7)  Sole Dispositive Power:  --
8)  Shared Dispositive Power:  23,000

9)  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
    23,000
    
10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 9 Excludes Certain
    Shares (See Instructions)
    [    ]
    
11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9
    6.57%
    
12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
    IN
    






                        Page 2 of 4 Pages
CUSIP No.   677347700


1)  Names of Reporting Persons S.S. or I.R.S. Identification Nos.
    of Above Persons
    Colonial Management Associates, Inc.; 04-2271697
    
2)  Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See
    Instructions)
    (a)   [    ]
    (b)   [    ]
    
3)  SEC Use Only


4)  Citizenship or Place of Organization
    Commonwealth of Massachusetts
    
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned as of December 31, 1993, by
Each Reporting Person With
5)  Sole Voting Power:  --
6)  Shared Voting Power:  --
7)  Sole Dispositive Power:  --
8)  Shared Dispositive Power:  23,000

9)  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
    23,000
    
10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row 9 Excludes Certain
    Shares (See Instructions)
    [    ]
    
11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row 9
    6.57%
    
12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
    IA
    






                        Page 2 of 4 Pages
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
         Ohio Edison Company

Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
         76 South Main Street
         Akron, OH  44308-1890

Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:
         See Item 1) of attached cover sheets

Item 2(b)     Address of Principal Business Office or, if none,
         Residence:
         One Financial Center
         Boston, Massachusetts  02111

Item 2(c) Citizenship:
         See Item 4) of attached cover sheets

Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
         7.36% Cumulative Preferred

Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
         677347700

Item 3   Type of Reporting Person:
         (e) [ X ]  Investment Adviser registered under section
         203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
         (g) [ X ]  Parent Holding Company, in accordance with
         Section 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G) (Note See Item 7)  John A.
         McNeice, Jr. may be deemed a controlling stockholder of
         Parent Holding Company
         
Item 4   Ownership:
         (a)  Amount Beneficially Owned:  23,000 shares
         (b)  Percent of Class:  6.57%
         (c)  (i)   sole power to voter to direct the vote:  --
              (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
- --
              (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of:  --
              (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of:  23,000

Item 5   Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class
         N/A

Item 6   Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
         Person
         N/A
         
                        Page 3 of 4 Pages
Item 7   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary
         Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the
         Parent Holding Company
         Colonial Management Associates, Inc.
         One Financial Center
         Boston, Massachusetts  02111
         04-2271697; IA

Item 8   Identification and Classification of Members of the
         Group
         N/A
         
Item 9   Notice of Dissolution of Group
         N/A

Item 10  Certification
         By  signing  below we certify that, to the best  of  our
         knowledge and belief, the securities referred  to  above
         were  acquired for the purpose of and do  not  have  the
         effect  of  changing or influencing the control  of  the
         issuer  of  such  securities and were  not  acquired  in
         connection  with or as a participant in any  transaction
         having such purpose for effect.
         Signature
         After  reasonable  inquiry  and  to  the  best  of   our
         knowledge  and  belief, we certify that the  information
         set  forth  in  this  statement is  true,  complete  and
         correct.
         Date:  February 8, 1994
         

         Signature:    JOHN A. MCNEICE, JR.
         
         Name/Title:      John  A.  McNeice,  Jr.,  Individually,
                   Chairman  of the Board of The Colonial  Group,
                   Inc., and Colonial Management Associates, Inc.
                   


















                        Page 4 of 4 Pages