History of Grafton School by Patricia A. Tomko Part 1

Source: The Grafton Citizen
When the Grafton children returned from summer vacation in 1936 they attended a new school on Elm Street. "What a day it was for them.  Of course everything was strange on the first day, it nearly always is on the first day of any school year, but this year, the paths of the children led into a new direction and added to the strangeness of a new school year was the strangeness that a new school building presents". 

Several years prior to 1936, dreams of a new school were considered by various residents at different times, but those dreams were abandoned because the old school [on Chestnut Street] was out of debt.

The building on Chestnut Street was described as crowded, a firetrap, and inadequate, including the fact that there wasw no gymnasium.

Over the years it became obvious that athletics was an important part of the curriculum and providing a gym was a necessity [besides the basketball team was begining to be a powerhouse].

Records show that a payment of $36 was paid to Belden School to rent their gymnasium for the basketball team.  This payment was authorized December 29, 1927, but then the following year the Grafton Village Board of Education voted to cooperate with the team and rented the Eaton gym for both practice and games.  The girls also used the facility.

Finally a new idea was proposed.  Why not just build a gym building that could later be used as the first unit of a new school building? Perhaps this was something that could be accomplished.

Government aid in financing the plan was sought and after the usual amount of red tape the matter was approved and the voters were asked  to give their approval. They did on November 6, 1934, and since the project was only 60% funded, the usual 65% of the vote was not needed and it looked like Grafton was to have a new gymnasium building.

......to be continued