....Continued
Plans were drawn and things were progressing nicely when along came the State board of Education with the recommendation that the plans be scraped and that a new concept be adopted that would not only be a new gym building but an entirely new school. The federal government would pay nearly half the cost, so why not do that instead?
The focus was then directed toward a new school. Forty-five percent of the cost could be raised from the government, the balance, the responsibility of the taxpayers. This was a bargain too good to be overlooked and would give Grafton the new school that was so badly needed.
So it was more plans, with the accompanying red tape. There were no precedents to follow, no one to point the way. The endless government forms were a huge hurdle that had to be overcome before they would be granted the money.
Finally that was completed and the matter was submitted to the voters who approved, resulting in a seventy-three percent (73%) favorable vote. [Wow a school levy that passed by 735 !]
Walter G. Caldwell, Cleveland, was the architect chosen for this project and he stated that getting bids was more difficult at this time than any other in the 21 years of his experience. "The depression had driven some contractors out of business, others had their financial standings so weakened that they were unable to furnish the bond required, while the balance of them were busy figuring other Public Works Administration projects."
Every contractor who had ever worked on public building in Cuyahoga, Medina, and Lorain counties were contacted for bids, the architect explained.
His previous experience included drawing plans and specifications for school work at Clearview, Vincent and Elyria Township.
.......to be continued
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