Property has yielded, or is likely to yield information roof Rubber walls other Brick/masonry important in prehistory or history. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the foundation Concrete_ our past. Stone Grafton School criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing) USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form contribution to the broad patterns of our history. Lorain County, Ohio method of construction or represents the work ofa master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.
Architectural classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions) Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 1959 Addition are included in this nomination to the National Register of height, has a concrete foundation, a flat roof and is composed of spotted grey foundation, and a flat roof. It contains identical horizontal bands of similar casement windows, also separated into groupings, but by shallow brick piers entire school building, located directly on the seam between the original building and the addition. Section carvings).
Page CONTINUATION SHEET Narrative: Physical Description of Grafton School Building Grafton School park-like lawn entrance and semi-circular driveway.To the south side of the building is an open parking area, bordered by residences. To the rear(east) of school building, the very strong, horizontal banding of casement windows on the Y-intersection of two suburban, residential streets.
It is sited on the T-shape into an L-shaped building.Both the original school building and the name of property 12.An addition was constructed in to accommodate both the the intersection.It is set back from the a into one school the influx of new "baby boom" elementary (8-86) tower and its flanking brick the entrance of the Ohio.The original school building was constructed in 1936,to house grades 1- Lorain County, Ohio The Grafton School building stands out as the only public building at this example of Modernistic Art Deco style not commonly used for vertical length of the L extends to the rear of the facade.In combination educational buildings in measures two stories in students from the five contiguous townships which in 1953 had been consolidated The original school building ("Original School") is a fine front façade, the monochromatic brick and stone façade, the narrow, carved north wall of the original façade of the school and doubling its length.
The U-shape. The addition is constructed of nearly identical grey brick, a cement with stone caps. The addition entrance, which is a secondary entrance for the the school is some additional parking and a very large open elements of the main entrance (carved stone reeding, and wing and geometric The 1959 addition ("Addition") was designed to closely match the original with the original I-shaped school building, the footprint is transformed into Historic Places. stone piers separating window groupings, and the rectilinear/Art Deco design students.The 1959 Addition changed the basic footprint of the building from a county and State building.The Art Deco style is exhibited by the low horizontal massing of the (Expires 12-31-2005) NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES county and State building enclose an additional cement play area and outdoor lunch area. To the north of the school building is a narrow lawn area, bordered by residences. The original portion of the Grafton School building consists of a faced in smooth stone panels carved with five columns of reeding, placed is another horizontal band of carved reeding. This simple, but clearly Art Deco design, forms the entrance tower. (Photos 1, 3, 4) above-noted spotted grey Manganese brick. This brick, set in an American Bond five. Each grouping of windows is separated by a shallow, brick, stepped pier, brick sill. (Photos 1, 6, 8) third lights open inward.
Surrounding these main lights are minor, rectangular, CONTINUATION SHEET Grafton School Lorain County, Ohio The south face of the building is constructed of identical brick.On this units each contain four lights.The first and grouping of three casement separated by ogee-beveled concept.(Photo 4).The remainder of the symmetrical school building facade is columns, windows are arranged in groupings of four, four and then is another band of carved reeding.Stacked above this reeding element is a playground/grass-field 5)The vertical arms of the u-shaped constructed of the grey by two horizontal bands of rolled specifically chosen to match contrast stone name of property face is band of reeding.(Photos All of these elements match those of the main (Expires 12-31-2005) stationary 1,2,3,4) The overall effect is that of Art horizontal, two-story brick building accented by a simple stone entrance tower narrow, stone spandrel carved in the repeating triangular "compass" design, and steel casement windows.
(Photos 1, 3) window units are separated by very narrow, carved stone piers, the tops of the geometrical design. Each window unit is completed with a stone header and a Section Page panels.This is in keeping with the then-popular Art Deco Streamline design shallow parapet stone.(Photos above the door, Moving from the entrance tower and Stepped back from the stone entrance each a (8-86) with a shallow front of the entrance tower is NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES constructed of steel with two horizontal glass lights is flanked by two steel contains identical, horizontal bands of vertical, casement window units as are window openings. These openings are currently bricked in, although, from the shallow, plain brick piers.
fenestration, ending at the seam joining the 1959 addition. As with the windows The 1959 Addition, as previously noted, was constructed so as to blend (east). The front face of the addition, unlike its vertical leg, is a two- story, flat-roof structure. It is constructed of brick in a shade very similar Section Page currently fully enclosed by chain link fencing. lintels and decorated brick slip sills. each door is contained in its own one-story, flat-roofed, brick shed structure.
CONTINUATION SHEET appears that the windows were originally steel casement, glazed with wire- National Park Service Grafton School the window groupings, nor are there any Art Deco elements on this face.Also name of property (Expires 12-31-2005) located here is an outdoor, concrete access stairway to the only basement room of the building, the boiler and coal storage room.This outdoor stair is Lorain County, Ohio seamlessly with the original building at the north face.(Photos county and State The of the building is constructed of identical brick and on the south side of the gym portion, these windows have horizontal brick sidelight units.Above the two window units are identical to the The north and south faces of the gym building each contain face extends slightly above the height of the building's flat roof.
Moving past the gym portion and continuing along the east face vertical steel casement units on the building's front façade. The wall of this the school building and thus, created the above-noted original T-shape Additionally, four exit doors are located at each corner of the gym's exterior; doubles the length of the original face and then extends perpendicularly to the footprint. The gym portion, a large, two-story, rectangular building with the original school building, one notes identical brick construction and flat roof, connects to the school via an internal, central entrance hall. of the top few panes of the windows remain visible.From this it found on the front of the school.There are, however, no brick piers separating well with the original building.The addition is almost (8-86) NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET name of property to the original building, is laid in an American Bond pattern, and has a poured-concrete foundation, and steel coping along the flat roof. The window fenestration and composition of the secondary doorway is extremely well matched knee-wall of matching brick with a stone cap. (Photo 6) The addition windows are arranged in groupings of three, each grouping separated by a shallow, rectangular brick pier, topped with a rectangular stone Although creating the same effect as those of the original building, the bottom two lights of each unit appear to open inward. Within each grouping of three, the windows are separated by a vertical, steel post. Each window is completed by a horizontal, brick lintel and a plain, stone, slip sill. all of which appear to be stationary.
Two additional steel casement windows are rectangular panes tall; the lowest pane being a vent pane which opens inward. vertical leg and groups of three on the north face of the vertical leg. These windows are flush-set into the brick. There are no separating piers, nor are follows a gradually sloping grade to the east, requiring the last half of the vertical leg to be indented and narrowed a second time. A Section Page Lorain County, Ohio These windows also are finished with horizontal, brick lintels and stone slip Grafton School National Park Service constructed of steel with two lights.The double doors are opaque glass. These are five-pane, vertical, rectangular glazed in reinforced, piers on the addition do not continue to roof end at second floor also located on this the first to the east of the doorway.
roof, edged with a steel coping, is supported by two pipes.Above the door is surrounded by steel and glass transom.This secondary entrance is covered bya sills.These window units are grouped in two's on the south face of the The north face of the addition is constructed of identical brick.The county and state (8-86) to the original.The secondary entrance contains a double door being (Expires 12-31-2005) simple flat bytwo steel pipe being set ona low composed of identical brick, set in American Bond pattern, with a poured The building indents slightly then begins the vertical leg of the there any Art Deco elements on this leg of the addition.
The vertical leg The located one steel, casement window containing six vertical, rectangular panes, constructed of rolled consisting of fiverectangular lights.The contains a strong horizontal band of steel casement each five or six addition("vertical leg").This leg is a structure, doorway found on this face consists of a door with NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior the top half of the door. A single casement window flanks the door. The door tall but have been lowered with a drop ceiling to a height of eight feet. Vinyl are bounded by rectangular sidelights and a long, stationary, transom window.
Caldwell, this depression-era, WPA building was designed as a model of specifically in the dual-use layout of the gym/auditorium, the kitchen/ auditorium, the location of restrooms and locker rooms allowing dual use by school students and players/performers/audience, and the double-sized specialty This central intersection of the main corridor, the entrance hall and the auditorium/gymnasium entrance is marked by an octagonal wall and ceiling Lorain County, Ohio CONTINUATION SHEET soldier course. two metal poles. Grafton School efficiency is repeated several times in the design of this building, auditorium/gymnasium ("gym"). As noted previously, this portion of efficient,fire-safe public school building.As noted by the architect Walter G.
(Expires 12-31-2005) National Park Service ceiling.Baseboard treatment consists of the same yellow glazed brick in a rooms allowing dual use for more than one subject area (library/study hall, name of property Directly across the main corridor is the main entry to the hall.The walls are covered half-way up in glazed, yellow brick; plaster covers The original school's main entrance opens into a rectangular entrance This door is a single, steel three rectangular glass panes in the wall from the brick to the ceiling.The ceilings were originally10 feet NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES secondary entrance door is located at the point of this second indentation.
(8-86) county and State and window are covered by a simple, flat roof, edged in steel and supported by room) - yellow brick the height of the walls, then plaster up to the ten foot high Beyond the glass doors is located the main school corridor. (Photo 11) cooking/sewing/ debate room, physics/biology laboratory, and art/home design treatment accentuated by deep, wood, ceiling cove molding, currently painted Section Page tile covers the cement slab floor.Double glass doors complete this preliminary entrance hall.The steel-framed doors contain two full glass panels; the doors the only corridor,} will see everything that is happening."This concept of NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES the school building juts out, originally creating the t-shaped footprint. The used by "everyone in town..
[b]asketball, games, dances, dinners and plays can between the balcony wall and the exit door shed structure. The wooden stage is located directly across from the gym entrance, on the rope apparatus. Underneath the stage, on either side, are two additional, large tile and are accessible from the north-east and south-east shed structures floor would seat 500 people, in addition, there is a large, stepped, cement balcony originally may have contained individual seats bolted to the concrete risers. If so, these seats were removed at some point in the past, leaving only at the top of the balcony, for use in showing moving pictures and operating cement, is currently concealed behind a false wall and is accessible only from light "window" openings.
efficiency model for this building, this restroom was made accessible to the could be used as additional student lockers if the school population grew more CONTINUATION SHEET than expected. Grafton School entrance doors to the gym are simple, double, metal swinging doors. In contrast National Park Service a second floor "classroom".It retains its three original projector and stage Lorain County, Ohio on either side.Each retains its shower and toilet facilities.These sets of county and State gym/auditorium via an additional door located on the east wall of the restroom. school kitchen bya door located in the north-east shed structure which houses (8-86) measures 70 x 45 feet and 20 feet to the finished, plaster ceiling.
name of property balcony overlooking the gym which seated another 100-200.Itappears that the be held in the building, making it a real civic center." Because the gym was to the gym doors do not appear to be may have been There are four locker for boys'teams (home and two This door also allowed access to one set of gym locker lockers (Expires 12-31-2005) east wall of the gym building.It measures 21 x 54 enough to be to the majority of doors, baseboards and door frames in this original part of be used by the town as a banquet facility, it was connected to the original chair storage. These locker rooms are also constructed of cement and glazed which house the other two gym exit doors. When used as an auditorium, the gym the concrete risers for students to sit upon.
A projection booth is built in From the main corridor intersection, to the north, on the east side of the Section Page installed during construction of the 1959 addition.This gym was designed to be for girls' teams (home and away).These are located under the balcony, one set stage spotlights.(Photos 27 & This projection also constructed of NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES name of property Immediately to the south of the girls' restroom is located on original water fountain niche, defined by an arch of the same yellow glazed brick which was accessible to the gym via the previously noted door and passageway, now wood, window sill.
The deep window sills can still be found in all the original Further north, on this west side of the corridor, is located a double- built in, each containing an up-to-the-minute stove, cabinet, cabinet-type It currently contains dark-stained wooden shelf units transferred from the room to allow access to the 1959 addition, the other at the south end of the room to allow access to the administrative offices. The east side of the corridor contains a full boys' restroom, then another Section Page walled in.
All kitchen equipment was removed when the 1959 addition, with its Grafton School original building contained four windows, each with a 12 inch deep, stained CONTINUATION SHEET classroom completes this section of original corridor.Most classrooms in the National Park Service the floor is currently covered in thin and a dropped ceiling "laboratory".The Kitchen lab was on the inside wall at the north end of the The south end of the original corridor has a layout.
United States Department of the Interior (8-86) Lorain County, Ohio (Expires 12-31-2005) unit.On the north side of the girls' restroom was the original kitchen.This original second floor library.Some of the tall stained wood baseboards are partitioned off with heavy curtains for use as a fitting room.This double room sink, full kitchen equipment, receptacles and lights.The remainder of the lines the corridor walls.The original fountain has been replaced bya modern false walls have been erected to subdivide these rooms. county and State has been added.Finally two doors have been at the north end of the next to most recently used as a additional newer kitchen, was built.
This room, as well as the original cafeteria room corridor still exists, although it has been altered to be used as a glass sized room, which originally housed the state-of-the art Domestic Science double room contained the sewing area, with the electric sewing machines the room. equipment, and a folding stage. This part of the room could also be was used for lectures, demonstrations in meal service, style shows, dramatic classrooms. speaking practice, and art shows in conjunction with the Art located the school office and clinic.An original, oak-framed window to the double room.Using six-foot high kitchenettes had been The front of the room contained the Department.This room was most recently used as the school 14) This room originally contained both a cooking and a sewing OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET water fountain, outlined by a matching brick arch, then a double-sized a reinforced floor to hold the weight of wood and metal working machines. It was also capable of supporting the weight of an automobile for repair training for classrooms. It contains no distinctive elements. Across the corridor, on the west side, are located three original, single administrative offices. At the south end of the corridor is located one of the stairwells to the second floor and the only stairway to the basement. The basement of this previously noted, a single exit door is located at this south end of the building of glazed brick ¾ up the wall, with plaster finishing the walls up to the 10-foot ceiling.
A dropped ceiling also has been installed here, lowering the height to height cabinets, most of the original tall baseboards (some currently painted to date back to the 1890s, as at least two contemporaneous accounts of the Grafton School throughout the school building, all classrooms have windows on only one side, classrooms retain the original stained wood doors from 1936.Also, many of containing 5-6.These numbers, of course, vary in the recently partitioned They contain almost no original elements, with the exception of the 12 inch At the top of this original set of one can again sight directly Lorain County, Ohio The east side of the corridor contains another double-sized classroom, (8-86) purposes.This room has most recently been subdivided with false walls and used name of property classroom originally used as the Industrial Arts 15) This room has the slate blackboards from the previous 1890s building as a cost-cutting NPS Form 10-900-a general original school is heated by steam heat.There (Expires 12-31-2005) county and State These rooms have been altered by subdividing with false walls.
partially below grade. The stairwell to the second floor is constructed of each original, single classroom containing four windows, the double rooms building contains only a boiler room and coal storage room (now used for down the wide, second floor corridor. This corridor is also faced in yellow, classrooms. Section Page wooden banisters. originally chemistry and physics laboratory.It retains two built-in ceiling wood window sills.These rooms have been used as classrooms and The steps and risers are currently painted red.As steel and in matching two simple NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET name of property county and State To the north of the Chemistry lab is located another classroom, this one auditorium balcony.
These were apparently most recently used as specialty teaching rooms. To the north is located another single-sized classroom, then retains 5 original built-in drawer/shelf units and 1 drawer/shelf/sink unit, blackboard. To the north is located a smaller classroom, then a slightly larger The 1959 Addition was built to house all elementary and junior high school corridor. measure. all painted white.One additional normal-sized classroom completes the west Grafton School National Park Service the 1959 addition. The ceiling of the addition is covered in standard ceiling is constructed with cast-in-place, one-way, concrete ribs, a very labor- subdivided, using false partition walls, into two very small classrooms.
visible inside the building.The 1936 solid brick wall construction clearly United States Department of the Interior side of the floor corridor.This classroom has been Lorain County, Ohio located directly over the main entrance to the the shallow tower contrasts with the painted cinder block and brick construction of School Addition is joined at the north end of the Original School building.It originally used as the school/public library and study hall.(Photo 9)It is (8-86) Next, to the north is located another full boys' bathroom, then, created using false walls to enclose the projection booth and part of the stained wood doors, tall baseboards, and deep wood window sills. These rooms have been altered to some degree with the addition of false partition walls.
students in the then newly-centralized Grafton School district, as well as the Continuing north along the second floor, the seam of the addition is of single size. It also retains its wooden door, baseboards and deep wooden intensive method of construction no longer used today. Section Page two very unusually-shaped rooms.These rooms are not original, but were 2-3 normal sized classrooms, most retaining the original slate blackboards, influx of baby boom children reaching school age. The high school students had The west side of the from the south contains or three single classrooms complete the west side of the original second floor classroom, lined with acoustic tile, which was originally the music room. Two (Expires 12-31-2005) Centered in the middle of the west side of the corridor is another double room, NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior from the first floor to the center of the second floor of the newly-doubled school building. Unlike the original school corridor, the corridors of the 1959 addition contain hundreds of built-in, metal, student lockers. (Photo 8) Evidence of minor water damage caused by a leak in the roof is visible on the ceiling tiles at the building seam. The classrooms of the second floor addition, designed to house the of normal size, and, as in the original building, are located on both sides of the main corridor. Each classroom contains one set of three, steel casement corridor is located a restroom facility and a metal and concrete stairwell descending to the first floor.
The first floor of the Addition is of identical construction and layout as case and a door into the original Domestic Science room, now converted to the time the Addition was added. (Photo 13 kindergarten and early elementary grades of the newly consolidated Midview The walls are, again, painted cinder block and wide, glazed tile, the floors, southern/playground face, is located the new kitchen-cafeteria room. (Photo 22) It is of the same construction, the cafeteria being the only double-sized room in Addition. the previously described secondary entrance.Its entrance hall, which connects CONTINUATION SHEET The classrooms exhibit classic 1950s streamlined construction in their simple, Grafton School name of property National Park Service side of the corridor, at the seam, contains a new stairwell allowing access vinyl tile and the metal or simple wood design.
Each room includes door framing and base molding, in-room metal teacher centered chalk of painted cement block wall tile NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES classrooms which were designated as elementary classrooms(grades1-4)at the Lorain County, Ohio (8-86) The vertical (east-west) leg of the 1959 addition is a one-story (Expires 12-31-2005) county and State the cement floor is covered in vinyl or linoleum and most of the Page_ classroom doors are constructed of steel, with steel door framing. The east There are no double-sized rooms on the second floor of the addition. board on the horizontal wall opposite the window wall. At north end of the school library. To the north, down the main corridor, are located several two window groupings of three casement windows each.
On this leg, on the intermediate grades, and the junior high school students (grades 7-9), are all windows. Section wide, glazed ceramic tiles. This hall contains a small built-in glass display NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES The Grafton School building was used continuously as a school until June 2005. The only structural changes which exist are the relatively minor partition walls noted above, the loss of some original doors and baseboards, the corridors, interior wall and floor treatments, much wood trim, some slate original school building, along with the 1959 Addition retains a very high Behind the building in the northeast corner of the nominated property is a non- corner posts supporting a flat roof. significance.
Lorain County, Ohio CONTINUATION SHEET county and State Grafton School blackboards, and the gymnasium/auditorium remain intact.(Photos 17-20) The degree of structural integrity and ability to communicate its historic United States Department of the Interior contributing picnic shelter.The structure is open on all sides with four wood name of property (8-86) (Expires 12-31-2005) Section Page bricking-in of the gymnasium windows and cafeteria-gym passageway, and the Page a birthplace or a grave. a cemetery. a commemorative property. (x) (add'n) G 1936- 1959 Cultural Affiliation 1936 Education Architecture Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property Social History Grafton School owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes. USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Significant Dates: Period of Significance past 50 years.
Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) Lorain County, Ohio removed from its original location. less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the - Architect: Walter G. Caldwell (Cleveland, Ohio) - See Continuation Sheet, Section 8, attached. Architect/Builder Builder: Areas of Significance categories from instructions) Criteria Considerations (Mark "x"in all the boxes that apply.) on one or more continuation NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 name of property SECTION 8: STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Grafton School building is eligible for National Register designation under both Criterion A, association with significant historic trends, and building is its historic association with the major, early 20t century trends educational initiatives widely accepted into public schools such as the of public buildings, through the Depression-Era, Works Progress Administration Regarding Criterion C, the Area of Significance for Grafton School is its It retains its rectilinear styling, low, horizontal massing, geometric fenestration, simple Art Deco entrance tower with geometric carvings, and Streamline Modern, and as it is integral to the structure of the original 1936 school building.
(Photos 1, 3, 6) The Grafton School is nominated for its local level of significance and retains HISTORY OF GRAFTON VILLAGE Located in the wooded plains and river valleys of north-central Ohio, Grafton School (Expires 12-31-2005) Criterion C, architectural importance. The period of significance for Grafton CONTINUATION SHEET National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES county and State use of the Modernistic, Art Deco style as applied to an educational building.
students and townspeople; instruction in vocational skills; instruction in required a school building specifically designed to provide specialized Lorain County, Ohio schools into "graded"schools.Each of these progressive educational concepts United States Department of the Interior creation of Junior and Senior High Schools;the specific curriculums for each, integrity of location, design, setting, feeling and association. the western branch of the Black was settled in matched,1959 Addition to Grafton School is an example of simplified,1950s School is 1936-1959. schools in the state of ohio.
(8-86) a method of creating jobs for those unemployed as a result of the Regarding Criterion A, the area of significance for this 1936 school including active, laboratory learning concepts; exposure to the arts ior all physical fitness (health); and consolidation and centralization of local laboratories for instruction in each area. trend in our nation's Social History, i.e., the government-funded construction national economic Depression. The Grafton School is one of 249 WPA built Grafton Village is, today, a community of approximately 2300 residents. under Criterion A, for Grafton School, is its historic association with a major Section Page A second Area of Significance, in public education including the principles and practices of progressive era flanking brick and stone extremely well- NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES tracks and station on the Rawson's land, the railroad required that they plat a town. The Rawsons agreed and Grafton Station (later, Grafton Village) was discovered in the area. Soon several stone quarries opened, attracting many Grafton area became famous for its quality and was soon being shipped the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, built a line through Grafton in 1872, further spurring development and cementing the town as a transportation center for CRITERION A, HISTORIC TRENDS: PUBLIC EDUCATION- education, in that it was designed to provide specifically sized and equipped classrooms, as well as, a publicly- accessible gymnasium/auditorium to meet new curriculum needs. (Photo 17-20) this level were also soon defined by statute.
Progressive education concepts Section CONTINUATION SHEET its students to attend.Junior High Schools and the specific curriculum for Grafton School company, the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, chose Grafton Village county and State National Park Service industry, the surrounding agricultural economy specifically grain, and the The Grafton School building illustrates the first Area of Grafton's prosperity and development centered greatly on the stone quarry domestic science, industrial arts, languages, laboratory sciences, formed.Within two years of the opening of the railroad line, quality stone was (Expires 12-31-2005) also promoted the offering of curriculum containing training in distribution of local goods.
name of property Lorain County, Ohio settlers, the Rawson brothers migrated here from the western part of as the site for one of its stations. As part of the agreement to locate the German, Irish and Polish immigrants to the town. The stone quarried around the In the late 19th century passage of several key federal and state laws impact mandatory school attendance law, requiring all those under the age of 14 to boards being authorized to transport students to neighboring centralized Page railroad as a means of transportation and shipping.
In 1846, a major railroad attend public school.In 1898 graded schools became compulsory under state law schools.By 1902, state law required school districts to transport its throughout the northern and eastern portions of the country.A second railroad, (8-86) and the centralization of small schools was encouraged;with local school NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior CONTINUATION SHEET created a formal definition of high school curriculum which clearly set high thirty-two weeks each year, and required the completion of at least sixteen (www.onu.edu/library/onuhistory/photo/part_five.htm). By 1921, High School Architecture, supra) . and consolidated the students into fewer school buildings. The buildings were required to be inspirational, oriented to hands-on learning, and fire safe.
Grafton Township one-room school was absorbed into the newly created Township, Grafton Village, and Eaton Township, with Grafton Township and Eaton allow students to attend. The first wooden frame school building was located additionally, the District decided that it wanted to offer a "better curriculum Grafton Village, used the sale of municipal bonds to raise money and was able to construct its first brick school building, on the same Chestnut Street lot. neighboring buildings and in upstairs rooms in the downtown commercial area.
to..better prepare the young people for the changing world".(History of Grafton School agricultural, commercial and vocational courses, and physical fitness, with National Park Service Rawsonville Unified School District.The District consisted of Grafton Enrollment continued to the school composed of primary, intermediate, grammar and high school grades, to place students in county and State these suggestions.(Educational The Brumbaugh Act of 1902 divided into three distinct of which had specific standards. offered less in each category.
The relevant experience of the Grafton Schools in reflecting broad (Expires 12-31-2005) brick school building.That building was completed in 1892 and the district was NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES name of property (8-86) educational trends and state educational regulation begins in1868,when the A "First Class" school consisted of four years of high school classes, operated specific courses for a diploma. The Second and Third Class High Schools Grafton Village History Association ("History").) The town, now re-named attendance was mandatory for all students through age 16. (Educational Thus, began the cycle of school consolidation, curriculum-specific school construction and local/government school funding that exists to this day. Chestnut Street in Grafton Village.
This building quickly became overcrowded, Grafton Schools, 1849 Through May 1936, compiled by Doris Wildenheim of the Section Page Township each required to pay taxes to the new school district in order to school instruction apart from elementary school instruction.High Schools were Lorain County, Ohio specialized classrooms for 15)State legislation again followed These state laws greatly increased the number of children attending school Finally, in 189l, the townspeople passed a tax levy for a new, three-story OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service county and State Also, between 1908 (the year of the tragic Collinwood School fire in Cleveland, In addition to the constant physical overcrowding, Grafton Union School was but the need for a gymnasium to fulfill the 100 minute per week physical basketball team, which had been practicing in the garage of the local auto shop, was becoming a championship team, building great local pride in the Great Depression had reached Grafton, leaving Grafton School officials with two many specific gymnasium, laboratories, art/music rooms and classrooms required below, the nationally significant 1930s New Deal program, answered both questions.
The 1936 Grafton School building ultimately was designed and built The 1959 Addition was later designed to address the population explosion was heralded as a model for Progressive Junior and Senior High Schools of the building. Section requirements. Page Grafton School the school rating system.
In order to maintain this distinction, Grafton Union CONTINUATION SHEET these requirements by buying used equipment from neighboring school districts, specified numbers of teachers to teach specific as laboratory re-named as Grafton Union School.The new brick building became overcrowded achieved this rating first in l910,eight years after the state establishment NPS Form 10-900-a space from Beldon School in 1927.At about that same high school NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES (Expires 12-31-2005) name of property (8-86) within three years, again causing the need for additions in 1895, 1905, the for voters turned it down;the severe economic downturn of the equipment.(Photo Union School was able to keep up with most of continually striving to achieve a rating as a "First Class"High School.It time, was used as such throughout its period of significance building until 20o5,it fully retains its integrity to convey its historical Lorain County, Ohio School was required to keep pace with the ever expanding requirements codified by the Ohio legislature.
problems, first, the need to build a school which could physically house the to satisfy early 20th century classroom, laboratory and gymnasium/health resulting from the post-war Baby Boom. The original Grafton School building and building of a new gymnasium for the team, to be Phase one of an entirely people of Grafton.In early 1930,discussions began regarding the financing arts, music and art and physical education courses; additionally, the unable to qualify for additional state funding.In 1935,when the levy came up because it continued to be used without significant alteration as a school renting of outside rooms for classes in1915,and another addition in1917. Ohio) and 1917,state law required several fire safety additions to the school NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service CONTINUATION SHEET Lorain County, Ohio CRITERION A, HISTORIC TRENDS: SOCIAL HISTORY construction of a new school building during the national economic Depression turned down requests for a levy. A turning point in our nation's social and Roosevelt's New Deal, a myriad of federally orchestrated re-employment 1936 and 1941. (EH.Net Encyclopedia: Works Progress Administration, Nov.29, 2005) . find funding under the federal Civil Works Administration (CWA), the gymnasium and auditorium, be constructed. The state agreed to make application way. The endless government forms were a huge hurdle that had to be overcome articles regarding construction of Grafton School, by Patricia Tomko, for School Board purchased the 15 acres of land on Elm Street, on which the significance.
http://www.eh.net/encyclopedia/?article=couch.works.progress.administration, Grafton School accompanying red tape. There were no precedents to follow, no one to point the economic history occurred with the institution of President Franklin D. county and State illustrated by the experience of the Grafton School District with the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Administration (WPA).The goal of this program was to put the unemployed to the 1892 school building, was proposed in 1933-34. However, in June of 1935, predecessor to the WPA.Under that plan, only a gym as an adjunct to School District was operating normally.By 1935,the school district was in the Ohio State School Inspector suggested that an entirely new to the WPA for funding.As stated by one Grafton with the (Expires 12-31-2005) building now for $l,500.
in total of 4,383 new schools were built by the WPA between of the 1930s.As the beginning of the Great Grafton debt and the voters, unable to afford further taxes for school improvements, One of the most successful of the programs was the Works Progress work on public building projects, including the construction of school The plans for the 1936 Grafton School building began with an attempt to Grafton Village History Association ("Summary")). Ultimately, the WPA did The second Area of Significance under Criterion A, Social History, Federal-State application process, "[S]o, it was [to be] more plans, with the programs.
Section Page buildings.The Grafton School building is one of 249 WPA school buildings built agree to pay 45% of the $125,000.00 with the residents of Grafton paying $70,000.00,through the issuance of municipal bonds.In November of (8-86) before they would be granted the money."(Summary of events and local newspaper name of property NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET building, is further illustrated by the following local resident's account of the difficulties in securing contractors to build the school during the depths so weakened that they were unable to furnish the bond required, while the Every contractor who had ever worked on public building in Cuyahoga, Medina, Under PWA rules, everything had to be ready to go [for construction to begin] slate blackboards from the 1892 school building be re-used in the 1936 Grafton in the building. On December 11, 1935, ground was broken, work began no later construction documents, a written history of the Village of Grafton, a history Administration.
As is detailed in the next section, the physical floor plan of functions, is another clear illustration of historically significant WPA-era its connection with the construction/employment programs of the Works Progress construction, plan and design.
balance of them were busy figuring other Public Works Administration projects.' Thus, the original Grafton School building is historically significant for Grafton School construction contracts.These contracts were subject to WPA was Grafton its highly efficient dual-use rooms and public/academic School building.It appears that several of these 1892 slate blackboards remain National Park Service ceremony was held at the end of construction instead of the beginning, due to The significance of this WPA construction of the Grafton School the then current comments of the Grafton School Superintendent.
United States Department of the Interior name of property copper the cornerstone of school building are the voluminous WPA of the Grafton of the Board of Education list of and the men working under him to work nights and Sundays to get the work done. (8-86) (Expires 12-31-2005) county and State Lorain County, Ohio chosen for this project and he stated that getting bids was more difficult at that year.On July 2,1936,a cornerstone sealing ceremony was held. The of the Depression. "Walter G.
Caldwell, Cleveland [Ohio], was the architect granted, after meeting several money-saving requirements, including, that the Section Page driven some contractors out of had their financial standings documents that had been required for the building of the by January 1"t, so many times, these men put in 18-hour days."(Summary, Id.) On December Grafton Village Board of Education awarded the this time than any other in the 2l years of his experience.The depression had than January the entire school building was completed by July of OMB No.
1024-0018 National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Lorain County, Ohio county and State CRITERION C, ARCHITECURE, STYLE: MODERNISTIC, ART DECO Grafton School is also eligible for National Register nomination under illustrates are, first, the Modernistic, Art Deco Style, and second, the the Modernistic, Art Deco style for an educational building. Few schools were been the Neo Classical style, with the architectural goal having been to conscious 1930s was the provision of efficient, economical, and fire-safe educational space, while continuing to satisfy the need for the specialized facilities (gymnasiums, music rooms, libraries, laboratories and vocational As noted, the Grafton School building is an example of the Modernistic, details.
(Photos 11, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) classrooms, laboratory-specific classrooms, art/music-specific instruction Grafton School education rooms).This resulted in the use of the streamlined Art Deco styling, applied to an educational building.It represents the Art Deco style, noted for its geometric decorations, use of stylized panels, inspire the students to appreciate and strive for an appreciation of the parallel lines, reeding, fluting, and one-over-one metal casement windows, and that Grafton School would have been built at all.The most United States Department of the Interior name of property NPS Form 10-900-a The first Architectural Area of Significance to be noted is the use of (Expires 12-31-2005) style for the Grafton School building.(Photos (8-86) rooms, and school/town center spaces.
above, if not for the availability of WPA funds and management, it is unlikely a more streamlined, stripped-down version of modernistic massing and Criterion C, Architectural Significance. The Areas of Significance which it Section Page specific Method of Construction which created the architectural style for school buildings between 1900 and 1929,had OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Grafton School county and State These include strong horizontal massing, strong horizontal window banding, and one-one casement windows; balanced by regular vertical, protruding brick and The entry is contained within, and dramatized by a vertical brick projection, The addition used the same design elements and construction materials and is matched almost seamlessly and was used for the same educational purposes as simplified, making it definable as an example of the 1950s era of school It is also noteworthy that, the Grafton School building appears to be the only example of Modernistic, Art Deco styling in the Grafton area.
Other Historic Inventory (Neo Classic style), the Grafton Methodist Church, listed on Conception Catholic Church, listed on the Ohio Historic Inventory and the significant as it is the town's only example of the Modernistic, Art Deco construction. architectural style.
style is not exhibited on any other buildings, commercial or industrial in the Grafton School site are single family homes, constructed in the American National Register (Romanesque style).Thus, the Grafton School is locally NPS Form 10-900-a Lorain County, Ohio Additionally, as described in Section 7,its exterior design is even more the Ohio Historic Inventory (Vernacular-Gothic style),and the Immaculate faced with matching stone panels.The panels contain symmetrical elements of name of property Grafton area.Only three other Grafton buildings are known to be recognized 12-31-2005) stone-tipped piers to create a perpendicular (8-86) design elements which match those on the main projection, creating a simplified Bungalow, Colonial, and Cottage style. carved, reeded stone and short bands of carved geometric patterns.
The main for historic context, they are: Grafton Township School, listed on the Ohio Section Page stepped-down effect. tower is further enhanced by brick projections containing the Modernistic, Art Deco the original building during the Period of Significance.(Photos OMB No. 1024-0018 National Park Service CRITERION C, METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION: PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT SCHOOL DESIGN was specifically designed and constructed to satisfy the curriculum School curriculum during this period included several goals, all of which adults.
The design of Grafton School met all of these goals and managed to do so in the frugal and efficient manner required by the severe economic straits industrial arts rooms, expanded library, kitchen and cafeteria and auditorium CONTINUATION SHEET Lorain County, Ohio those requirements had resulted in the state classification of High Schools and alleviate then-common fears of serious communicable diseases);6)school library Class" High School.
dual-use laboratory classrooms, art and music rooms, domestic science and county and State in Section building design included the many NPS Form 10-900-a progressive school....Th[is] new organization..offers the seventh and eighth grade instruction in vocational skills such as Industrial Arts and Domestic Science United States Department of the Interior (8-86) name of property The Grafton School (Expires 12-31-2005) NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES As noted by Walter architect of Grafton of the times. /gymnasium.(Photos also was able to accommodate the re- The Grafton School building is also an excellent example of a second Area of Significance under Criterion C, Method of Construction.
goals included 1) establishment of both a Junior and Senior High School (to hands-on learning through laboratory work; 3) instruction in the arts insure that the Arts did not remain the domain of only the wealthy); 4) hands-on from high school level teachers. (History, supra). Section Page This plan placed pupils greater opportunity than was possible [previously]."These younger School,"[e]fficiency was the key.One teacher standing anywhere in the corridor Grafton Village was committed to maintaining its classification as a "First (to insure employability); 5)daily physical fitness and health instruction (to NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES The laboratories, particularly the Domestic Science lab, were touted, in furniture available]..
It was designed to take a girl through the actual experiences of work in the home and give her a true foundation on the art, exist, most recently used as the library area, unfortunately, the kitchenette only school. required physical education classes, provided a home for the school's was a marvel of multi-use efficiency and was a source of great community pride. CONTINUATION SHEET National Park Service Grafton School locker when necessary, for increases to the student population.
The gym Grafton School building.The double-size Domestic science room continues to United States Department of the Interior science, and practice of then-modern homemaking...As the Grafton School Also of particular note was the new 17-20) name of property (Expires 12-31-2005) county and State banquet space (particularly in light of the kitchen access provided by the Lorain County, Ohio building design),and provided a theatrical stage large enough to present areas, an audience of 700 could be seated.Additionally, four state-of-the-art (8-86) requirements for a First Class High School, had been the impetus for the entire Grafton School project.
The new gymnasium/auditorium offered space for the locker rooms could accommodate four sports teams, as well as, provide extra Room was designed to replicate the most complete cooking facility by containing the most advanced appliances, cupboards, lighting and kitchen officials believed that art could be taught most effectively as applied Section Page championship basketball team (a great source of town town pageants and large musical features.Using the floor and balcony seating facilities were removed c.1967when the building began use asan elementary [containing kitchenettes designed in the then most modern cubicle layout, NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET The 1959 Addition, which was built to accommodate the large rise in student population caused by the first wave of Baby Boomers reaching school age and was curriculum-specific specialty classrooms, but now large enough to house the two are teaching 87 second graders...Estimated fall enrollment,.indicates that the number of entering first graders will be 225 over the number of seniors was designated elementary only.
construction (brought to the fore by the tragic Collinwood, Ohio, School fire Grafton School Lorain County, Ohio National Park Service across from the main entrance, with several exit doors (Expires 12-31-2005) glass, and steel; very little wood is used other than for classroom doors, the a new Middle School building was constructed and the Grafton School building should be noted though the Grafton School of 1908).Grafton School exhibits the common fire safety construction (8-86) county and State techniques of the time by rising to only two stories in no name of property separate High School Building),there was no change in the need for continued closed..The dining rooms will be converted to classrooms..and two new teachers situations),by locating the exit doors at the bottom of each in a central hallway created a chimney effect in fire Page use of the Grafton laboratory classrooms by the Junior High students.
classrooms along an extra-wide, central corridor, with direct access to the methods of construction, which had placed auditoriums on open third floors, the fire-safe interior construction materials of brick, glazed tile, concrete, also designed to meet the same curriculum specific requirements of the 1936 an elementary and Junior High School building (due to the construction of a CRITERION C, METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION: FIRE SAFETY, EDUCATIONAL BUILDING Finally, the Original School building exemplifies a secondary Method of construction, employed by the 1930s architects, i.e., fire-safe school Section Midview School rooms in Eaton and Grafton Schools will opening directly to the school utilizes allowing direct access to the outside from all stairways, and by locating all Grafton School auditorium/gymnasium is located on the ground In 1967, will be hired...
graduating in June from Midview High."(Grafton NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No. 1024-0018 National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES its framing, cast-in-place, one-way concrete rib support system of effective during the high labor supply period of the post-war 1950s. The Grafton School building and the 1959 Addition are a fine example of Style as applied to school construction, Curriculum-specific school design, and building continued in use as a school, virtually unaltered, until June of 2005. intact.
CONCLUSION CONTINUATION SHEET county and State construction.This method of construction was very labor-intensive but cost- Grafton School Fire-Safe school design.Both the Original School and the Addition fully retain United States Department of the Interior name of property construction and of three areas of Significance under Criterion C: the Art Deco Lorain County, Ohio Public Education and the effect of the Works Progress Administration on school (Expires 12-31-2005) (8-86) gym floor and the gym of these features remain Page Section two Historic Trends under Criterion A:progressive educational trends in the integrity necessary to convey these Areas of Significance because the The 1959 Addition continues the use of these identical fire safety design features and building Addition employs for NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No.
1024-0018 Section 8 PHOTOGRAPH LABELS Photographer: Bobbie I. Van Atta Grafton, OH 44044 Date: Dec. 2005-Jan. 2006 Address: 1111 Elm Street, Grafton, OH 44044 See separate sheet for photo views. "A Brief Overview of Progressive Education." The University of Vermont. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://www.uvm.edu/~dewey/articles/proged.html>. 811, Page 294. July 2005 <http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade00.html>. Nov. 2005 <http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade30.html>. Edition. 29 Nov. 2005 Couch, Jim. "Works Progress Administration." EH.Net. 29 Nov. 2005 University. 30 Nov. 2005 <http://www.personal.kent.edu/~whelton/cd0l1.html>. Page <http://eh.net/encyclopedia/?article=couch.works.progress.administration>. Grafton School <http://www.cloudnet.com/~edfbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html>.
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