AUGUST 29 • 2024 | 19
publishing house to pick up a new
printing of the book I’d recently
written about Northland Mall.
Then I wanted to visit the place
Grace called “home.”
Alas, I knew the school had
been demolished long ago, but
I’d seen photos of the historical
marker that was planted at the
site.
I decided to drive around where
the school stood proudly for so
many years. Ironically, I spotted
a street called Oak Park Drive. I
then asked a few people who were
walking in the area if they knew
the whereabouts of the former
school. Their reply. “Sorry, we
don’t live around here and have
never heard of the school.” After
driving for about an hour, I
became disappointed because no
marker could be found. Instead,
all I saw was a BMW dealership
where Grace Elementary had
once stood. Deflated, I turned my
car around and headed back to
Oak Park.
DONNING A
DETECTIVE HAT
The next day, I put on my former
mayor’s hat and made a few
phone calls. With patience, I
eventually found the historical
offices and phone numbers for
the state of Ohio and for Akron’s
Summit County. I emailed one
director and left a voice message
for the other. They had no new
information to share.
Then, I had another idea. I
contacted the BMW dealership
to see if they had anything to
do with the missing historical
marker for Grace Elementary
School. A kind receptionist,
Ashley, said she’d ask around.
Ashley called me back in less than
15 minutes after checking with
the staff — and as Grace would
frequently say, “BINGO.” The
BMW dealership was “storing the
marker.”
But why, I wondered. It wasn’t
their property, and it wasn’t right.
I felt like the “Little Engine
That Could’ and kept pushing
forward to make the right
connections. The historical
marker agencies were previously
told that the employees of the
dealership had no idea about
the location of the marker. They
offered no encouraging news, and
no one wanted to make waves or
rattle the system.
I continued my uphill search
to find the right person. After
some research, I discovered that
the owner of the dealership had
authored books and spoke about
“unlocking your past to create a
better future.”
I watched an interview and
read about the owner’s books
to gain an understanding of his
position on “success.” The owner
spoke about a humble approach
while climbing the ladder to a
better life. I thought this owner
might be sympathetic.
But lo and behold, after speak-
ing to the general manager of the
dealership several times, I seemed
to be spinning my wheels. I tried
reaching the owner, to no avail.
Regrettably, no one followed up
on my requests to “do the right
thing.” Some stories end happily,
and some don’t — this one is
in limbo. After seven months
of exploring the possibilities
of restoring the marker in the
community, I pushed the pause
button.
I may never get the chance
to take photos with the Grace
Elementary School Marker and
walk in the steps that my mother,
Grace, took 100 years ago. I put
my best foot forward — who
knows what the future may hold?
Hopefully, my dream will come to
fruition. The clock is still ticking.
Jerry Naftaly is the former mayor of Oak
Park.
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