need some info on former schools

**sheryl** · August-23-13, 01:04 PM

Hi all. Was wondering if anyone can help me. I am curious to know what has become of my former schools. I grew up on the west side [[Grand River & Oakman--on Ohio to be exact.) I attended Parker Elementary. Last time I was in MI [[3 years ago) we took a drive [[and a prayer!) through the old neighborhood. The school was still there. Is it still? I also bypassed Drew Jr. high and instead went to Ford. I don't remember the exact streets, but the vicinity of Hubbell and W. Chicago. Still standing? That was in the early 70's. Because of the changing from Jr. High to middle schools, went to Brooks [[roughly St. Marys and Chicago?) Is it still standing? Finally to Cody, which I see is still in business, although a somewhat different format. My family moved out of our beautiful old house [[which is no longer standing, sigh..) in 1976, after I graduated. Guess with all the press Detroit is getting, I have a renowned curiosity. Thanks!

**gazhekwe** · August-23-13, 07:48 PM

Drew was at Wyoming and Chicago. They tore down Puri-Test to build it. I don't know if any are still standing.

**SMRJim** · August-25-13, 04:18 PM

I don't know if you use Facebook or not, but there are a couple of groups there where people may know the answer to your questions. There's one for people who grew up in the 48227/48228 neighborhoods, and someone there would surely know about Brooks, and likely Ford as well. There are plenty of people there who grew up east of that area somewhat, so someone may know about Parker too. There's also a group for people who grew up near Grand River and Greenfield, many grew up east of there, someone there may know about Parker. I grew up right by Grand River and Greenfield and went to St. Marys of Redford for 1-12, Edison for K. I know a lot of people who went to Cody in the mid-late 70s and a few of them went to Brooks. I took drivers ed at Cody in 76, played a little bit of baseball over at Stoepel #2, which was right next to Our Lady Gate of Heaven and very close to Brooks. They had a 'reunion' picnic for people who went to Cody in the 70s back in July at Nankin Mills in Hines Park, I went since I know many of those folks. It was organized through Facebook, there were about 400 people who showed up, and they're planning on doing another one next July.

**gazhekwe** · August-26-13, 06:26 PM

We drove by Parker yesterday evening. It is still standing but there are some broken out windows in the back on the main building, and all the portables are open to the elements. The neighborhood has some good spots and a lot of prairie. DH used to walk to Parker along Orangelawn and he was able to find some of the houses he remembers from the walk. He even remembers the names of the people who lived there and what kind of car they drove.

**sheryl** · August-26-13, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

We drove by Parker yesterday evening. It is still standing but there are some broken out windows in the back on the main building, and all the portables are open to the elements. The neighborhood has some good spots and a lot of prairie. DH used to walk to Parker along Orangelawn and he was able to find some of the houses he remembers from the walk. He even remembers the names of the people who lived there and what kind of car they drove.

Thank you guys for the replies/info. I walked to Parker along Plymouth Rd. The neighborhood makes me both sad and tired.

**Barbara_10** · September-02-13, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by sheryl

Hi all. Was wondering if anyone can help me. I am curious to know what has become of my former schools. I grew up on the west side [[Grand River & Oakman--on Ohio to be exact.) I attended Parker Elementary. Last time I was in MI [[3 years ago) we took a drive [[and a prayer!) through the old neighborhood. The school was still there. Is it still? I also bypassed Drew Jr. high and instead went to Ford. I don't remember the exact streets, but the vicinity of Hubbell and W. Chicago. Still standing? That was in the early 70's. Because of the changing from Jr. High to middle schools, went to Brooks [[roughly St. Marys and Chicago?) Is it still standing? Finally to Cody, which I see is still in business, although a somewhat different format. My family moved out of our beautiful old house [[which is no longer standing, sigh..) in 1976, after I graduated. Guess with all the press Detroit is getting, I have a renowned curiosity. Thanks!

I went to Parker 1942-50. It closed last year [[for the second time, I heard). No more than two weeks ago, a fire started there, but was put out promptly so the school is still standing.

**SMRJim** · September-02-13, 05:36 PM

Someone posted in Facebook that they drove by where George Ford was and it is gone [[I"m assuming this is the Ford you mentioned, they said it was by Marlowe or Lauder, which are just west of Hubbell), and someone else posted that Brooks is also gone.

**SMRJim** · September-02-13, 08:28 PM

Whoops, had some misinformation. I guess Brooks is still there, but is now called Henderson Academy.

**sheryl** · September-02-13, 09:14 PM

Thanks so much for the info. No wonder I couldn't find any mention on the internet! I did the Google Earth on my old 'hood [[48204.) Serious urban prairie. I should have gone to Drew Middle and McKenzie. I actually transferred out of Drew after about a month or so after having a knife pulled on me in the bathroom. Ah, the memories....hehe.

**sheryl** · September-02-13, 11:39 PM

St. Marys of Redford..my early teenage crush went there. His family owned a used car lot on the corner of my street.

I checked out Facebook and saw some pics posted from the 70's picnic. Looked like a lot of fun! I live in MD, just about 20 miles s. of DC. Don't get back "home" very often.

**msamslex** · September-04-13, 10:00 AM

Drew is now a special education school. I believe it was scheduled to be closed at one time but was changed to spec. ed., I'm not sure when that happened. Mackenzie was closed several years ago, torn down and rebuilt. Now it's K-8 I believe. Both Barton and McFarlane closed a few years ago and now those students go to the new Mackenzie.

All the schools I went to have closed. Started off at Angell before we moved, went to Barton, Drew and Mackenzie. I don't know what year Angell closed.

**SMRJim** · September-05-13, 03:51 PM

Sheryl, who was the 'crush'? There's a decent chance I knew them or someone from the family. I lived two short blocks away from the school and went there all 12 years [[I graduated in 78). They closed St. Mary's HS in 92, but it was almost immediately re-opened as Detroit CMA and is still going strong as far as I know. The grade school closed in 2008 and has been vacant since. The church is still open, but not sure how much longer that will last - I'm amazed it's lasted this long.

**sheryl** · September-05-13, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by SMRJim

Sheryl, who was the 'crush'? There's a decent chance I knew them or someone from the family. I lived two short blocks away from the school and went there all 12 years [[I graduated in 78). They closed St. Mary's HS in 92, but it was almost immediately re-opened as Detroit CMA and is still going strong as far as I know. The grade school closed in 2008 and has been vacant since. The church is still open, but not sure how much longer that will last - I'm amazed it's lasted this long.

It was Tommy Law. His family owned Law Motor Sales on the corner of Grand River and Ohio. He was either my age or a year older. He probably graduated in '75 or '76. I know he had other siblings. What a blast from the past!

**SMRJim** · September-08-13, 05:17 PM

I knew Tommy, not well though. I think he was in my sister's class [[76) at St. Mary's. I get those Law families mixed up, there were three or four of them at St. Marys. Kathy was in my class, he's either her brother or cousin. Vince Law owns the business these days, I think it's in Livonia. Saw Vince at a golf outing last week. I know the guy who runs the repair shop at Law Auto.