Ora Lynn Smith, is the namesake of OL Smith Middle School.
Born in Union City MI, Mr. Smith was orphaned at age 10.
He served as a teacher for many years in Indiana before getting his law degree at the University of Michigan. Smith was elected prosecutor in Gratiot County before eventually being selected as an Assistant Attorney General of Michigan. He ended up resigning that role and moving to Dearborn in 1927 to form a private law practice. However, not much later he was appointed as a federal prosecutor.
While working as a prosecutor, Smith served on the Board of Education for the old Dearborn School District #7. Serving as an attorney on their behalf, he was an instrumental in the drafting of Michigan legislation to permit the consolidation of contiguous school districts. This eventually made possible the merger of Fordson and Dearborn District #7 in 1944.
Smith passed on 11-18-1941
OL Smith school was dedicated in his honor in 1954.
