Synchro first gear or not, the transmission gears should stop turning soon (2-3 seconds with a cold gearbox)) after dis-engaging the clutch due to internal friction and gear lube viscosity.
There may be some normal 'clicking' sound (and feel) as the gear teeth engage while the tranmission gears slow down after dis-engaging the clutch. Old-timers used to non-syncro 1st gears usally (by habit) will engage 2nd gear prior to 1st gear to stop the gears (I do it).
If this is what you experience, it is normal. If by 'grinding' you mean you cannot get it into gear without really forcing it and get a real 'grind/clash' something is very wrong. It is hard to explain what is 'normal' on a discussion board.
By personal experience, I had the same problem with one of my farm tractors (no synchro in ANY gear) where it would take forever for the the gears to stop turning. I thought I had a pilot bearing problem, but it turned out to be the wrong grade of gear oil in the transmission. I had drained it and refiled it with 90W, should have used 90-145. When I put the correct gear oil in the problem went away.
One last thought; if you can depress the clutch, shift into 2nd, then into 1st with no proplem, I'd say everything is OK. If you had a pilot bearing/clutch problem, as soon a you took the transmission out of 2nd, the gears would immeadiatly speed back up give you the grinding - again, I've had that problem with a disintegrating clutch disc.
