HISTORY OF SPRINGVILLE GRIFFITH INSTITUTE

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What is now known as Springville Griffith Institute was originally the Springville Academy. With its inception in 1830, it became the first high school in all of Erie County. The name was changed in 1867 after a substantial donation to the school by Archibald Griffith. Twelve years later, the school's graduation class reached an all new level; 10 people graduated, a far cry from the 1993 graduating class.

It was not until 1943 that the next significant advancement came to Griffith Institute; centralization was finally completed, 34 districts in nine towns were united. Griffith Institute and Central was now New York States’ largest geographical school district. In the mid 1950's a portion of the Collins Center School District was also added to the Springville School District. The district now borders the Arcade, Orchard Park, Hamburg, Holland, Eden, Gowanda and North Collins school districts; encompassing approximately 150 square miles.