Prior to 1913, Griffith area families had small schools on or near their properties.
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After the start of the irrigation scheme, more schools were needed.
The first school was at Bagtown, south west of Griffith, opening on May 12, 1913 under the name of the Griffith Provisional School.
In February 1915, the Bagtown School was replaced by the Jondaryan Public School. The building had two schoolrooms. Two years later, the Yoogali School was gazetted. It opened in a tent in November 1917, in the middle of a five-acre school reserve. This was a provisional school and became a public school in 1919.
Griffith Public School began in a tent also as Wickham's Camp Provisional School in early 1920, about 30 students attended, and by July 1920 the school was using the Lyceum Theatre in Banna Avenue.
The number of children quickly increased and a school was built and opened in 1921 to accommodate 200 students. Griffith High School started in the primary school premises in 1921. It became an intermediate high school in 1929. By then, it was realised there was a need to build a high school for secondary students. A foundation stone was laid on March 1, 1933 and Griffith High School was established in July 1939.
Yenda School began in a tent in 1920. It was set up where St Therese's School now stands and was officially opened on August 12 with 22 pupils. A few weeks later, enrolments increased to 103 and another tent was erected. A windstorm blew up during the break-up party in December. Pupils enjoyed an extended vacation and returned to school on July 7, 1921 to a new two-room school.