๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ again to EVERYONE who donated to help completely fund this program for Griffith’s 3rd graders!
Our presentations and field trip days were a complete success, and this week, we’ll be sharing some of the THANK YOUs written by the 3rd graders to our volunteers who ran the event, and to YOU, who donated and made this program possible for EVERY 3rd grader to enjoy!
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ! ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ!
Our goal was accomplished thanks to YOU!
The Griffith Historical Society is proud to announce that participation by Griffith Public Schools third-grade classes in the Societyโs ElmerJ Program this coming September has been totally underwritten by donations from our members, Griffith Public School graduates, and others.
The two books and the cost of the bus for the field trip to our Griffith Historical Park will be free for all students!
The ElmerJ Program, named for town founders Elmer and Jay Dwiggins, was instituted in 2022 by the Griffith Historical Society to help students learn about the history of their town, which is part of their Social Studies curriculum. The program includes an introductory, in-school PowerPoint presentation, after which each class gets a guided tour of the Depot, railcars and Tower at the Griffith Historical Park.
Two books on railroad and Griffith history, created by the Society, are given to the students, as well as primary-source stories of growing up in Griffith, written by the grand-daughter of the townโs first settlers.
This is the first year we asked for donations to underwrite the ElmerJ Program, and we are so grateful to our members, GPS graduates, and others for their donations. From the beginning, Griffith townspeople cared about schools and the children who attended them, and it continues today. 
An Appeal to Griffith Historical Society, Inc. Members,
Every now and then an opportunity arises where we can contribute to the education of young students in Griffith. We have that moment this coming September.
All Griffith third-grade students since 2022 participate in a week-long Historical Society activity entitled, The ElmerJ Program, which provides historical information about our town as part of the schoolโs Social Studies curriculum.
The students see/hear an in-class PowerPoint presentation about the founding of Griffith, complete with photos and maps. This is followed by a school bus trip to our Historical Park, where each class receives a guided tour of our Depot, railcars and Tower.
While the presentation and tours are done at no cost by Historical Society members, there is a fee for the bus and for the two paperback books pertaining to Griffith history that are part of the program.
Last year, 8 classes โ 161 third graders โ participated, and the school anticipates a similar number this year. The cost last year for the book and the bus came to $7, but these costs may rise some this year.
To make sure that no student misses out on learning about their town, we are trying to fund the cost for all students through extra donations from our Members.
If you’d like to help, please, can you send a donation to:
Griffith Historical Society, Inc.
201 N. Griffith Blvd. #3
Griffith, IN. 46319
Or through our online donation link (click here).
Thank you,
Martha Gatlin, Director
Read about last year’s field trip here.
Left: GHS Secretary, Karen Kulinski, talks to students about our Pullman Troop-sleeper railcar.
Right: Railroad history comes alive when a train passes by.
For the second year in a row, we hosted Griffith Public School students as part of our ElmerJ Program, wherein we work with schools as they teach town history, part of the 3rd grade Social Studies curriculum.
The program involves a presentation on Griffith History to the classes in their classroom, and a tour of the Historical Park. This year eight classes participated, with 161 students.
Students receive books on Griffith history written for young people, as well as primary source stories about early Griffith and other historical information.
We are grateful to members Nancy Stout, Karen Kulinski, Debby Hoot, John and Valerie Wotkun, Fran Evans, Marthann Gatlin, Claudia Powell, Victoria Fane, Toni Rickert, Belinda Stark.
Special thanks goes out to Officer Alex Ascolani, from the Canadian National Railroad Police, for providing Operation Lifesaver coloring books and coming out to the Park to talk to the children about train safety.
We are also grateful to the Griffith Park Department for bringing picnic tables up to our Park for us to use.
Griffith History Museums 