Edith Cowan University Research Online ECU Publications Pre. 2011 1976 Documents on Western Australian education 1830 - 1973 B. T. Haynes (Ed.) Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks Part of the History Commons Haynes, B.T., Barrett, G.E.B., Brennan, A.E., & Brennan, L. (Eds). (1976). Documents on Western Australian education 1830 - 1973. Claremont, Australia: Claremont Teachers College. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this document may contain references to people who have died. This Book is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks/6785 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. DOCUMENTS ON WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION 1830-1973 B.T. HAYNES :no .9941 G.E.B. BARRETT DUC A. BRENNAN L. BRENNAN DOCUMENTS ON WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION 1830 - 1973 THEMES FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIAN· HISTORY A Selection of Documents and Readings B.T. HAYNES, M.A., B.Ed. (Hons) (Lecturer in Education, Claremont Teachers College) G.E.B. BARRETT, B.A., B.Ed. (Lecturer in Social Science, Claremont Teachers College) A. E. BRENNAN, B.A., A.L.A.A. L. BRENNAN, B.Ed., M.A. (W.A.), D.Phil. (Sussex) (Lecturer in History, The Fl inders University of South Australia) CLAREMONT TEACHERS COLLEGE KNOW THYSELF ~ of State Budget Sch:Jol St<:~te DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION spent on education Population Population 32;( 225,000 1,125,000 30;( 2JO,OOO 1 ,oco,ooo 26% 175 ,O:JO S75,000 State Population 26% 1SC,liJD 75C,COO Government School Population 24% Private School Population 125,000 625,CGC % Spent on Education 22% I. 1' L_, 800 s,_;c,ooo j 20\( 75,000 375,0SO J 1 6;( . .60, OD 31JG 0iJO I 9 16% ./ L!S ,ODC 225,00C _,t--­ ...----7 14\( / . 3G, OGO 1 5C,OOO __ / /./ 12% /. 20,000 100,000 / /_.. / 10% --------- ...... ---- . 1 o,ooo so, 000 .,--/ - / !1/ B% /'-.-' 5,000 25,000 I __ .,...-.·-·-! 6% ....._.F_" . / ,-1 .-·-·- 2,000 1 o,ooo .-e:::=--~~/ '-...:._----- / • 4% /. 1 ,ooo 5 ,ODD - ' '-..,...-·- _./· 2% .......... /· 500 2,500 1960 1970 1829 1840 1850 1860 1670 1880 1690 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 Source: Statistics from W.A. Year Books and Annual Reports of W.A. Education Department. Compiled by E. Haynes and produced by E.F. Allan., No part of this bo~k may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the editors except as permitted by the Copyright Act, Requests for permission should be addressed to the Claremont Teachers College, Princess Road, Claremont, 6010. Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a book. 1st Edition ISBN 0 9599111 4 6 By the same authors in the series "Themes from Western Australian History: A Selection of Documents and Readings" "W.A. Aborigines 1622-1972" Printed by Claremont Teachers College, Goldsworthy Road, Claremont, Western Australia 6010. First Edition July 1976 (Working Draft) PREFACE This volume is the second in the series, Themes from Western Australian History - A Selection of Documents and Readings. It is the first volume published by Claremon't Teachers College. The research and general editing of the material in this book was divided in the follmving manner: G.E.B. Barrett was responsible for the period up to 1878, A.E. and L. Brennan for the period 1879-1929 and B.T. Haynes for the period 1930-1974. The arrangement of the documents is broadly chronological but where a succession of documents occurred on the one topic some rearrangement was made to ensure continuity. The text of the documents is rendered as in the original. The editors wish to thank Miss Medcalf and the staff of the Battye Library, Mr. C. Fraser of The Teachers Union and Mr. C. Cook and Mr. M. Lake of Claremont Teachers College for their advice and assistance which enabled this book to be published. The editors gratefully acknowledge the Battye Library for permission to reprint material in this book. B.T. Haynes G.E.B. Barrett A.E. Brennan L. Brennan INTRODUCTION Reflecting the general lack of concern for education in the 1820's,the plans for the Swan River Settlement contained no scheme for the establishment of schools. Both nature and man mitigated against the early creation of a viable education system. The concentration upon the problem of survival meant that there were few resources for schools, while child labour played an important role in the economy, The land grant system together with poor soil resulted in a dispersed settlement which made the provision of schools expensive. Without resources, the District Boards were incapable of providing education and this, together with the Government administrative structure ensured the early establishment of a centralized education system. The centralized educational administration and the cost of education in remote areas, have remained features of the educational history of the colony and state. The Government which today exerts a controlling influence on education, played a minor role in the early lean years of the colony \vhen many families had to appeal to the Governor for sustenance. At that time a number of individuals set up schools, some as a source of livelihood and others for idealistic motives. The first great impetus to educational development, however, was the missionary activity of the Roman Catholic Church which spurred the Government to create National Schools for the defence of the Protestant faith. In 1871 the Government granted assistance to church schools and through payment by results were able to control the pattern of academic education in non-government schools, This system broke up over the teaching of religion in assisted schools and after 1895 the Roman Catholics financed their system from their own financial resources. It was not until after· 1955 that substantial state aid was again accorded to church schools. A form of control was exercised over non-Government schools in the intervening period because of the dominance over secondary education by the Public Examinations Board. After Cyril Jackson became the professional head of the Education Department in 1897, Government school policy was dominated by a series of strong personalities who follmved him in this position. The most important means of formulating changes in Government school policy since World War II has been by reports from Departmental committees, sometimes outside representation, which were established to investigate a particular aspect of educational policy. A further important development during the twentieth century has been the growth of the influence of the State School Teachers' Union on both the industrial and professional aspects of government education policy and practice. The provision of education over the period became more egalitarian, like Australian Society as a whole. The first major stage in this process was the establishment of a system of elementary education catering for most children by the end of the 19th century. This was followed by the development of secondary education, which from the 1870's had been the privilege of the children of wealthy parents. This took place in the early years of the century, a period which saw great economic growth, the employment of Cyril Jackson and Cecil Andrews as Directors of Education, and the increasing influence of the Western Australian Labour Party. But secondary education was available only to academically gifted children and those who could afford to go to private schools. Tertiary education also first developed in the early years of the century, but this was available to only a small number of students. Between the wars, educational developments were very limited and were, in the main, aimed at maintaining the system in a period of increasing Commonwealth control of Government finance and economic difficulty. The third stage has occurred since 1945 with the development of comprehensive high schools, availability of Commonwealth Scholarships for tertiary and, later, secondary students and the promise of a wider range of tertiary education. This has extended the educational opportunities of the bulk of the population. Education for minority groups, ethnic, disadvantaged and disabled, has until recent years been left as the responsibility o£ ecclesiastical, socially-concerned or philanthropic groups. Since the Second World War and complementary to a rapidly expanding population Hhich took costs beyond the means of most charitable groups, the Corrm1omvealth has accepted an increasing responsibility in this area. From the entry of the Commonwealth into the Income Tax field. in 1915, educational policy has been increasingly dependent upon the provision of Commonwealth finance to the State. For a long time the Commonwealth extended a negative and indirect influence through depriving the state of funds, and it has only been since \vorld War II that the Commonwealth role in W.A. education has been direct and positive. 1 1. GOVERNMENT EDUCATION: THE INITIAL ATTEMPT Note: Little is known about this first attempt at formal schooling except that it was conducted by one John Cleland~ a carpenter~ who soon after returned to his trade. June 28th, 1830. GOVERNMENT NOTICE: Note is hereby given that a Colonial School will be opened in the Church on Monday morning at nine o'clock the 5th July by Mr.