Centenary of State Secondary Education

Historical Background

In 1872 education became compulsory for all Victorian children aged six to 15 but there was no separate provision for Secondary education in Victoria until 1905. The Education Act of 1872 set out a course of free instruction, which covered subjects such as reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, drill (gymnastics where practicable) and needlework. Children paid for extra subjects. Latin, French and German cost one shilling weekly; natural science, geometry, algebra and trigonometry cost sixpence; while measuring and bookkeeping cost threepence.

In 1901 The Royal Commission of Enquiry into Technical Education provided the inspiration for the creation of Victoria’s first government secondary schools. The commission found pupils were not prepared for courses in Victoria’s technical colleges and schools of mines so it was recommended that continuation classes be established to ‘bridge the gap’.

In 1904 Frank Tate, Director of Education, raised the possibility of the state providing secondary education. Tate saw an extension of the primary school system as intrinsically linked with the industrial and economic success of Australia. He proclaimed that instead of throwing out "a few ropes from the upper storey to accommodate a few selected scholars", Victoria must provide "broad stairways for all who can climb".

On February 15, 1905, the Melbourne Continuation School at Spring Street opened. In the next five years a number of secondary schools opened in rural regions.

1907 Warrnambool Agricultural High School

(later Warrnambool High School)

1907 Bendigo Continuation School (later Bendigo High School)

1907 Sale Agricultural High School (later Sale High School)

1907 Ballarat Continuation School (later Ballarat High School)

1909 Shepparton Agricultural High School

(later Shepparton High School)

1909 Wangaratta Agricultural High School

(later Wangaratta High School)

1910 Geelong Continuation School (later Geelong High School)

1910 Castlemaine High School

Many of the new secondary schools in rural areas had a strong agricultural focus, and they often had a school farm. Tate’s plan was for most of the preliminary training to be taken over by high schools and higher elementary schools. Technical schools were to focus on their own "special function of technical training".

In 1910, Education Act no. 2031 - effective from January 4, 1911 - officially provided for the establishment of a state secondary school system which incorporated high schools, higher elementary classes and schools, central schools, domestic arts schools and a departmental technical school system. The act gave official sanction to secondary courses and vocational courses offered at the continuation schools and agricultural high schools already operating in Victoria.

1n 1910 University Practising School (later University High School) opened.

In 1912 the first departmental technical schools opened at West Melbourne, Collingwood and Sunshine. Also in 1912, the Melbourne Continuation School became Melbourne High School. In 1927 the boys from the school moved to a new school in South Yarra while the girls moved from the Spring Street site in 1931 and, as Melbourne Girls’ High School, occupied temporary accommodation at Government House. In 1934 the girls’ school became Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School at new premises in Albert Park.

In 1913 total enrolments at 22 high schools across Victoria had reached almost 3000 pupils.

In 2005 more than 260 Government Secondary Schools throughout Victoria are educating more than 220,000 students.