Page 6 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

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E DUCAT I 0 N

Right from the very origin of Australia, Education was given
an important standing. The instructions issued to the first Governor
· Phillip contained the direction that 200 acres near every township should
be reserved for the maintenance of a school-master. Although there were
children in the "FIRST FLEET", no teacher was sent with that fleet. Even
though concern was shown by succeeding Governors, Phillip, Hunter and King,
there does not seem to have been any organised education accomplished.
Records show that there were 1000 children in the COLONY by the year 1800.
However, Governor Bligh in a communication to the ·Home Office in February
1807 , states: -

"At present we are doing all in our power to educate the
children, having nearly 400 of them under tuition in the
different parts of the colony".

Church schools commenced as early as the efforts_ of the Rev.
Richard Johnston in 1793, when he built in Sydney a church, which could
be used for religious services on Sundays, and as a school on other days.
As the settlement expanded, the clergy, aided by State Grants, tried to
provide a Parish School for each church, where children were instructed in
reading and writing, to read the bible, and to study the catechism according
to the Church of England. These early clergy, also supported by early issues
of the "Sydney Gazette", urged the education of the young, in order to
rescue them from the evil influences of their convict parents, and to
prepare the young for their eternal salvation. To these clergy, the
purpose of literacy was to learn the way to eternal knowledge. Knowledge
was to be encouraged as a foe to vice, not foremos~ as the means of learriing
a trade.

Macquarie's era as Governor, (1810-1821 ), had a large influence
on opinions and outlooks in THE COLONY. He favoured the policy of the ·
"Emancipists", in that long-tried, good conduct and reformation of manners
amongst convicts and ex-convicts would lead them back to the ranks of
society.