1935 - Zoning system proposed for Junior Technical Schools

Summary

In 1935 the Minister for Education, Dr. Harris, proposed a zoning system for Junior Technical Schools. The Melbourne Technical School was asked not to allow any boys from the districts of Footscray, Williamstown, Brighton, St. Kilda, Caulfield, Dandenong, Mordialloc, Camberwell, Box Hill, Glen Iris, Northcote or Heidelberg to be admitted (Argus, 11 December 1935, p. 21; SER-09907l, 16 December 1935, p. 1606, RMIT University Archives). The head master of the junior school, Mr T. P. Phelan, convened a protest meeting in light of the changes (Age, 12 December 1935, p. 10). After a meeting of the Council of the Melbourne Technical College on 16 December 1935, the Council decided to write to the Department of Education to request a conference to consider the scheme (SER-09907, 16 December 1935, pp. 1608-1609 and 1615-1617, RMIT University Archives; Age, 17 December 1935, p. 12). Protests against the zoning system, including those by parents of school children affected by the system, carried into the following year (Argus, 29 April 1936, p. 8). Despite the opposition, zoning was applied to junior technical schools (Murray-Smith and Dare, 1987, p. 214).

Archival Resources

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives

  • Working Men's College / Melbourne Technical College Council Minutes 1932 - 1936 - No. 7 22 August 1932 - 14 December 1936 1216-1735, 1932 - 1936, Item no. SER-09907, Series S0602; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details

Published Resources

Books

  • Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987. Details

Newspaper Articles

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Technical Education: Many Boys Cannot Enter Central School', The Argus, 11 December 1935, p. 21. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11863463; 'Technical Education: Proposed Zoning Scheme', The Age, 17 December 1935, p. 12. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203888058; 'Zoning Technical Students: West Melbourne Stir', The Age, 12 December 1935, p. 10. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203887385; 'Zoning Supported: Technical Schools in Melbourne', The Argus, 29 April 1936, p. 8. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11030735; Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987; Working Men's College / Melbourne Technical College Council Minutes 1932 - 1936 - No. 7 22 August 1932 - 14 December 1936 1216-1735, 1932 - 1936, Item no. SER-09907, Series S0602; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives.

Created: 26 November 2021, Last modified: 10 December 2024