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Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney
Subjects
Education and Research
Education
Adult education

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Adult education

Subject

Carmichael, Henry

Selfe, Norman

Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts

Sydney Technical College

Technical and Working Men's College

The School of Arts movement

The Workers' Educational Association in the post-war era

The foundation of the Workers' Educational Association Sydney

University of Sydney

Australian Highway

Doorway to Knowledge

Technical Education and New South Wales University of Technology Act 1949

Engadine Literary Institute hall

WEA Newport (David Stewart Summer School)

Australasian Home Reading Union

Balmain Workingmen's Institute

Board of Technical Education

Cleveland Street Intensive English Centre

Department of Technical Education

East Sydney Technical College

Institute of Technical and Adult Teacher Education

Lawson Mechanics' Institute

New South Wales Board of Adult Education

Reading Society

Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts

Sydney Technical College

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute Ultimo

Technical Education Branch

Technical and Working Men's College

Workers' Educational Association Sydney

Atkinson, Meredith

Carmichael, Henry

Crowley, Desmond W

Mansbridge, Frances

Selfe, Norman

Stewart, David

Tyler, Peter John

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute Ultimo Campus

Artists Rosaleen Norton, Roy Dalgarno and Eric Maguire during rest period of drawing class at Sydney's Studio of Realist Art (SORA), in George Street 1948

Artists Rosaleen Norton, Roy Dalgarno and Eric Maguire during rest period of life drawing class at Sydney's Studio of Realist Art, in George Street, March 1948

Back garden drama tuition at the WEA summer school, Newport 1949

Catalogue of the WEA Central Lending Library June 1946

Cigarette card featuring coat of arms of Workers' Education Association of Australasia, Sydney 1929

Commander Keith Wake, president of WEA Sydney, outside WEA House c1971

Cover of first issue of the WEA Sydney's magazine 'Australian Highway', March 1919

David Stewart c1950

David Stewart, founder of WEA in Australia, discussing WEA activities with organiser Stan Bollard 1949

Elaine Witton teaching calligraphy class at the WEA Sydney 1990

First gathering at WEA Newport Centre, 19 October 1924

Key is lowered to latecomers to WEA evening class in a city building 1949

Lloyd Ross with WEA Sydney class studying Trade Unionism, 1949

Meredith Atkinson 1919

Model and artist Rosaleen Norton poses for Hal Missingham's advance drawing class at the Studio of Realist Art (SORA) in George Street, March 1948

Painting class at WEA Summer School at Newport 1971

Reverse of cigarette card with WEA Sydney coat of arms 1929

Teaching of Sex Hygiene, July 1920

The Lending Library at WEA headquarters, Albert Street, Sydney 1949

WEA Secretary Peter Tyler on the television program 'Doorway to Knowledge' c1962

WEA Summer School at Newport 1957

WEA marine biology weekend, Newport 1929

WEA tutor Griet Hesse with students at WEA House c1989

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Adult education

Carmichael, Henry

Reverend, educationist, winemaker and activist, Henry Carmichael influenced education and public life in the colony for 30 years.

Selfe, Norman

Engineer, naval architect, inventor, urban visionary and advocate of technical education, Norman Selfe was one of Sydney's most energetic and civic-minded citizens. His vision for Sydney included a harbour crossing decades before the Harbour Bridge was built, and an independent system of technical education long before the advent of TAFE. During his lifetime, his efforts were not successful, but many of his innovative ideas were later realised.

Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts

Founded in 1833 on the model of Scottish Mechanics' Institutes, the SMSA sought to provide further education for working men through lectures, classes and a library. Many of Sydney's foremost intellectuals, inventors and innovators were associated with it, and it influenced the development of both the University of Sydney and technical education in New South Wales. It still provides a library and lectures to Sydneysiders in 2009.

Sydney Technical College

From its beginnings as an adjunct to the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, Sydney Technical College provided the technical skills needed for Sydney's industrial development, as well as accessible and affordable higher and further education for Sydney's working people.

Technical and Working Men's College

Established as a joint enterprise by the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, the Trades and Labour Council and the Engineering Association, and run by the School of Arts, Sydney's first technical college opened its doors in 1878. Its immediate success with students, despite financial and physical difficulties, proved the need for systematic technical education in the city.

The School of Arts movement

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, about 140 schools of arts or mechanics' institutes were established in Sydney by volunteers. They were independent community organisations, assisted by a small government subsidy, and they thrived as centres of local community life. Today, their legacy in Sydney is more than just the surviving buildings. Out of these humble voluntary operations developed the local public library, the modern community or neighbourhood centre, and formal systems of adult and technical education.

The Workers' Educational Association in the post-war era

The Sydney Branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) was founded with a democratic structure that enabled it to thrive in the postwar era and meet shifting community and government expectations of adult and continuing education, while remaining relevant and independent, into the twenty-first century.

The foundation of the Workers' Educational Association Sydney

The Sydney branch of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA Sydney) is one of Australia’s oldest and most prominent provider of continuing education for adults. It began in 1913 as a joint undertaking by the trade union movement and the University of Sydney to build a progressive organisation committed to enabling adult working people to gain a liberal education. Throughout its history it has been non-partisan and non-political, despite significant pressure from both within and without, and student-directed. The WEA's democratic structure has provided it with a strong foundation to meet shifting community and government expectations of adult and continuing education and to remain relevant in the twenty-first century.

University of Sydney

Legislation to incorporate and endow the University of Sydney was passed in 1850 with the first professors arriving in 1852 followed by a cohort of 24 candidates later that year. In 2016, the university has more than 53,000 students, supported by more than 3,500 academic staff in 16 faculties, and boasts the largest university library in the southern hemisphere.

Australian Highway

full record »

Official journal of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) in Australia, published in Sydney.

Doorway to Knowledge

Adult education television program produced by the WEA Sydney and the University of Sydney and broadcast on Channel 9 between 1960 and 1964.

full record »

Technical Education and New South Wales University of Technology Act 1949

Act establishing a Technical Education Advisory Council to advise the Minister for Education.

full record »

Engadine Literary Institute hall

Community hall opened by the Engadine Literary Institute in 1931 that also functioned as a cinema and dance hall. Also known as the School of Arts. Constructed in fibro, it was enlarged in 1945 and demolished in 1973.

full record »

WEA Newport (David Stewart Summer School)

full record »

Residential centre or holiday camp established by the Workers' Educational Association Sydney branch at Newport on Sydney's northern beaches in 1924 for summer schools. The site was described in 1924 as 'the crest of a gentle slope overlooking Newport beach and within five minutes walk of Pittwater', The cost of the buildings was 7000 pounds, with much of the work done by the association's General Secretary David Stewart. When not in use by the WEA, the centre was used for conferences and meetings by other organisations. After his death in 1954, the centre was named the David Stewart Summer School. By the early 1970s the buildings had fallen into disrepair and despite plans for upgrades, in 1976 the site was sold.

Australasian Home Reading Union

Group founded to further adult education through guided reading.

full record »

Balmain Workingmen's Institute

Early workingmen's educational association, formed to provide education and entertainment in the Balmain area, which met in the Oddfellows' Hall before its own building was completed.

full record »

Board of Technical Education

Independent body formed to administer technical education in the colony.

full record »

Cleveland Street Intensive English Centre

School established to provide intensive English language tuition for newly arrived migrant students. Since 1977 it has provided tuition for over 10,000 students from over a hundred countries.

full record »

Department of Technical Education

State government department established in 1949 to administer technical education.

full record »

East Sydney Technical College

Originally an annexe to Sydney Technical College, it operated independently between 1955 and 1996 when it became the National Art School.

full record »

Institute of Technical and Adult Teacher Education

Part of Sydney College of Advanced Education which, on that institution's disestablishment, was transferred to the University of Technology, Sydney

full record »

Lawson Mechanics' Institute

Community organisation founded to provide education and recreation to Lawson's workers.

full record »

New South Wales Board of Adult Education

New South Wales government organisation responsible for adult and continuing education that was established in the 1970s.

full record »

Reading Society

Early self-education society founded in 1822.

full record »

Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts

full record »

The oldest School of Arts in Sydney was founded to provide further education for working people and has done so since its inception in 1833.

Sydney Technical College

full record »

The hub of Sydney's technical education system for more than 70 years, which became Sydney's largest educational institution, offering courses ranging from Mechanical Drawing to Natural Philosophy.

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute Ultimo

Vocational and industry based training college at Ultimo

full record »

Technical Education Branch

State government agency of the Department of Public Instruction which administered technical education for six decades.

full record »

Technical and Working Men's College

Sydney's first technical college, which grew out of the lectures at the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, and flourished for four years before the colonial government took over technical education.

full record »

Workers' Educational Association Sydney

Sydney branch of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA Sydney), a not-for-profit adult education organisation originally founded in England in 1903 to provide ongoing education for working people. It began in Sydney in 1913 as a joint undertaking by the trade union movement and the University of Sydney and continues to offer a broad range of adult education programs.

full record »

Atkinson, Meredith

full record »

English academic and supporter of the Workers Educational Association movement in Australia.

Carmichael, Henry

full record »

The Reverend Henry Carmichael was a Scottish minister, teacher and educationist who was a founder of the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. He moved to the Hunter Valley in 1838, where he pioneered viticulture in the colony.

Crowley, Desmond W

Director of Adult Education at the University of Sydney who campaigned for lifelong education using modern technology and communications.

full record »

Mansbridge, Frances

One of the founders, with her husband Albert Mansbridge, of the Workers Educational Association in England.

full record »

Selfe, Norman

full record »

Engineer, designer and activist, whose visionary plans for Sydney's harbour crossing and education system were not realised until after his death.

Stewart, David

full record »

One of the founders of the Workers' Educational Association in Sydney (WEA Sydney) in 1913, and the organisation's General Secretary from 1913 until his death in 1954. He was also a member of the Commonwealth Advisory Committe to UNESCO.

Tyler, Peter John

Administrator and historian who published in the areas of public administration, medical history, and the construction industry.

full record »

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute Ultimo Campus

Campus established close to the industrial heartland of Ultimo and Pyrmont on the edge of the city in 1891. The purpose built facility was also the headquarters for the statewide technical education system until 1959.

full record »

Artists Rosaleen Norton, Roy Dalgarno and Eric Maguire during rest period of drawing class at Sydney's Studio of Realist Art (SORA), ...

full record »

By

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

(Mitchell Library)

Artists Rosaleen Norton, Roy Dalgarno and Eric Maguire during rest period of life drawing class at Sydney's Studio of Realist Art, ...

full record »

By

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 001/Item 007]

(Mitchell Library, Courtesy ACP Magazines Ltd.)

Back garden drama tuition at the WEA summer school, Newport 1949

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[PIX, Vol. 23 No. 13 (24 September 1949), p24, via Trove]

Catalogue of the WEA Central Lending Library June 1946

full record »

Contributed By

Cigarette card featuring coat of arms of Workers' Education Association of Australasia, Sydney 1929

full record »

By

W.D. & H.O. Wills

Contributed By

Private collection

Commander Keith Wake, president of WEA Sydney, outside WEA House c1971

full record »

Contributed By

Cover of first issue of the WEA Sydney's magazine 'Australian Highway', March 1919

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

(Mitchell Library)

David Stewart c1950

full record »

Contributed By

(From EM Higgins, David Stewart and the W.E.A. (Sydney, 1957), frontispiece)

David Stewart, founder of WEA in Australia, discussing WEA activities with organiser Stan Bollard 1949

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[PIX, Vol. 23 No. 13 (24 September 1949), p23, via Trove]

Elaine Witton teaching calligraphy class at the WEA Sydney 1990

full record »

Contributed By

First gathering at WEA Newport Centre, 19 October 1924

full record »

Contributed By

Key is lowered to latecomers to WEA evening class in a city building 1949

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[ PIX, Vol. 23 No. 13 (24 September 1949), p22, via Trove]

Lloyd Ross with WEA Sydney class studying Trade Unionism, 1949

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[ PIX, Vol. 23 No. 13 (24 September 1949), p23, via Trove]

Meredith Atkinson 1919

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[The Lone hand, 25 October 1919, p5 via Trove]

Model and artist Rosaleen Norton poses for Hal Missingham's advance drawing class at the Studio of Realist Art (SORA) in George Street, ...

full record »

From left: Eric Maguire, Mrs Elliott, Nancy Aldag, Constance Adnam, Nancy Thom, Roderick Shaw, Helen Thurgate, Heber Williams. Standing at easel with Missingham is studio secretary Bella Morris.

By

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 001/Item 007]

(Mitchell Library, Courtesy ACP Magazines Ltd)

Painting class at WEA Summer School at Newport 1971

full record »

Contributed By

Reverse of cigarette card with WEA Sydney coat of arms 1929

full record »

By

W.D. & H.O. Wills

Contributed By

Private collection

Teaching of Sex Hygiene, July 1920

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[The Australian Highway, July 1920, back cover, ML 370.62/A ]

(Mitchell Library)

The Lending Library at WEA headquarters, Albert Street, Sydney 1949

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[ PIX, Vol. 23 No. 13 (24 September 1949), p27, via Trove]

WEA Secretary Peter Tyler on the television program 'Doorway to Knowledge' c1962

full record »

Contributed By

WEA Summer School at Newport 1957

full record »

Contributed By

[From EM Higgins, David Stewart and the W.E.A. (Sydney, 1957)]

WEA marine biology weekend, Newport 1929

full record »

Contributed By

WEA tutor Griet Hesse with students at WEA House c1989

full record »

Contributed By

Education