Education Pre-1945

• • Government did not provide education in the colonies
• 1825 schools estate corporation charter gave 1/7th of all land in the colony to the Church of England and its schools
• • Church of England could no longer be the ‘state’ church of NSW
• • 1862 - Public institutions act withdrew funding from churches, religious leaders had to fund schools alone
• • 1880- Public instructions act introduced by Henry Parkes abolished funding to denominational education
• • State now provided education that was ‘compulsory, free and secular’ (Public School)
• • Catholics struggled to support their local schools because of lack of government funding
• • Public schools were condemned by catholics as teaching future immorality and lawlessness as they did not provide religious education
• Fr John Therry


  1820's fought for the right to teach

  1822 set up 2 catholic schools in parramatta and Sydney
• Mary Mackillop


  Co-founded the Sisters of st Joseph who were devoted for caring and teaching disadvantaged children in SA

  Worked with Fr Julian Tenison

  In 1870- 20 schools, orphanages and children refugees run by Sisters of st Joseph