"I have another duty, equally sacred, a duty to myself " Dora: A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen,1879 1. Welcome to Our Foremothers - "Here is one story ..." 2. First Owners 3. Sara and Sheyda Rimmer 4. Smythesdale Goldfields 5. The Egalitarian Idea 6. A Fair Go 7. Going Backwards 8. Running Free 9. Women Were Not Quiet 10. Building Peace at Home WW1 11. A World Not Fit For Heroes 12. Another War - WW2 13. Howard's Way - the 1950's 14. A Life Well Spent Our Foremothers is published by
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On this page: KOORIE STORY - Resisting Oppression Louisa Briggs (1836 - 1925)
SOCIAL STORY: Enlightenment thinking: Our family was typical of those who came here at that time. They came from a worldview influenced by:
1. Protestant Thinking:
(I am not sure the amount of credit given to John Wesley and the “primitivism” of the 18th century compared with the 19th century shows the whole picture, though. Many ordinary people “fuelled” these movements. The 18th century provided a lot of science as well as convict colonies.) 2. Enlightenment Thinking: This produced protections such as Aarticle 116 of the Australian Constitution, when it was written: The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth. Another example of Enlightenment Thinking:
(Her ideas so worried the government that in 1793, France The editorial policy of the local paper the Grenville Advocate also shows these influences. It seemed to be Methodist yet it argues, for example, for a free press, which is an example of enlightenment thinking.
Education Sarah was eight when the Education Act 1872 brought the world first centralised model of free, compulsory and secular education for primary school children. Within a few years nearly every primary school age child was at school, even though they were often kept home when needed. The Education Act - Free, Compulsory and Secular Education EDUCATION ACT 1872 (Vic) The new system was based on principles of secular, compulsory and free education. Religion was a source of conflict to be avoided in the new government school system, so government schools were to be secular with no teaching of religion. Schooling was compulsory and children were required to attend school both because literacy and numeracy were a way to the common good, and because educated citizens were essential to self-government. Education was free, because it served the public benefit. www.foundingdocs.gov.au All state aid to religious denominational schools ended in 1874. It was not brought back until the 1960 ’s. I don’t know what formal education Sarah had, or if she had any at all. Before she eight (when Free, Compulsory, and Secular Education came in) there were usually only two options for schooling for girls - girl’s Industrial Schools or private, usually religious schools, including Dame Schools - small private schools run by women, often in their homes . At the Industrial School girls were taught to be servants. They were often institutions run by churches or other philanthropic bodies, and could also be orphanages as Charlotte Bronte described in Jane Eyre. The conditions were often cramped and unsanitary, disease was endemic. Girls could be severely punished for the slightest so-called offence. The Melbourne Immigrants Home was turned into an industrial school for girls. At private schools girls were taught to be ladies. They didn’t seem to be getting a good education, either. In My Brilliant Career, Miles Franklin described them as if the schools were more interested in the student’s morals and their manners than they were in their education. Miles was only sixteen when she wrote the book. The book Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay depicts girls’ private schooling in those days as boring and out of touch with their lives. This was possibly unfair as some women passed, with honours, the difficult university entrance exams. For example, Miss Clanchy, the chemistry teacher of at least one of Sarah's children, went to Presbyterian Ladies College on scholarship and then on to Melbourne University. |