In the early years of the 20th century adequate technical education was lacking and became a focus in the Victorian Parliament. After much debate and discussion among politicians and educationalists, the 1910 Education Act No 2301 was passed, making possible the establishment of new technical schools to address the dearth of skilled trades people. In July 1912 Collingwood Technical School opened in the modified bluestone buildings at 35 Johnston St, originally built in 1853 as the Collingwood Town Hall and Court House. Within three weeks, there were 57 boys enrolled - studying preliminary carpentry and pattern-making, plumbing, engineering, sheet iron work and bricklaying. They attended two hours a night on three evenings a week. In 1913, the school opened its doors to juniors and took residence in new permanent buildings erected on the site. It was classified as a trades school by the State Education Department. Two years later courses in electrical wiring and electrical and mechanical engineering were introduced. In 1988 Preston College of TAFE and Collingwood College of TAFE merged to become Northern Metropolitan Institute of TAFE (NMIT). (http://victoriancollections.net.au/organisations/northern-melbourne-institute-of-tafe)Red soft covered book of 60 pages. Contents include: List of President, Council and staff, constitution, aim of the school, scholarships, evening classes, advice to parents, Railway fares, tram fares, free travel, general rules for students. syllabus of work, evening work. Images include carpentry class, Bricklaying, plastering and Turning & Fitting classcollingwood technical school, collingwood, tafe, nmit, northern metropolitan institute of tafe, carpentry, bricklaying, plastering, turning and fitting

Preston Technical College Staff Newsletter: Cheque Mate. Later issues indicate this was produced by the Information Services Unit. A4 size, pages stapled together. Copies held: 12/7/1979 (1st issue) – 9/8/1979, then15/2/1981 – 8/11/1984 preston technical college, newsletters, school magazines, staff, nmit.

Timber trophy shaped as a shield on a timber stand. Across the top of the shield is written 'St.George's Dragons vs Albert's Knights. In the centre is a set of cricket stumps and a cricket bat and around the outside are six silver shields engraved with details of each year's winners. Four are completed with 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981; two shields are blank. preston technical college, trophy, cricket competition, nmit

Black and white photograph of students in Cadets uniform marching along the street, with band at the rear. Another group of Cadets is marching on the left towards the main group. Undated, but based on the registration number of the car in the background, this probably dates c1960s, possibly 1970s.preston technical college, students, cadets, nmit

Two metal circular tokens with PTC and three digit number stamped into the metal. One is numbered 267 the other 274. Probably Preston Technical College gym locker tokens dating from 1970s.preston technical college, artefacts, gym locker tokens, nmit

Black and white photographs of Preston Technical College (Girls school) Forms of 1964. From Form 1 to Form 4. See also separate record for Sports Teams, Choirs, and other groups for the year.preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, classes, nmit

Black and white photograph of Preston Technical College (Girls School) Form Captains of 1965preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, form captains, nmit

Black and white photographs of Preston Technical School (Girls School) School Choirs of 1964 preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, choirs, nmit

Black and white photographs of Preston Technical College (Girls School) Forms and Sports Teams. preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, classes, nmit

Black and white photographs of Preston Technical College (Girls School) staff of 1964. preston technical college, preston girls technical school, staff, nmit

Black and white photograph of the Preston Technical College (Girls School) Form Captains of 1970preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, form captains, nmit

Black and white photographs of Preston Technical College classes of 1971. preston technical college, preston girls technical school, students, classes, nmit

Black and white photograph of the Preston Technical College 1965 Football team which won the Metropolitan Technical Schools' Premiership Cup sent electronically by a past student, member of the team, Ian Sinclair. Also copy of a photo from the school magazine and an article about the team.preston technical school, students, football teams, nmit

Colour photographs of Preston Technical College staff of 1978 and of 1979.preston technical college, staff, nmit

Three black and white photographs of the Preston Technical College Mothers Club lunch of 1977preston technical college, mothers club, nmit

A number of Plumbing tools dating from 1880s-1970s and used in teaching at Collingwood Technical School then also at Preston Technical School and at Northern Metropolitan College of TAFE's Heidelberg campus. Includes: Kerosene blow torch X 2 (1930s-); Stillson Grips; Pipe Cutter; Mash hammer; Adjustable spanner X 3 different sizes; Caulking tool; 5 way tee, 2X3 way tee, 4 way tee (1930s-); Old Handmade lead traps (student work) X 2; Metal tool tray holding; Offset adjustable spud spanner; Pear shaped lead working mallet; Bossing tool for lead work (1880s-1920s); Soldering iron (1920s-); Set square; Large screwdriver; Also Plumbing texts: • Problems for elementary physics, new rev. edn., by Thomas Tasker and Alexander Boden, Science Press, Sydney, 1966. • Gasfitting. Printed and published by McCarron Bird Pty. Ltd. [Melbourne] • Trade science for plumbing apprentices, Education Dept. Victoria, 1954 • Sanitary Plumbing and water supply, Dept. of Labour • Gasfitting, produced by members of the Colonial Gas Association Limited, Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria, and the Technical Division of the Education Department of Victoria. Rev metric edn. 1976 • Mechanical world year book 1953, Manchester Emmott & Co., 1953 collingwood technical school, preston technical school, northern metropolitan college of tafe, plumbing tools, plumbing texts, nmit

Preston Technical School changed its name to Preston Technical College in 1964. This pennant reflects this change of name.Triangular Yellow felt pennant with PTC Logo on the left side and PRESTON T.C. in blue letters across the pennantpreston technical college, school pennant, nmit,

Preston Technical School opened in 1937. Magazines held include 1951-1960. The school changed its name to Preston Technical College and magazines held for this entity range from 1963-1967. Preston Institute of Technology: Girls' section magazines for 1968 and 1969. Boys' section 1968 held.The school magazines present a record of each year's school events such as staffing, programs, outings and includie student writings and drawings, reports and photos of events and teams. Preston Technical School: 1951 issue consists of 48 pages, with a drawing of the school building on the front cover. Preston Technical College magazine 1963-. From 1964 the cover image changed to a graphic image of Kupper's sculpture which stood in the foyer of the WJ Baker Memorial Hall. Preston Institute of Technology: Girls' section, and Boys' section also has the sculpture image on the cover. Electronic copies of PTS magazine (editions 1953-1956) have been scanned and available on CD.preston techinical school, school magazines, preston technical college, preston institute of technology, nmit

Framed Photograph of PTS Football team 1951 - Inter Technical School Premiers 1951Memebers all listedpreston technical college, football team 1951, classes, students, student records, nmit,

Also held is copy of an article written by Margaret Harrison about the Wayne Stuart's construction of a Grand Piano, and reference to the construction in Music and the Teacher v18 no.3 September 1992. Also 4 photos of the grand piano being constructed. Photo A 'Sand cores being positioned to cast the largest piano frame made in Australia. L-R Charles Schaefer, Production Supervisor, T.Main & Sons, Wayne Stuart, Piano Maker, Werner Stephan, Manager, John Williams Patterns. (from Music and the Teacher 1992).Spiral bound book of 167 pages, ACMIT edition, First published 1993.ISBN 0646143131preston technical college, course book, piano technology course 1993, wayne stuart, nmit.

Spiral bound report of 37 pages by Earle and Partners, 1976preston technical college, library resource centre, architectural design report 1976, nmit.

Photo album Library Network and College Bookshop. 1991 – 1992. Including Mobile library, Library orientation at Collingwood, Library orientation at Preston, Staff farewell, Opening day at Horticulture, Christmas morning tea, Setting up at Epping, Epping campus opening, Heidelberg 1992Contains photographs of functions at the NMCOT libraries including the opening of the Epping Campus library.Floral covered photo album containing photographs and articles relating to the library network at NMCoT. Also loose photos of library staff and events during the 1990s, including Collingwood, Epping, Greensborough and Heidelberg campuses. Also red-covered album of photos and newspaper articles of the Epping campus library from 1992 to 2010. Also loose photos and 2 small albums of photos of Greensborough campus library 1994-2006northern metropolitan college of tafe, nmcot, library, bookshop, epping, greensborough, nmit