This badge was used by Hester Clara Darby, teacher at the Ballarat School of Mines. Hester joined the staff of SMB as an assistant to senior Commercial classes in April 1916. On 01 February 1921 she was appointed a lecturer in Commercial Correspondence and Office Routine. She taught the 'Touch' Method of typing, Commercial Correspondence, Shorthand and Office Routine. Tertiary education at Ballarat began with the establishment of the School of Mines in 1870, making it Australia's third oldest tertiary institution. Classes began in surveying, mathematics, chemistry and a decade later they included metallurgy, assaying and geology. The technical division provided such programs as wool classing, plumbing and bricklaying. In 1967, it was split into three separate institutions, Ballarat School of Industries, Ballarat Technical School, and Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education. Then in 1976 the Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education became into Ballarat College of Advanced Education. The Ballarat School of Industries and Ballarat Technical School became the School of Mines and Industries, Ballarat (SMB). In 1998, the Ballarat School of Mines and Industries and the Horsham-based Wimmera Institute of TAFE merged with the University of Ballarat. The university merged with Monash University's Gippsland (Churchill) campus in 2013 and the merged schools are now the Federation University AustralialBallarat School of Mines Badge made of gold coloured metal with blue and green enamel.On face - Ballarat School of Mines, Ingenio Effodere Opesballarat school of mines badge, badge, coat of arms, hester clara darby, hester darby

Hester Clara Darby joined the staff of the School of Mines, Ballarat (SMB) as an assistant to senior Commercial Classes in April 1916. On 01 February 1921 she was appointed a lecturer. She taught the 'Touch' Method of typing, Commercial Correspondence and Office Routine. During the war years Hester Darby, still teaching at SMB, worked as the honorary stenographer to the Ballarat Area Office. She was working in this capacity when troops from USA were billeted in Ballarat. After 41 years Hester Darby retired from the position of Typewriting Instructress in the Commercial Department in 1962.smb, ballarat school of mines, commercial classes, lecturer, touch typing, commercial correspondence, office routine, 1921-1962, world war 2, honorary stenographer to area office, usa troops billeted in ballarat