Historical information

Students at the Ballarat Teachers' College would sing the songs in the songbook regularly.

The Ballarat Teachers' College was established after the Victorian State Government and the State Education Department decided to establish two provincial teachers' colleges, at Ballarat and Bendigo. On 04 May 1926 W.H. Ellwood (Principal), Miss A. Bouchier, and Mr A.B. Jones, welcomed the first enrolment of 61 students to undertake the one year course.
In 1927 the College moved to the former Ballarat East Town Hall in Barkly Street, which was remodelled for their use. It closed in December 1931 due to the Great Depression.
In 1946 Ballarat Teachers' College reopened and relocated to the Dana Street State School. The building used by the Teachers' College was the original bluestone building facing Doveton Street South. It was originally planned to open as a women's college, for whom the residence at 130 Victoria Street was purchased, but the decision was made to admit resident men from Ballarat.
Mr T.W. Turner was appointed as Principal in 1951 and directed the introduction of a two year course for the Trained Primary Teachers' Certificate. The former one year course was terminated at the end of 1951.
In 1958 the College was relocated to a custom built facility at Gillies Street, in close proximity to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Numbers increased with the introduction of the Trained Infant Teachers' Certificate course under the guidance of Mary Egan.
With the introduction of a three year Diploma Course in 1968 accommodation became cramped. The introduction of the Diploma of Teaching (Primary) led to the Trained Infant Teachers' Certificate being discontinued in 1969, and the end of the Trained Primary Teachers' Certificate in 1969. Secondary Art and Craft students began studies at Ballarat Teachers' College in 1969 under Mr Ted Doney.
In 1971 Mr D. Watson was appointed Principal. The State College of Victoria was proclaimed by Order in Council on 24 July 1973, and Ballarat Teachers' College became a constituent college of the State College of Victoria, and was known as State College of Victoria, Ballarat. By 1975 the College moved to Mount Helen as part of the Ballarat College of Advanced Education. Pre service teachers currently undertake their studies on the Mount Helen Campus of Federation University. ("Ruffians Attempted to Carry of the School Tent: A History of State Education in Ballarat", 1974, p73-4.)

Physical description

2 blue covered Ballarat Teachers' College Books, 1) Handbook of rules and songs. 2) Songbook.

Inscriptions & markings

Inside front cover 'Monica Miller' autographs in inside book pages from the reunion on 1. 9. 1960 of BTC 1930