Historical information

Margaret Baker enrolled as student 295 on 2 August 1875 and attended seven lectures in applied magnetism and electricity. She was one of the first women to attend classes at Ballarat School of Mines (SMB). Women had only been admitted to the school for telegraphy courses in 1874.
There appeared to be some concerns that the courses in magnetism and electricity were not associated with mining. They were not mentioned in the annual reports of 1875-76 which commented that: 'The objects of The School of Mines are, to provide means of instruction in all things pertaining to mining, and to examine into the qualifications of persons engaged in mining.' By 1879 the Council proposed securing the services of competent lecturers in Geology, Mineralogy, Electricity and Magnetism,