The titles ‘Schools of Arts’, ‘Mechanics’ Institutes’, ‘Institutes’ and ‘Athenaeums’ are synonymous and refer to the institution established originally in Scotland in the 1820s. Its aim was to provide instruction for tradesmen such as builders, stonemasons and metalworkers who were known as mechanics.   Lectures were delivered in the mathematical and scientific principles which applied to their work. The age-old system of craftsmen’s guilds was not appropriate to the changes in scientific and industrial skills required by the industrial revolution. In the 1800s education for mechanics was seen not only as a means of improving productivity but also as a means of self-improvement and social change. Up to this time education was often regarded a social grace enjoyed by wealthier members of society.

The Australian colonies welcomed the concept of institutes as a means of improving the cultural life of the community. The interest of mechanics in the early lectures was short-lived, possibly because they were not included in the administration and policy making, or because alternative educational opportunities became available. Instead, people were attracted to the libraries and cultural activities which institutes provided. Interestingly, however,  it was the institutes which were to provide the technical classes which grew into the technical education of the 20^th century.

The first institute was established in Hobart in 1827. It is significant that, in keeping with the Scottish origins of the movement, James Ross, a Doctor of Laws from Aberdeen University, lectured the founding members on topics which included engineering, mechanics and steam engines. It was left to the Reverend John Little to venture into more esoteric topics such as ‘Perception of the Beautiful’.

The Scottish clergyman, Dunmore Lang, was a strong advocate of emigration to the colonies. His ambition was to establish the ‘Australian College’ in New South Wales, and accordingly convinced another Presbyterian clergyman and educator, Reverend Carmichael, to accompany a group of 52 Scottish mechanics on the Stirling Castle which set sail in 1831. Using specially organised workbooks he instructed the more able mechanics each day in economics and mechanics.

The institute movement spread widely throughout all the colonies. Governor Bourke in New South Wales took the initiative in the establishment of Sydney’s school of arts in 1833 under the guidance of Reverend Carmichael. The explorer Major Mitchell was elected as the president of the committee whose first task was the selection of a site for the building. The institute provided library facilities and activities including lectures, debating and essay writing: 250 lectures were delivered in the first ten years on topics covering engineering, mechanics, natural sciences and the arts. Significantly, very little attention was paid to agriculture on which the colony’s economy was based.

Melbourne’s first Mechanics’ Institution was founded in 1839 with Captain William Lonsdale as President and Charles Latrobe, the Superintendent of Port Phillip, as patron.  Once again Presbyterians played an active role. The present building at 188 Collins Street was completed in 1842 and housed the Melbourne City council until the completion of the Town Hall in 1852.  A structured educational program was introduced in 1856 and in following years classes were held in mathematics, physics, chemistry, French, Latin and English. Instead of attracting mechanics however they were attended by clerks and shopkeepers, and classes were discontinued after 1862. The name was changed to Melbourne Athenaeum in 1872. The library was a major attraction and the hall was popular for dances and film screenings. Over time the building housed a small museum and art gallery and the theatre was created in its present form in 1921.

As a planned colony of free settlers, South Australia, Governor Gawler established the first institute in 1839 on instructions from the Board of Commissioners in London. However activities were delayed by a recession and eventually the South Australian Library and Mechanics Institute was founded in 1848.

The institute movement commenced in Queensland in 1849, with the establishment of a school of arts in Creek Street. This subsequently moved to premises in Ann Street. Another school of arts was established in South Brisbane and other schools of arts shortly sprang up in regional towns.

In Western Australia the first three institutes opened in Perth, Fremantle and Albany. The Swan River Mechanics’ Institute established in 1851 offered a library, museum and weekly discussion groups on a wide variety of topics excluding religion and politics.  It refused membership of ex-convicts but they were accepted by the Fremantle Institute.

The procedure for the establishment of schools of arts followed a similar pattern. Usually an advertisement was placed in a newspaper to attract interest in a public meeting. A constitution was drawn up, committee elected and a site chosen for a building. Very often the government would grant land for the site. Membership was organised by subscription. Although they differed in character from place to place, institutes aimed to achieve similar goals: the intellectual improvement of members, the diffusion of scientific, literary and other useful knowledge, the recreational amusement of members and cultivation of their taste.

Throughout the 19th century, social and economic changes influenced the relevance and importance of mechanics’ institutes and schools of arts. The original philosophy of education for mechanics was short lived. It was superseded first by a move towards lectures with popular appeal, and then by activities with recreational emphasis. The influx of population with the gold rushes produced dramatic changes in Australian society, and the educated gentry never again enjoyed their privileged influence. Other changes in the 1850s such as the eight hour day for some trades allowed more leisure time for workers. Although their role was changing, the formation of schools and institutes continued unabated well into the nineties. The lending library had become a very important attraction by this time. The Alexandra and Yea Standard reported the great celebrations when the mechanics’ institute and free library opened in Alexandra, Victoria, in 1883. The following year a nearby group of Healesville residents met to collect books and work towards a building suitable for a library, lectures and fund raising activities.

In addition the institutes formed the nucleus of technical education as we came to know it. William Carpenter established his Technical Art School in Hobart’s Mechanics’ Institute and this went on to form the foundation for the Hobart Technical College. Similarly art and design classes organised by the South Australian Institute were the forerunners of technical education in South Australia. In Victoria, several mechanics’ institutes established schools of design which were integrated into the future education department. Queensland schools of arts made a particularly significant contribution to the evolution of technical education as explained in another section.

Queensland’s schools of arts and South Australia’s institutes continued to attract members well into the 20th century, but in other states there was a general decline in their popularity by 1920. Some became war memorial buildings, others tried to regenerate by introducing pool rooms. However the libraries remained active in many towns and formed a solid base for the free public library system.

Today many local institute buildings continue to serve as community halls. Victoria and New South Wales have associations which help local committees and interested people appreciate the history of the buildings, and regenerate community pride and use of the facilities.