Foundation of public institutions for secondary education in Tasmania

The period with which this paper deals is that prior to the establishment of responsible Government in Tasmania, and thus includes the early part of Sir William Denison's Administration, as well as the Administration of those Governors who immediately preceded him.
Before proceeding to consider the actual formation of these Institutions, we will first discuss the objects the founders were aiming at. It is first necessary to consider the educational state of the Colony at the time of their labours, and also prior attempts to found similar institutions. The Colony of Van Diemen's Land, as it then was, had a large convict population, which was yearly increased by the transportation of convicts from England.To raise the social status of this community, the Government—and the different Churches—had systems of primary schools which, though admittedly inefficient, were doing useful work.Secondary education received no Government help at all, there were no public grammar schools, but a few private schools were conducted by various gentlemen, some of which, considering the educational facilities available to them, reached a satisfactory standard, whilst others certainly could not lay claim to even this distinction.