Souvenir of the Jubilee of Free Education, Victoria, 1922

After more than a decade of effort, the Victorian government wrested control of the colonial school system from religious denominations, and passed the Education Act 1872. The legislation made Victoria the first Australian colony (and one of the first jurisdictions in the world) to offer free, secular and compulsory education to its children. This souvenir was produced during the 50^th anniversary celebrations of free education.