Schooling
When Macquarie arrived in New South Wales, children comprised more than a third of the colony’s population. Schools had been established since 1793, but they were unable to cope with the growing numbers of children. Macquarie’s support for educating the children of convicts was consistent with his liberal views, but he may also have seen it as a means of preventing future crimes.
In 1810 there were four schools, growing to 17 by 1817, established in Sydney, Parramatta and other settlements in the colony, with teachers formally employed by the government. In line with his support for religious attendance, Macquarie was also an enthusiastic supporter of Sunday schools.
Macquarie established the colony’s first school for Indigenous children, intended to educate them for jobs as farm workers and domestic servants. By allowing the children only limited contact with their families, Macquarie hoped they would become accustomed to living in white society. He never appreciated or understood that becoming servants for European households at the cost of losing their families held few, if any, attractions for the children and their parents.