# Frederick Bridges

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{{Short description|(1840–1904) educationist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
'''Frederick Bridges''' (1840–1904) was an Australian educationalist and former chief inspector of schools.

== Early life ==
Born in [Windsor, New South Wales](/source/Windsor%2C_New_South_Wales) on 2 February 1840, Bridges was brought to [Sydney](/source/Sydney) as an infant.<ref name="Trove2">{{cite news |title=Death of Mr. Frederick Bridges. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127656496 |work=[The Scrutineer and Berrima District Press](/source/The_Scrutineer_and_Berrima_District_Press) |date=19 November 1904}}</ref> He was the son of a Scottish-born [stonemason](/source/stonemason) brought to [Sydney](/source/Sydney) by [John Dunmore Lang](/source/John_Dunmore_Lang) and his wife.<ref name="Anu1">{{cite journal |last1=Burns |first1=R. J. |title=Bridges, Frederick (1840–1904) |journal=[Australian Dictionary of Biography](/source/Australian_Dictionary_of_Biography) |date=1969 |volume=3 |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bridges-frederick-3053 |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University}}</ref> He was educated at the [Fort Street Model School](/source/Fort_Street_Public_School) and was one of its first pupils.<ref name="Trove1">{{cite news |title=Mr. Frederick Bridges. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/162172087 |work=[The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser](/source/The_Sydney_Mail_and_New_South_Wales_Advertiser) |date=15 August 1891 |page=364}}</ref>

== Educationalist work ==
Bridges became the first [pupil-teacher](/source/pupil-teacher) trained by the [Board of National Education](/source/Board_of_National_Education) who was a man. He began to work for the Board in 1852 and after four years became an assistant in Sydney schools. He became the headmaster of Balmain Public School in 1861, of [Mudgee High School](/source/Mudgee_High_School) in 1863, of [Cleveland Street Intensive English High School](/source/Central_Sydney_Intensive_English_High_School) in 1865, and of Fort Street Model School in 1867. He remained at the last of these until his appointment as a school inspector in 1876. He was the inspector of schools in [Wellington](/source/Wellington%2C_New_South_Wales) and [Bathurst](/source/Bathurst%2C_New_South_Wales). In 1884, he became the deputy chief inspector; in 1889, superintendent of technical education; in 1894, chief inspector of schools and under-secretary in 1903.<ref name="Anu1" />

During his tenure, state aid for [religious schools](/source/religious_schools) was revoked, the education system became more centralised, and state provision was given to secondary and technical education. Although involved in these branches, Bridges was mainly focused on public elementary education.<ref name="Anu1" />

At a conference in April 1904 discussing a report made by Sir [George Handley Knibbs](/source/George_Handley_Knibbs) and [J. W. Turner](/source/J._W._Turner) on the educational system, he opposed several resolutions which were designed to replace the pupil-teacher system with one of [pre-service teacher education](/source/pre-service_teacher_education); however, this was passed without consent among conference voters.<ref name="Anu1" />

== Death ==
On 16 November 1904, Bridges died of diabetes.<ref name="Anu1" /> His funeral was attended by many in the profession<ref>{{cite news |title=THE LATE MR. FREDERICK BRIDGES. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/237853009 |work=[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph_(Sydney)) |date=18 November 1904 |page=5}}</ref> and a memorial was later erected in his honour in [Gore Hill Cemetery](/source/Gore_Hill_Cemetery).<ref name="Trove3">{{cite news |title=THE LATE MR. FREDERICK BRIDGES. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236845042 |work=[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph_(Sydney)) |date=21 April 1906 |page=15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Frederick Bridges |url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/education/display/96344-frederick-bridges |website=Monument Australia |access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[Eucalyptus bridgesiana](/source/Eucalyptus_bridgesiana)'', named after Bridges
* [Arthur Bridges](/source/Arthur_Bridges), son of Frederick

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Frederick}}
Category:1840 births
Category:1904 deaths
Category:19th-century Australian educators
Category:20th-century Australian educators
Category:Schoolteachers from New South Wales
Category:People educated at Fort Street High School
Category:Colony of New South Wales people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frederick Bridges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Bridges) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Bridges?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.