The last two decades of the 19th century were a period of heightened economic activity. Certain individuals amassed great fortunes in mining and various industries. Education benefited in several ways from the philanthropy that resulted. Religiously based private colleges received endowments that assured their continued developments. In Australia, the term college, especially when referring to private schools, is what Americans identify as a high school, or, more specifically, a private high school or academy. During this period of largesse, there occurred a major expansion of Presbyterian and Methodist Ladies Colleges (private high schools). Accompanying this educational expansion at the college level was also a growth of the grammar school.