Figure 1.--Here we see the Standard 4 class at the Milson School in Palmerston North City during 1969. The boys wear casual clothes with a few uniform items. Many are barefoot. The girls wear dresses. This was the general pattern at New Zealand schools during the 1960s. |
The basic New Zealand approach of allowing primary children to wear their own casual clothes continued in he 1960s. Exceptions here were the Catholic schools and private schools. Boys a most state primary schools wore a wide range of casual clothes. A few might wear school uniform items. Many of the boys were barefoot. This was especially true at rural schools, but many city schools as well. Girls in the early 60s mostly wore dresses, but by the end of the decade we see girls wearing short pants and other casual clohes as well. Many girls also came to school barefoot, but some what less commonly than the boys. When the children moved to secondary schools they began wearing British-style uniforms.
