Figure 1.--This boy wears a new style cap adopted to protect the children while playing outside in the bright sun. Both boys and girls wear the same "French Legionaire style cap when out to play. It is like a baseball cap with a broad bill and a cloth in the back to protect the neck. |
Virtually all New Zealand schoolboys, like their British counterparts, wore peaked caps as recently as the 1950s. Caps began to become less common in the 1960s. Both state and private secondary schools once required them. A great variety of colors were used. As the fashion of wearing caps and hats wained, school caps began to disapear in the 1960s. By the 1980s only a handful of private schools still required them. The primary change in past few years is that most schools have discontinued the once common school caps. As in Britain, traditional school caps have disappeared in New Zealand, except at a few private preparatory schools. While caps are still not commonly worn, many New Zealand schools have now begun to rethink the cap question because of the hole in the ozone layer and increasing levels of solar radiation. Many schools are attempting to inform the students and parents about the dangers of over exposure to the sun. Caps are not, however, generally very popular with students. Bicycle helmets were once a rarity. Saftey approved helments are now a legal requirement in New Zealand for all students who cycle to and from school. The schools insist on them. The Police will stop a child who is no wearingone and give them a stern lecture. Even at home while playing, children almost always wear them.
Virtually all New Zealand schoolboys, like their British counterparts, wore peaked caps as recently as the 1950s. Caps began to become less common in the 1960s. Both state and private secondary schools once required them. A great variety of colors were used. As the fashion of wearing caps and hats wained, school caps began to disapear in the 1960s. By the 1980s only a handful of private schools still required them. The primary change in past few years is that most schools have discontinued the once common school caps. As in Britain, traditional school caps have disappeared in New Zealand, except at a few private preparatory schools.
Most schools have simply dispensed with caps as part of the school uniform. This was the predominant trend by the 1980s. We note one school which adopted a cap similar to American baseball caps. This does not seem to have been a major trend. We are not entirely sure just how common American baseball caps were. We notice a few boys wearing baseball caps, but we only noticed it as a part of the school uniform at one school.
While caps are still not commonly worn, many New Zealand schools have now begun to rethink the cap question because of the hole in the ozone layer and increasing levels of solar radiation. Many schools are attempting to inform the students and parents about the dangers of over exposure to the sun. One school (Shirley Boys' High) sponsors "SUNSMART WEEK". The aim of this week is to promote awareness of the dangers of the sun, which can cause skin cancer. The school recommends, "Parents can help with this awareness by using the week as a good excuse (or a timely reminder) to discuss the issue with their family. Leading by example is also recommended as adults are at risk too and many of us did not have safe practises when we were younger." One key issue here is that people who have Melanoma can be treated very successfully if it is detected early, but that after treatment these people need to curtail many of their outdoor activities they may want to do in the future. New Zealanders have traditionall enjoyed outdoor activities in the open sun. Its is proving difficult to convince young people of the dangers.
Caps are not very popular with students, especially the boys. Boys are known for some rather rough treatment of their clothes. This seems especially the case for caps. The old style peaked caps were particularly unpopular. Some sunmart caps were not very popular either. One school had a kind of foreign legion cap with back flaps. It was worn by both the boys and girls. The boys did not care for it at all. The baseball caps that children are wearing at some schools seem much more amenable.
Only a few schools required caps a few years ago, mostly private prepatory schools. Now more and more schools are promoting caps. Some prep schools require them. Many secondary schools are making them an optional part of the uniform. The regulations about caps, however, are quite varied at New Zealand schools. The most common approach is to make headwear optional, but to ban all but the regulation headwear.
Middleton Grange: Sunhats are now compulsory. It is very frustrating as a staff to have to deal with a number of children daily who do not have school uniform hats or have no hats at all!!! A few children are regularly without hats! Be SUNSAFE!
Rotaura Boys' High School: A monogrammed school cap is optional for students.
St George's: One school (St. George's) has adopted a cap with cloth flap at the back to protect the neck. Several schools sponsor events to help popularize caps. One school holds a special event on NATIONAL HAT DAY. The school has a `Hats' mufti day with a competition for the largest and smartest sunhat. It is not a day for beanies or other mufti items only hats. The cost will be 50 cents which will be donated to the Cancer Society.
"Remember - SLIP SLOP SLAP It would be great to see all students bringing some sunscreen cream to school to wear at lunchtimes and during sport over the summer months. 11:00am to 4:00 pm is the most dangerous time for people to be unprotected in the sun."
St. Mary College: The girls at St. Mary's wear a black cap for physical education.
Takapuna Grammar: Regular navy blue cap with school logo. NO OTHER CAPS/HEADWEAR MAY BE WORN.
Bicycle helmets were once a rarity. Saftey approved helments are now a legal requirement in New Zealand for all students who cycle to and from school. The schools insist on them. The Police will stop a child who is no wearingone and give them a stern lecture. Even at home while playing, children almost always wear them.
