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Story: Weekends

Sunday school certificate, 1900

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Sunday school certificate, 1900

Mary McKenzie was awarded this certificate in 1900 by the Otago Sunday School Union, recognising her performance in the annual examination. Sunday schools provided serious religious instruction, but also an opportunity for children to meet and socialise. For adults, church attendance was also both a religious and a social event. When going to church or Sunday school people always wore their 'Sunday best' clothes, reflecting the importance of the occasion.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-B-RELIGION-C-1900-01

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Peter Clayworth, Weekends – Origins of the weekend – the Sunday sabbath, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/39775/sunday-school-certificate-1900 (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Peter Clayworth, published 30 November 2012.