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Story: Adult education

Poster for evening classes, 1855

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Poster for evening classes, 1855

In 1855 John Pearse, the secretary of the Wellington Athenaeum and Mechanics' Institute, advertised for young men to meet at the institute hall to discuss the value of evening classes and which topics might be of interest. These institutions were the domain of men.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: E-455-f-046

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

Kerryn Pollock, Adult education – Beginnings of adult education, 19th century, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/46601/poster-for-evening-classes-1855 (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 2 June 2015.