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Story: Sport and society

School cutlass drill, 1900

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School cutlass drill, 1900

These pupils at College Street School in Palmerston North are practising military drill. During the South African War (1899–1902), and in the years afterwards, it was believed to be more important to train primary school pupils in military-style exercises than in organised games.

Using this item

Auckland Council Libraries − Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Reference: AWNS-19000914-6-6

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Greg Ryan, Sport and society – The limits of sporting participation, 1870–1910, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/39391/school-cutlass-drill-1900 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Greg Ryan, published 30 November 2012.