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Story: Tertiary education

Student life: capping day at Canterbury, 1936

Capping day was an annual highlight for university students. It was a chance to celebrate success in public, but also presented opportunities for frivolous and sometimes outrageous behaviour. Cross-dressing by male students was common, as this Canterbury University College (Canterbury University) capping-day montage of 1936 shows. Zoom in for a closer look.

Using this item

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

Reference: AWNS-19360513-42-1

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

Kerryn Pollock, Tertiary education – Universities before 1990, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/34412/student-life-capping-day-at-canterbury-1936 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 29 May 2012.