DISTRICT HIGH-SCHOOLS IN NEW-ZEALAND IN THE 19TH-CENTURY

The claim has been made frequently that district high schools in the n ineteenth century provided affordable secondary education for pupils l iving in rural areas. The district high schools in New Zealand in the nineteenth century varied considerably in the type and amount of secon dary education they provided. Variations occurred also in the cost to parents for their children to attend these institutions. Not only were there differences between education district, particularly regarding the fees levied and the subjects taught. The demand for and support of district high schools varied from region to region and from period to period, in part because of the difficult economic conditions in New Z ealand nationally form about 1879 to 1890. The common assumption that the closure of most district high schools in the nineteenth century wa s a result of lack of support seems to be to simplistic. It appears mi staken to attempt generalisations about why these schools were set up and how they operated until more detailed information is available abo ut individual schools.