ABSTRACT
The years after World War One witnessed an upsurge of patriotism in New Zealand which had considerable impact on both primary and secondary schools. It was the primary schools, however, by virtue of the compulsory attendance requirements, which were regarded as the nurseries of future citizens. In addition, primary-school patriotism constitutes a unique historical problem. Although it represented to a degree a continuation of pre-1914 concepts, it also differed markedly in intensity and in impact from the earlier period. There is a need to consider the immediate causes which brought about this situation. This having been accomplished, the evidence utilised must be critically reassessed in an attempt to understand the underlying function of the New Zealand education system. The first part of this chapter, therefore, is both descriptive and explanatory, while the second part is more purely analytical.
