Attitudes towards education vary between regions and countries. These differences cannot be fully explained by socio-economic inequalities or direct inputs such as teachers or class size. The persistence of historical institutions is also an important issue. In this paper, regional differences in attitudes towards education are investigated in reference to events that took place in 19th century Polish territories when Poland was partitioned by Prussia, Russia, and Habsburg Austria and their educational systems were imposed. The results of the quantitative and qualitative research suggest that historical processes have created different attitudes towards education. In some regions, education is seen as a key for gaining general knowledge, yet in other parts of the country, it is seen as a tool for improving practical and technical skills.