A gênese do Grupo Escolar Cônego Ângelo no interior de Minas Gerais 1963–1974

Abstract

Between 1950 and 1970, Brazil went through changes that impacted on education. In addition to the resumption of democracy and the coup that brought it down, the large industry settled firmly in the country, demanding educated labor. To supply the demand, the government initiated a mass literacy campaign by building public school at an accelerated pace; although at the same time it was discussed the gratuitousness and secularity of education with the presentation of the bill for national guidelines for education in Brazil, of 1961. In Minas Gerais, the establishment of public schools did nor implied guaranteeing appropriate installations as it happened in Ituiutaba, a municipality whose high illiteracy rates — thanks to the lack of public schools — contrasted with a rising economy — thanks to the rice production. Example of this is the public school Grupo Escolar Cônego Ângelo, focused on this study. Its starting point is these questions: how were relations between economics and illiteracy in the context of the creation and functioning of this school in its early years? What was the profile of teachers and students? What conceptions, practices, methods and educational content have underlied the educational activities of this school? The research aimed to a historical-interpretive analysis of the process of creation, constitution and functioning of this school trying to understand the historical and political context and its influence on education, conceptions and projects in the educational practices of the Group School as well as outline the school target audience. The study relied on research sources such as teachers’ meeting minutes, enrollment books, class attendance book, inspection forms, pedagogical materials, photographs, newspaper texts and interviews. The research followed the qualitative approach applied to historical-social processes and procedures of the dialectical historical method to explore the relationships between the local and the global. Results show, among other points, that migration from the country to city had an effect on education in raising the urban illiterate population, which means broadening demand for school vacancies; that the creation of public schools during the 50s and 60s was relevant in numbers, but building strategies such as metallic structure — the “tin building” — make basic conditions of school functioning precarious. Grupo Escolar Cônego Ângelo has occupied four places at the same time to meet distinct needs as the demand of migrant working class. Its functioning followed concepts, practices, methods and educational content typical of traditional methodology, in addition to outside-classroom practices as places visiting conducted by teachers from wealthy classes. Although teachers’ social condition contrasted with school audience — working class children whose parents had to contribute to funding the school group —, they made claims and performed charitable actions to maintain a school created without planning and infrastructure. That is why one may say this school is the result of struggles.