Histórias vivenciadas no Externato Santa Teresinha 1942–1972

Abstract

Brazilian Constitution of 1891 declared the secularity of teaching, which drew the Catholic Church from the position which it had occupied during the monarchy, that is, it took away its ideological control of the school. But the actions of republican governments were not sufficient to supply the demand for schooling; So that where the state did not create public school, private education became prevalent. As a result, schooling in the country began to have a dual feature: public school in capitals and more developed inland cities; private school in smaller cities (but not only) to supply the demand of an economic elite. Like many municipalities, Araguari, MG, experienced this duality. The research presented in this master’ degree dissertation touches on these issues in addressing Externato Santa Teresinha, a Cartholic-oriented boarding school created in 1932 and active work until 2008. In the period 1942–72, this school’s ownership went to other hands, but the headmaster remained up to the last moments of the school as it did other employees. The research’s starting point was questions on how the school became part of Araguari educational context; on the public that attended it; and on school practices, among other points. The research aimed to construct a historical understanding of the relations between education and religion in view of the emergence and functioning of the school; its impact on society; its pedagogical and didactic guidelines; and schooling practices. The research relied on Oral History as a methodology, with the support of cultural history procedures. In addition to the oral accounts of five interviewees, sources included photographs and newspaper texts, among others. Results have produced findings relating to the status of a school aligned with the logic of prestige by selection, with curriculum, pedagogical and didactic guidelines and successful teaching; marked by behave control with rigor and separation between boys and girls; and where teachers were free to act. Therefore, in the local society, Externato Santa Teresinha met the demand for schooling among those ones who could afford tuition and other school expenses, as well as created demand for teaching work.