The Republican Project of Education and the Urban Isolated Schools: between transition and permanence (Belo Horizonte 1906-1927)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to show the urban isolated schools in the city of Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais State, from 1906 (when the isolated schools where implemented by the regional government) and 1927 (year of the introduction of progressive pedagogy on the state). Using sources as educational laws, bureaucratic reports and official letters between the government and the schools, as well the substantive historiographical production about Minas Gerais schooling, the aim is to understand the significance of the isolated schools on city schooling after the creation of the graduated ones. If in rural areas isolated schools prevailed, in urban spaces and especially in major cities, one can see that the conditions were better regarding infrastructure, teachers and students conditions. Despite it, graduated schools were considered the ideal model, receiving more investments. In one hand the State projected the end of this kind of school, with the growth of graduated ones. On the other hand the investments were not sufficient to implement that. In conclusion, even precarious, not graduated schools were preserved in order to provide schooling to great number of children.