“Everything is good for those who need” : the discourses about the education of poor children disseminated by Revista de Ensino, Minas Gerais state (1925-1930)

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the main discourses addressed to
the education of impoverished children disseminated by Revista
do Ensino, Minas Gerais state, between 1925 and 1930. To this
end, we carried out a documental analysis of 52 issues of Revista
do Ensino and consulted part of the legislation concerning the
educational reform occurred at that time. We adopted the so-
called “Foucaultian tools” as a theoretical-methodological
framework, mainly those that help us understand the relations of
power and knowledge present in discourse. The results obtained
suggest poor children’s education as the best device for a wider
formation of individuals; and this formation was considered
paramount so that students could become productive citizens.