“When a man knows to read, write and count, he can, on his own identity, to clarify and expand himself”: Northen Parahyba poor children schooling (1855-1866)

Abstract

The institutionalisation of primary school in the nineteenth century was determined by the attempts to consolidate the literacy having the defense of social progress and civilization project. Legislation and other official documents were available as mediators in customs and habits establishing and aimed people intellectual and moral formation, defining rules to the reading, writing and mathematics learning. It is intended to present primary classes’ prescriptions and schooling processes subjects of northern Parahyba. In order to analyze the way poor students experienced the education in an elitist and slavery society were seen public instruction and province presidents’ reports, legislation and various documents. The conclusion is that writing and reading were abilities also assessed by poor subjects, which through the school universe searched to reach the desired behavior and different spaces accommodation.

 Key words: Education History, Poor Schooling, First Letters, Northern Parahyba.