Leitura e ideologia republicana: as escolas e bibliotecas populares da Figueira da Foz (1900-1910)

Abstract

This dissertation is based first and foremost on a geographical and historical matrix of the city of Figueira da Foz in the beginning of the XX century, as well as its neighbouring most influential parishes: Tavarede and Buarcos (however, brief allusions are made to other parishes where institutions similar to the first parishes and embedded with the same spirit were slowly being created). We have as the object of our study the emergence and spread of the Republican frame of thought among the population, and the uncompromising defence of the idea of extending the education to an ever wider public, thus fighting the greatest cultural scourge of our country: widespread illiteracy, through the creation of schools and popular libraries in recreational, class and mutualistic associations. The certainty that a more conscious civic and political position of citizens would only be possible if access to education was allowed to a greater number of people guided the creation of these schools, a bit marginal to the official education (which was defined as grossly insufficient) and that were aimed at schooling the working people of Figueira da Foz. This being said, it is against this buzzing ideological environment in Figueira da Foz in the first decade of the XX century that popular schools will arise, conferences and free courses will be brought forward, along with the creation of libraries and reading rooms that were seen as a solution to the cultural backwardness of the lower social strata, heading to what was understood to be progress. Figueira da Foz benefited from a series of personalities of a humanitarian and benefactive disposition, Freemasons and Republicans, who spared no efforts to create conditions to «shed the light of education» on popular layers of society.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Supervisor	Maria Neves Leal Gonçalves (Supervisor)