POLITICAL CULTURE AND THE EXPANSION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN PARAÍBA: THE GAMA E MELO SCHOOL GROUP (1928–1949)

Abstract

Guided by the concept of political culture during the period from 1928 to 1949, this study seeks to understand how the expansion of grupos escolares (primary school groups) into the interior regions of the state of Paraíba took place, that is, we examine the phenomenon of their establishment in inland towns. To this end, we analyze the implementation of the Gama e Melo School Group in the town of Princesa Isabel (Paraíba, Brazil). In this sense, we aim to understand how political culture influenced the allocation—by the State Government—of educational institutions in the aforementioned municipality during a period of broad educational reform. It is worth noting that this reform period coincided with the persistent and traditional phenomenon of personalism in the relationships established between central power and other administrative spheres.The central object of this research is Decree No. 873/17, which regulated and standardized the public primary education system of Paraíba with regard to the establishment of grupos escolares. In addition, we examine the relationship of this document with the presidential messages issued in the same period, as well as with newspaper articles that addressed primary education and state political relations. To understand the political context and its implications, we rely on the work of Lewin (1993), who examined interpersonal relations among political agents and their connections with State and Municipal powers, as well as the work of Gurjão (1994), which enabled reflection on the oligarchic structures of Paraíba in the early twentieth century. To comprehend the economic, political, and social context of the town of Princesa Isabel (Paraíba, Brazil), we draw on the studies of Mariano (2017; 2018), Justino Filho (1997), Rodrigues (1981), and Inojosa (1980), as these authors shed light on the implications of implementing educational institutions as a political project, ostensibly aimed at improving the population’s quality of life. It is inferred that, despite the fact that the aforementioned town met all the regulatory requirements to receive a grupo escolar, this was neither the predominant nor the decisive factor, since several other towns in the region also fulfilled the basic requirements—such as Cajazeiras, Souza, Pombal, Patos, and Catolé do Rocha (all located in the interior of Paraíba). It should be noted that some of these towns were even more qualified to receive a grupo escolar than Princesa Isabel.Given the impossibility of building such schools in all towns that met the regulatory requirements to be awarded this educational model, other criteria should have been taken into consideration—which did not occur. When analyzing the chronology of the implementation of these educational institutions, with support from the study by Pinheiro (2002), it becomes evident that all the towns awarded grupos escolares had representatives in the Legislative Assembly and enjoyed social prestige with the State Government. This corroborates Lewin’s (1993) thesis that political culture in the state of Paraíba was grounded in family oligarchies; thus, blood ties and patronage networks were more relevant than administrative issues and the general needs of the population. This was the case of Princesa Isabel, birthplace of one of the most influential politicians in the state, whose social network extended to other states and even to the national level (Inojosa, 1980; Rodrigues, 1981).It appears, therefore, that the implementation of the Gama e Melo School Group served largely to reaffirm the ties between the politician from Princesa Isabel and the State Government, to the detriment of the collective educational interest.