The Presence and the Status of the French Language in Pará’s Education During the Province’s Belle Époque (1870-1920)

The political, social, and economic transformations of the late 19th century in Pará culminated in the cultural context of the Belle Époque (1870-1920) and the need for educational modernization. This article seeks to understand the presence and status of the French language in public and private education in Pará at the period, through the analysis of different sources: official letters, applications, petitions, enrollments, attendance, periodicals, legislation, speeches, and reports from authorities. The methodological basis is the evidential paradigm (Ginzburg, 2003), which relies on the detailed investigation of the traces left by certain historical phenomena that are sought to be reconstructed, especially those lacking more robust documentation. To this end, the article begins by contextualizing the national reality before addressing the local particularities. As a result, the language demonstrated its double importance: in course offerings, being a priority for the government, and in demand, appearing as the most requested class.

Keywords:
French language; Belle Époque in Pará; Secondary education; Language teaching; 19^th century