Training and attributions of school principals in São Paulo (1894-1933)

Abstract

The creation of school groups in São Paulo in 1893 led to a series of changes in the organization of primary education, including the ‘appearance’ of the position of school principal. The aim of this article is to analyze the first normative mentions of this position and to identify the incorporation of these duties into the teaching programs of the São Paulo State Normal School. The chronological section considers the period between the publication of the Internal Regulations for Public Schools (1894), the first to provide for the appointment of a headmaster for school groups, and the publication of the São Paulo State Education Code (1933), which modifies the training required for the position. The analyses are based on the New Cultural History and discuss the delineation of the actions of school group headmasters as part of the movement to produce administrative structures used by the state to take care of public education.

Keywords:
School Principals; History of Education; teacher training