Educação especial em juiz de fora: apontamentos históricos sobre a sociedade pestalozzi de Juiz de Fora na década de 1950

Abstract

The central theme of this paper is the education of people with disabilities in the city of Juiz de Fora in the 1950s, with an emphasis on the founding of the Pestalozzi Society, the first institution dedicated to the inclusion of people with disabilities. Considering the current debates on inclusive education, it is necessary to understand the historical paths of this practice in the city. To this end, a qualitative research was conducted, using a historical-bibliographical and documentary approach. Initially, an overview of special education from a European perspective is provided, up to its introduction in the Brazilian context. Sequentially, the reality in Juiz de Fora is analyzed through 1950’s journalistic sources, such as the newspapers Diário Mercantil, Folha Mineira, A Tarde, and Gazeta Comercial, including photographs and reports. Based on the analysis of these sources, it was possible to investigate the press and society’s position regarding the education of people with disabilities during that period. As a result, the research contributes to the preservation of the memory of inclusive education in Juiz de Fora, although the absence of interviews with people who worked directly at the institution is recognized as a limitation, which represents a potential for future studies.