Saberes matemáticos no Gymnasio Leopoldinense no início do século XX e a formação da elite mineira: 1906 a 1922

Abstract

This dissertation examines the teaching of mathematics at Gymnasio Leopoldinense, a traditional educational institution located in Leopoldina, Minas Gerais, between 1906 (the year of its foundation) and 1922. The study aims to analyze the mathematical knowledge taught at this institution, seeking to answer the following question: Which forms of mathematics were mobilized, and how did they contribute to the formation of the Minas Gerais elite in the early 20th century? The chosen timeframe and geographical scope are justified by the significance of Gymnasio Leopoldinense, which offered primary, secondary, teacher training, technical, and higher education courses in Pharmacy and Dentistry. This selection reflects both the regional context— marked by efforts to establish an educational model geared toward social distinction— and the chronological boundaries of one of this study's key sources: the institution's Ementário (Curriculum Guide), published in 1925.The research is grounded in Cultural History, engaging with theoretical contributions from Peter Burke, André Chervel, Dominique Julia, and Roger Chartier—particularly their concepts of school discipline and school culture—as well as Jacques Le Goff's reflections on memory and sites of memory. The documentary corpus comprises Gymnasio Leopoldinense's Ementario, articles published in Gazeta Leopoldinense, and mathematics textbooks used during the period, with emphasis on works by Olavo Freire and Antônio Trajano. The methodology follows historical research principles, constructing representations through interpretive analysis of sources. The findings reveal mathematics education characterized by practices that prioritized the intuitive method and disciplinary knowledge structured around a formative proposal centered on rationality and order— key elements in shaping an intellectual and social elite. Traces found in the physical monumentality of the building, the learning spaces provided, the pedagogical methods adopted, and the curriculum's alignment with official benchmarks (such as Escolas Normais Oficiais and Colégio Pedro II) demonstrate that, once institutionalized at Gymnasio Leopoldinense, school mathematics became a pedagogical tool for selection and distinction. Ultimately, it played a significant role in legitimizing an educational project designed to preserve and reinforce the prevailing social hierarchy.