Portuguese Pedagogue of the Escola Nova in the 1st Republic (1910-26), Military Dictatorship (1926-28) and New State (1928-1974): Joaquim Tomás (1873-1973)

Study of a historical-documentary and/or bibliographical nature around the pedagogical figure of Joaquim Tomás, using hermeneutic methodology in the analysis and interpretation of sources (primary, secondary), complemented with interviews with a relative of his, which allowed us to historically reconstruct the life path and primary school teacher/inspector, admirer of the ideals of the New School and innovative school experiences in Europe. The hermeneutic method, indebted to the text/language and mediator in the research and interpretation of documentary sources, made us contextualize this figure of pedagogue in the socio-historical and political time in which he lived. We were guided by the following objectives: analyzing the work and actions of J. Tomás in the historical period of his life; understand in light of the time (context), the author, documentary authenticity and reliability, the nature of the argumentative interpretation related to education/teaching and modern pedagogy; identify J. Tomás within the ideas of the Escola Nova movement; value this pedagogical figure for the History of Education. In this rescue of individual memory for the collective in the field of Education, we wanted to deepen J. Tomás' contributions to the History of Education in Portugal and, mainly, his didactic-pedagogical aspect of primary education.

actions in the historical period of the first decades of the 20 th century coinciding with the life path of Joaquim Tomás.In this sense, the hermeneutic methodology in document analysis was relevant for the construction of the historical narrative about this pedagogue and including him in the field of History of education in Portugal.By using historical documents and the press (periodicals) interspersed with elements from narratives and other sources.Therefore, we were guided by the following objectives: analyzing the work and actions of J. Tomás in the historical period of his life; understand in light of the time (context), the author, documentary authenticity and reliability, the nature of the argumentative interpretation related to education/teaching and modern pedagogy; identify J. Tomás within the ideas of the Escola Nova movement in Portugal; value this pedagogical figure for the History of Education.

Training path dedicated to primary education and school inspection
Joaquim Tomás began his teaching career in 1900 until 1910, when he was appointed chief inspector of primary education, where he gained great prominence in the organization of school inspection in the country, in particular in promoting the association of inspectors.The young teacher commitment, in his professional activity as a teacher, allowed him to develop his didactic-pedagogical skills and expand his scientific knowledge for teaching, obtaining a grade of 14 in the written test and 17 in the exam, for Primary Sub-Inspector, in 1910 (final average=15.5/16 values).The final grades for this exam were obtained by weighted averages between the various tests taken by the candidate (written, oral and practical).Said public competition for Sub-inspector was chaired by Coimbra, teacher Augusto J. Alves dos Santos, a great pedagogue and promoter of the ideas of the New School.In the presentation of the Final Report of these tests, J.
Tomás referred to a detailed list of deficiencies felt, in general, throughout the primary education system at the time, with the need to renew many measures and methods of this teaching, in particular the methodologies of new school education.
In the words of Francisco Goulão (2003, p. 563), the opinion of the rapporteur of the oral and practical tests, teacher Alves dos Santos (1913, p. 279-280), indicated one:

"[…] satisfactory classification, given the general deficiencies revealed by the candidates in the development of the topics requested in the written tests, which covered the area of child psychophysiology and educational science, primary education methodology and school legislation"
In other words, the tests carried out by young J. Tomás left a lot to be desired.However, we have to recognize that he had undergone significant scientific-pedagogical, cultural and didactic development, experience and personal investment, as he obtained 11 points in the final qualification exam for primary teaching in 1899 and, now, a very good average.higher education, in the examination tests for Sub-Inspector (Goulão, 2005).This scientific-pedagogical evolution and development was largely due to his actions and functions as teacher and inspector, the creation of school manuals and the carrying out of other didactic-pedagogical work (Tomás, 1930 b).
In the 1908-1909 academic year he was granted a monetary award for outstanding services rendered as a teacher in Tomar.later promoted to the position of rector of the Santarém High School.He obtained some praise from the Ministry,  .He simultaneously contributes to the pedagogical periodical 'School Primary', a Portuguese organ of the 'Ligue Internationale pour L' Éducation Nouvelle' .He was a specialist who understood the school problems of the time, a fervent admirer and follower of educational experiences carried out in Europe, in addition to his assiduous reading of foreign publications, as he belonged to the editorial staff of some pedagogical magazines (Nóvoa, 2003).
In the words of his great-nephew (Mr. Aníbal Tomás), his 'priestly' vocation became evident at a young age, during his Theology course, at the Portalegre Seminary.He simultaneously exercised ecclesiastical functions in a parish in the diocese of Portalegre and Castelo Branco with teaching functions, as a primary school teacher in the district of Castelo Branco (1901Branco ( -1910Branco ( ) and, later, between 1910Branco ( and 1936, exercising the functions of Chief Inspector of Primary Education in several school circles (Goulão, 2003).
The pedagogue J. Tomás was always a modest and humble man in the way of being and acting as: priest/priest, (primary) teacher, (sub) inspector of primary education, school director, translator/publicist and a didacticist in the preparation of teaching texts The vision of his great-nephew (Mr. Aníbal Tomás, to whom we are grateful for many details) expressed to the regional newspaper 'A Reconquista', the desire that remains to be fulfilled by this " diligent teacher", an active school inspector and a diligent publicist that the "[…] dynamic parish of Retaxo could well promote a deserved tribute to this illustrious Retaxense, attributing the name of this fello w countryman to one of the arteries of that elegant parish."In fact, Joaquim Tomás lived his career in primary education, in an environment involving instability and erosion of political, parliamentary and governmental forces in the 1st Republic (constant fall of governments/ministries), followed by troubled times after the military coup, of 1926, in such a way that Decree-Law nº 13619, of 1927, will reduce compulsory education to 4 years, with a ban on co-education, but maintaining the division of primary education into the categories of: infant, elementary primary and complementary primary (Serrão, 2018).On November 30, 1931, the Government created the 'Teaching Posts' (role of school directors), as an instrument to reduce the number of illiterate people, that is, in an attempt to solve the problem of high illiteracy that existed (between 1930 a1970, there was a decrease from 61.8%, in 1930, to 20.5% in 1970, in the illiteracy rate).
The rate of child illiteracy was worrying, as it exceeded 75% of illiterates (Mónica, 1978), leading the Government to publish Decree-Law nº 20181, of 1933, which established a new process of creating schools, which established the intervention in this matter by the municipal councils, which were also responsible for the operating/maintenance conditions of the school park (Sampaio, 1976).It was evident that the Salazar regime paid special attention to ideological indoctrination (symbols -icons in the classroom), one of which was the mandatory nature of school manuals, which lasted over time, with great stability in texts and illustrations, with the inclusion of quotations/references as true topics of political propaganda (the family, the colonial empire, the healthy coexistence of social classes and races, great public works, the cult of the past, Christianity, popular culture, etc.), that is, fulfilling the intentions and objectives underlying the regime (António Ferro was responsible for National Propaganda).The words of F. Goulão (2003, p. 568)  J. Tomás worked as a teacher in an educational system that little or nothing valued culture, he defended, rather, ignorance as a factor in the happiness of the people, hence the political intention of providing training that did not go much beyond the ABC of Portuguese: ' knowing how to read, write and count', through the process of minimal schooling oriented in a pragmatic way for all Portuguese and on the basis of the structuring of the ideological universe recommended by the regime (Carvalho, 1986).
In Salazarism there was an ideological inculcation and moral doctrine (values) in education that framed/conditioned the Portuguese by political indoctrination, through school.This construction of the nationalist school was based on the difference between education and instruction (teaching scientific methods, techniques and practices).If we resort to the difference proposed by Robert Dottrens: educating was transmitting knowledge and values (or countervalues), which coincided with the education of the Estado Novo; Instructing was transmitting knowledge without inculcating values, something that the Estado Novo was not interested in, as its objective was the formation of consciences and integration into the social order.The school prepared citizens capable of work, essentially manual work and in the field, while educating in the sense of obedience and respect for authority (Almeida, 2011).
In fact, Joaquim Tomás lived and carried out his academic career, teaching in the temporal intricacies of the 1st Republic, the Military Dictatorship and, in the Salazarist  and Marcelist (1969-74) New State.We had this socio-historical and political milestone, on its contextual, temporal and educational basis, in the reconstruction of individual memory for the collective of primary teachers at the time, confirming that J. Tomás's pedagogical path is permeated by ideals,  2007).J. Tomás (1930a, p. 7-8) intended to learn about experiences of European pedagogical practices, in order to learn new teaching strategies/methodologies, within the scope of New Education, in addition to knowledge of other cultures and mentalities of those countries regarding the education: "[…] a natural curiosity to know and learn, encouraged us to ask the National Education Board for a subsidy to carry out a small educational excursion (...) But what we observed in it would be little less than useless for the school of our country, if we restricted ourselves to the observance of that clause, and, therefore, we decided to publicize the notes that we took, daily." The extensive report (400 pages) of the study visit, presents good pedagogical literature, detailed to the periods of its journey, with diary details, describing a lot of valuable pedagogical information, always accompanied by notes or comments on the reality of teaching abroad, in addition to narrating his impressions and observations in the schools/institutions visited, his meetings with pedagogical characters and, above all, opinions of everything he saw and experienced, since leaving station Stª.Apolónia, in Lisbon, on April 29, 1930, to Madrid, taking the 'Guide du Voyageur s'intéressant aux écoles' and benefiting from a modest subsidy given by the National Education Board, which was insufficient to meet the high expenses, due to of the standard of living in those European countries.
Let's look at the schools visited in different European countries and the innovative ideas that caught the attention of the pedagogue Joaquim Tomás (1930 a), on his study trip and/or educational excursion.

1-Spain.
In Madrid (arrival on April 29, 1930) he visited several schools and the Normal Training School for Teachers -La Florida, the Cervantes, Princípe de Asturias and Conde Peñalver schools.Of all these institutions, the 'Escola Cervantes' (built between 1911-14), whose first director Angel Llorca, is the one that deserves the most attention from J. great repercussions on educational renewal and Spanish intellectual life.This institution had a pedagogical basis: an intuitive pedagogy and/or teaching (influenced by Rousseau and Pestalozzi) in the child's direct contact with physicalnatural nature; more diverse and active pedagogical methods; attention to students' physical care, hygiene and outdoor activities; practical education, teaching the student how to do things, involving them actively; instruct and educate character; the development of the body is parallel to that of the spirit, with the practice of sporting activities, with the participation of family members; continuous and close assessment of the student, avoiding exams; classes were guided by the studio modality (binding, printing, mechanography, drawing, etc.); French language classes, etc.
In Barcelona, he visits the schools of 'Baixeras' (director Pedro Vergiès) and the school 'La Farigola'), with the teachers' curiosity to prepare their lesson plans (curricular project) with daily meetings, first thing in the morning, discussing and reflecting on the plans, as well as school manuals for students to access, using research material in the library, albums and material in school museums.The pedagogical precepts had a practical and active meaning.Visited the 'Escolas de Mar' and 'Escolas de Bosque' (director Rosa Sensat, located on Quinta Laribal -Montjuïc), since Catalonia, in terms of pedagogical renewal and with the help of the municipalities, created these schools from 1914 onwards outdoor teaching, based on an active methodology with students, through co-education, meaningful learning, interaction in the pedagogical relationship, education based on 'human being-nature' harmony, adaptation of teaching to students' abilities, stimulation of personal skills, body and musical expression, etc.
The Portuguese pedagogue, during his stay in Spain, became interested in the 'Avé Maria' schools, in Granada, which were founded in 1889, by Father Andrés Manjón y Manjón , with his own Catholic ideology and applied a modern pedagogical practice, with teaching procedures that required the active participation of students in the learning process, in addition to their contact with physical-environmental nature (Cruz, 1985).These schools aimed at poor, stray, beggar and 'dangerous' children (disadvantaged children) mixed protective educational measures with hygiene habits (social, school) and elements of social medicine (eugenicist discourse).This 'good education', as characterized by J. Tomás (1958), used didactic and recreational material, games (playful and recreational aspects), the planetary system and the world map in relief and submerged in water (in the garden of the house), for geography, in addition to other useful resources for learning.
The Manjonian educational system was a popular, free and student-centered education, based on a gradual and continuous, progressive and active education, of an aesthetic, moral and religious scope, that is, an education adapted to the conditions of the child, at each age, such as as advocated by its founder and which excited visiting pedagogues.All these innovative pedagogical elements caught the attention of the Portuguese pedagogue, mainly the following aspects (Prellezo García, 1975): teaching in the field; teaching by playing and educating by doing; o associating letters, actions and learning a trade (modern school); o educate Christian human beings, in their freedom to learn; school physical education, as an educational and military gymnastics instrument (children's battalions) to implement patriotic ideals, but based on the 'hygiene-nature-games' triad; school camps; discipline assumed by students with little effort; school organization; construction of sundials in natural spaces; etc.The genesis of these schools was based on an active methodology, coinciding with the principles of New Education, but without recognition from the International Bureau of New Schools (Genéve).However, they were pioneers in Spanish pedagogical renewal.
and also in 1928, for his dedication to the cause of Teaching.He was appointed secretary, on several occasions, of the Books and Programs Commission, for primary education between 1925 and 1928, having been appointed Director of the Santarém School District, in the 1927-28 school year, during the military dictatorship.Likewise, he presided, in the early 1930s, in Lisbon and Porto over the state exams for access to 'Primary Teaching', as well as the Reconquista, 22/09/2006, p. 1, 3).It is with this expression of simplicity and humility that he will celebrate the marriage of Mr. Aníbal Tomás with Deolinda Pires, in Castelo Branco, in 1941, at a time when he did not exercise the priesthood, but came purposely for this celebration.Likewise, he will perform other religious ceremonies, whenever requested and sometimes traveling for that purpose.He exercised his priesthood in Lisbon, in the churches of S. Nicolau and Conceição Excursion to European schools with innovative pedagogical ideas Pedagogue J. Tomás lives at a time when the ideas of Educação Nova and/or Escola Nova and other innovative experiences are expanding.He was curious about the pedagogical ideas of Pestalozzi, Fröebel and the New School Movement (Mª Montessori, Decroly, Ferrière, Claparède, Faria de Vasconcelos, etc.).In order to learn about these new psychopedagogical perspectives and schools/educational institutions, he traveled for three months (April to June 1930), through Spain, France, Belgium and Switzerland.Before setting out on this journey, he had letters of recommendation given by some Portuguese pedagogical figures, such as that of his friend, an internationally renowned pedagogue and director of the Professional Guidance Institute of Lisbon, professor A. Faria de Vasconcelos, who helped him to be better served at the Jean Jacques Rousseau Institute (Geneva/Switzerland), directed at the time by Mr. Pierre Bovet (Veríssimo, Qeios, CC-BY 4.0 • Article, April 23, 2024 Qeios ID: 05RLPP • https://doi.org/10.32388/05RLPP5/16methods and strategies of the New School Movement.3. Tomás, as it followed modern pedagogical guidelines in spaces (hygienist type), furniture and teaching at ILE -Institución Libre de Enseñanza, inspired by Krausist philosophy, introduced at the Central University of Madrid by Júlian Sanz del Rio, with