The paper is based on documents collected in the Municipal Archive of Ovar, such as minute books, correspondence, photographs and newspapers. It sought to recover the process of executing the will of Father Manoel Eliano Gomes Ferrer, who died in 1878 in Brazil and who left a large legacy for the Santa Casa de Misericórdia and the Municipal Council of Ovar, in addition to benefiting other interested parties, such as relatives and a former-slave, freed by the said priest. The part allocated to the City Council should be invested in the opening of 2 primary schools, for boys and girls, including the house they owned in the city of Ovar for girls, which would be used as a school and the teacher's home. The Casa de Misericórdia, in addition to investing resources in the care of orphans, should also promote an annual competition to select two orphans girls, who would receive a dowry in order to “qualify” them for marriage. The will was opened and published in the press in 1878, but its implementation only occurred in the following year, opening the process for receiving the legacy and forwarding its provisions. Debates and bureaucratic procedures postponed the immediate realization of Father Ferrer's wishes, but in 1883 we saw the inauguration of the 2 schools, as well as the first selection process for the orphans girls who would receive the dowry. In the 19th century, both in Portugal and in Europe, the discussion involving the dissemination of public education deepened, highlighting the participation of the private sector, which builds schools and other improvements for society or contributes funds for carrying out works under the responsibility of the State. In this movement, in several regions of Portugal, the so-called “Brazilians” stand out, Portuguese people who became rich in Brazil and returned to their homeland where they invested in various improvements, which served both the common good and the social recognition of the same citizens. In Ovar, several initiatives were observed by these “Brazilians”, who donated schools or contributed to their implementation at the end of the 19th century. Through this process we can understand part of the complexity of the schooling process that was intended at the end of the 19th century in Portugal. Disputes in the municipalities were intense, making it difficult to generate a common or non-partisan agenda, even on issues such as primary education, which would appear to be consensual. There is also a need to deepen studies around the municipal sphere, involving the private sector, both to understand at the micro level and to grasp the general movement that is taking place within the country around issues relevant to the advances of the nation or community, such as education.

O trabalho fundamenta-se em documentos coligidos no Arquivo Municipal de Ovar, como livros de atas, correspondências, fotografias e em jornais. Procurou recuperar o processo de execução do testamento do Padre Manoel Eliano Gomes Ferrer, falecido em 1878 no Brasil e que deixou vultoso legado para a Santa Casa de Misericórdia e para a Câmara Municipal de Ovar, além de beneficiar outros interessados, como parentes e um ex-escravo, liberto pelo dito padre. A parte destinada à Câmara Municipal deveria ser investida na abertura de 2 escolas primárias, para meninos e para meninas, inclusive, destinando para a de meninas a casa que possuia na cidade de Ovar, quer seria ocupada para escola e moradia da professora. Já a Casa de Misericórdia, além da aplicação dos recursos no cuidado de órfãos, deveria também promover anualmente um concurso para seleção de duas órfãs, que receberiam um dote visando “qualificá-las” para o casamento. O testamento foi aberto e publicado na imprensa no ano de 1878, mas sua implementação ocorre apenas no ano seguinte, abrindo-se o processo para recebimento do legado e encaminhamento de suas disposições. Os debates e os trâmites burocráticos postergam a concretização imediata dos desejos do padre Ferrer mas, em 1883, teremos a inauguração das 2 escolas, bem como o primeiro processo seletivo das órfãs que receberiam a dotação. No século XIX, tanto em Portugal como na Europa, aprofunda-se a discussão envolvendo a disseminação da instrução pública, colocando-se em relevo, inclusive, a participação da iniciativa privada, que constrói escolas e outros melhoramentos para a sociedade ou contribui com fundos para a consecução de obras sob responsabilidade do Estado. Nesse movimento, em diversas regiões de Portugal, destacam-se os chamados “brasileiros”, portugueses que enriqueceram no Brasil e que retornam à sua terra natal onde investem em diversas melhorias, que se revertiam tanto para o bem comum como para o reconhecimento social desses mesmos cidadãos. Em Ovar foram observadas diversas iniciativas desses “brasileiros”, que fizeram doação de escolas ou contribuíram para a concretização das mesmas no final do século XIX. Por meio desse processo podemos perceber uma parte da complexidade do processo de escolarização que se pretendia no final do século XIX em Portugal. As disputas nos municípios eram intensas, dificultando a geração de uma pauta comum ou suprapartidária, mesmo em assuntos como o ensino primário, que pareceria consensual. Observa-se, também, a necessidade de se aprofundar os estudos em torno da esfera municipal, envolvendo a iniciativa privada, tanto para compreensão no nível micro como para se apreender o movimento geral que se desenrola no interior do país em torno de questões relevantes para os avanços da nação ou da comunidade, como o caso da educação.

La Plata, August 1930. The Argentino newspaper announces the arrival of Adolphe Ferrière to hold a series of conferences on childhood and education. The article compares the Swiss pedagogue with Cervantes' hero and unveils a mission: to support those who fight for an education reform based on the new pedagogical methods and theories. Representing the Ligue Internationale pour l’Éducation Nouvelle (LIEN) and the International Bureau of Education (IBE), Ferrière leaves Geneva in March 1930 with the main objective of reinforcing pedagogical collaboration between Europe and Latin America. The prestige and recognition he finds in these countries, as well as the criticism of the theories he defends, bring into light important nuances in the circulation of knowledge between the two continents. Hostetter (2017) points to the internationalist sense of the trip whose objectives are clear: collect documentation on innovative educational experiences, present the advances of European research in educational sciences and psychology and spread the work of the IBE and the LIEN. However, crossing the context of Geneva institutions, especially the IBE (Hofstetter & ERHISE, 2021) with the dynamics of intellectual exchanges between Europe and Latin America (Dumont, 2020) lead to some particularities of this mission. The present article discusses the welcoming of Ferrière as the representative of the IBE, taking into consideration the pedagogical conflicts between progressive and conservatives intellectuals in the Latin America scenario. Thus, we question Ferrière's motivations to set forward and the way in which he disseminates BIE's works. We also analyze the impact of this trip, not only for Ferrière and the institutions he represents, but for each one of the countries visited. Based on the study of European and Latin American sources we demonstrate that Ferrière travels in part motivated by personal aspirations. The Latin American context of the beginning of the 20th century, marked by the search for references, models and innovative pedagogical theories, made the continent a favorable terrain to reinforce his reputation as the apostle of the active school that was being threatened in Geneva. On the other hand, the presence of the Swiss pedagogue represents for the avant-garde of the active school in Latin America an important support for their pedagogical experiences. Ferrière's trip to Latin America reproduces what Nóvoa (2020) describes as a “double legitimation process” (p. 293). If Ferrière finds an audience on the continent that consecrates him as the apostle of the active school, his words will be powerful to legitimize any innovative initiative, even in the face of his opponents.

The aim of this study is to elucidate various facets of the intellectual journey of Gustavo de Sá Lessa (1888-1962). As a Brazilian medical practitioner specializing in public health and an esteemed educator, Lessa held pivotal roles within the public sphere throughout his lifetime, frequently collaborating with Anísio Teixeira. His extensive travels, notably to the United States for educational purposes, culminated in the publication of several noteworthy works addressing the cultural, administrative, and educational landscapes of the countries he visited. Notable among these publications are: "Guidance of the Active School in the United States" (1929); "Aspects of American Culture" (1937); "Federal Administration in the United States" (1942); "Child Welfare – The English Experience and Its Lessons" (1952); and "In Search of Clarity" (1960). Serving as a professor of Comparative Education at the Teachers' School of the Rio de Janeiro Institute of Education, Lessa also played a prominent role in the Brazilian Association of Education (ABE) during the interwar years, holding positions such as secretary, president of certain sections, and ultimately serving as president of the organization on two occasions. Within the ABE, his contributions were marked by active participation in scholarly discourse, the organization of educational initiatives—including courses, symposia, and lectures aimed at primary school educators—focused on the American educational system and other pertinent topics, and substantial involvement in National Education Conferences. Subsequently, Lessa's professional trajectory extended to the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), where he spearheaded the Campaign for Textbooks and Teaching Manuals (Caldeme) from 1952 to 1953. Despite his public renown, however, Lessa's legacy within the annals of educational history remains understudied, presenting a notable lacuna in the field. This inquiry draws upon Lessa's autobiographical account, circulated among his acquaintances prior to his demise, as well as posthumous reflections on his life and career, and contemporaneous testimonials from his associates. Through critical engagement with (auto)biographical narratives, this study engages in dialogue with scholars such as Bourdieu (2006), Lejeune (2008), Malcolm (2012), Dosse (2015), and Albuquerque Júnior (2019), offering a scholarly contribution by shedding light on an individual whose significant contributions to the educational landscape of the twentieth century warrant further examination.

Recuperar alguns aspectos da trajetória do intelectual Gustavo de Sá Lessa (1888-1962) é o objetivo do presente trabalho. O médico sanitarista e educador brasileiro ocupou importantes cargos públicos durante sua vida, muitos deles ao lado de Anísio Teixeira. Realizou também diversas viagens, principalmente aos Estados Unidos para fins de formação, que resultaram na publicação de obras sobre a cultura, administração e educação dos países que conheceu. Entre suas produções de maior destaque estão: A orientação da escola ativa nos Estados Unidos (1929); Aspectos da cultura norte-americana (1937); A administração federal nos Estados Unidos (1942); Assistência a Infância – a experiência inglesa e suas lições (1952); Em busca da claridade (1960). Foi professor de Educação Comparada na Escola de Professores do Instituto de Educação do Rio de Janeiro, além disso, entre os anos 1920 e 1930, destacou-se por sua participação na Associação Brasileira de Educação (ABE), na qual foi secretário, presidente de algumas seções, membro do Conselho Diretor, além de presidir a instituição duas vezes. Dentro da ABE, colaborou ativamente em diversas discussões e organizou cursos, simpósios e aula para professores de ensino primário sobre a educação nos EUA, entre outras temáticas, além de destacadas participações nas Conferências Nacionais de Educação. Mais tarde, trabalhou na Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) e dirigiu a Campanha do Livro Didático e Manuais de Ensino (Caldeme) entre 1952-1953. Apesar do destaque público, o intelectual foi esquecido pela História da Educação, se configurando uma lacuna ainda para o campo. Neste trabalho, utilizo como fontes uma autobiografia que Gustavo Lessa produziu e distribuiu aos amigos pouco antes de morrer e algumas produções póstumas que trataram sobre o autor, além de discursos publicados por amigos do intelectual. Levanto reflexões sobre as produções (auto)biograficas, estabelecendo diálogo com Bourdieu (2006), Lejeune (2008), Malcolm (2012), Dosse (2015), Albuquerque Júnior (2019). Este trabalho oferece assim contribuição, à medida que se debruça sobre um sujeito de destacada atuação no campo educativo por várias décadas do século XX e que ainda não foi devidamente investigado.