Public instruction in the Pombaline period: within representations

Studies about pombalism are permeated by paradoxes and very often present ideological caricatures. In this sense, it is necessary to revisit the historiography that addresses this period (1750-1777), looking at it from a critical perspective. Therefore, this paper, which deals specifically with public instruction, aims to analyze the representations of Pombaline education reforms found in books and journals. Eight groups of representation emerged from the data reviewed: Pombal as a unifier, liberator of indigenous people, public school creator, revolutionary, efficient, modernizer, promoter of decadence in education, and powerful/centralizer.

KEYWORDS
public instruction; pombalism; representation

Date of implementation	Legislative piece	Main elements
May 3, 1757	Directorio, que se deve observar nas Povoações dos Indios do Pará, e Maranhão em quanto Sua Majestade não mandar o contrario⁴ 4 It had its effects extended to all Portuguese colonies with the Charter of August 27, 1758. - known as Law of the Directory.	Introduced the language spoken by the Prince - Portuguese - to the conquered peoples, which had to be used in every school while the General language was forbidden. It also institutes that there should be two public schools in each village, one for boys - which teaches the Christian doctrine, reading, writing, and counting - and another for girls - instructing them with the Christian doctrine, as well as “reading, writing, spinning, lace making, and all other activities specific for that gender” (Portugal, 1830PORTUGAL. Collecção da Legislação Portugueza desde a ultima compilação das ordenações oferecida a El Rei Nosso Senhor pelo Desembargador Antonio Delgado da Silva. Legislação de 1750 a 1762. Lisboa: Typographia de L. C. da Cunha, 1830. Available at: Available at: http://www2.senado.leg.br/bdsf/handle/id/518674 . Accessed on: Sep. 20, 2019. http://www2.senado.leg.br/bdsf/handle/id... , p. 509). It also demands the presence of a male and a female master in schools for their respective genders.
May 19, 1759	The Charter that confirms the Commerce Classes, which were proposed in the Charter of April 19, but were envisaged in the Charter of December 12, 1756.	The Statutes of Commerce Classes are instituted. They address the training of perfect traders; preferably, students should be sons of merchants. The study of arithmetic is understood as essential in this process. Although there is no explicit mention of language teaching, *Oliveira et al. (2010*OLIVEIRA, L. E. et al. A legislação pombalina e a história do ensino das línguas no Brasil. In: OLIVEIRA, L. E. (ed.). Legislação pombalina sobre o ensino de línguas: suas implicações na educação brasileira (1757-1827). Maceió: EDUFAL , 2010. p. 49-102.) argue that knowledge of French and English was probably required.
June 28, 1759	General Law of Minor Studies.	The work of the Jesuits in education is discontinued; the following classes are created: Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Rhetoric, which should be taught in Portuguese; the position of Director of Studies is established; it is ordained that teaching practices have to follow the “old method” - simplicity and clarity in the approach to grammar with emphasis on use and exercise.
January 11, 1760	Alvará declarando o 7 de julho de 1759 ácerca do Director Geral dos Estudos, e Exames.	It determines the exams that should be taken by teachers who want to become Directors of Studies.
March 7, 1761	Carta de Lei com os Estatutos do Real Collegio dos Nobres.	The College of Arts becomes the Royal College of the Nobles. The statutes of the latter are published in this legislative piece. It also institutes that “the familiar dialogues will always be, either in the Portuguese Language, or in French, Italian, or English” (Portugal, 1830PORTUGAL. Collecção da Legislação Portugueza desde a ultima compilação das ordenações oferecida a El Rei Nosso Senhor pelo Desembargador Antonio Delgado da Silva. Legislação de 1750 a 1762. Lisboa: Typographia de L. C. da Cunha, 1830. Available at: Available at: http://www2.senado.leg.br/bdsf/handle/id/518674 . Accessed on: Sep. 20, 2019. http://www2.senado.leg.br/bdsf/handle/id... , p. 779, our translation), but never in Latin.
April 5, 1768	Lei creando huma Meza de Censores Regios para examinar os livros, que houveram de correr no Reino.	It creates the Royal Board of Censorship to control the circulation of books.
September 30, 1770	Alvará determinando por que livros e manuscritos se ensine nas Aulas de Latim, e Primeiras Letras.	It institutes that the Portuguese grammar (recommending the use of Reis Lobato’s Grammatica Portugueza) must be taught for six months before the study of Latin begins.
December 23, 1770	Royal Charter.	It creates the Board of Literary Providence to study the causes of university decay, as well as to propose reforms.
August 18, 1772	Royal Charter.	The statutes of the Royal College of Mafra, where Portuguese, Italian, and English should be taught.
August 28, 1772	Carta Regia ao Marquez de Pombal declarando-o Lugar-Tenente de Sua Magestade na Fundação da Universidade.	It corroborates the Compêndio histórico da Universidade de Coimbra (1771), ratifying the “New Statutes for the Courses of Theological and Juridical Faculties, and for that of Natural Sciences, and Philosophical ones” (Portugal, 1858PORTUGAL. Collecção da Legislação Portugueza desde a ultima compilação das ordenações oferecida a El Rei Nosso Senhor pelo Desembargador Antonio Delgado da Silva. Legislação de 1763 a 1774. Lisboa: Typographia de L. C. da Cunha , 1858. Available at: Available at: https://bd.camara.leg.br/bd/bitstream/handle/bdcamara/26519/colleccao_legislacao_portugal_%20v2.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y . Accessed on: Sep. 20, 2019. https://bd.camara.leg.br/bd/bitstream/ha... , p. 605, our translation). Living languages teaching, especially English and French, was recommended to the Medical and Mathematical courses.
November 6, 1772	Lei fundando novas Escolas de Estudos Menores, e multiplicando-as na fórma do Mappa, que as acompanha.	It grants the Royal Board of Censorship jurisdiction to “proceed with the aforesaid School Establishments; qualifications; and nomination of Masters, who ought to govern these schools; and the determination of Places, where they have to practice” (Portugal, 1858PORTUGAL. Collecção da Legislação Portugueza desde a ultima compilação das ordenações oferecida a El Rei Nosso Senhor pelo Desembargador Antonio Delgado da Silva. Legislação de 1763 a 1774. Lisboa: Typographia de L. C. da Cunha , 1858. Available at: Available at: https://bd.camara.leg.br/bd/bitstream/handle/bdcamara/26519/colleccao_legislacao_portugal_%20v2.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y . Accessed on: Sep. 20, 2019. https://bd.camara.leg.br/bd/bitstream/ha... , p. 612, our translation). It also anticipates public notices to convene masters who must be approved in an exam to exercise the function full-time.
November 10, 1772	Lei abolindo as antigas consignações para a instrucção dos Estudos, e estabelecendo o Subsidio Literario.	It establishes a tax whose revenue must be used for public teaching.

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[1] Nayara Stefanie Mandarino Silva has a degree in language from Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS). She is an English teacher and part of the management support team of the LwB Andifes Network (Rede ANDIFES-IsF). E-mail: nayaramandarino@hotmail.com