O Instituto de Coimbra e o Ensino Secundário em Portugal de 1836 a 1910. O caso das Ciências Físico-Químicas

Abstract

We analyze the sequence of the various reforms of the secondary education in Portugal from 1836 to 1910, with particular emphasis on the teaching of physics and chemistry, according to the journal O Instituto. This was a publication of the Institute of Coimbra (IC) – an academic society founded by professors from the University of Coimbra (UC) – from 1852, year of foundation of the IC, until 1981. The first ten volumes of O Instituto contain reports of the High Council of Public Instruction, a government advisory board at the time based in Coimbra. Throughout these and the remaining volumes other articles written by members of the IC, Portuguese as well as foreign, appear which look at the high school system in Portugal. Taken together, they allow us to study public education in Portugal, in particular the secondary schools, from the perspective of members of the IC, the majority from the UC, some of whom played a role in implementing education reforms.