Teachers College and its influence on the modernization of education in Brazil

Abstract

It is possible to verify, from a research undertaken with the rare documents and files from Teachers College at Columbia University in New York, the influences exerted by this institution in the teaching of art in the United States of America and its relationship with Brazil since the nineteenth century. Many thinkers who worked in Teachers College and whose ideas are benchmarks in the history of education, contributed significantly to the educational thought of the Americas, among them we can mention John Dewey. Some epistolary activities of Brazilians who studied in Teachers College are reported throughout the paper, in order to elucidate aspects of the performance of teachers and students of Teachers College. Among others, in the second half of the twenties, there was a significant exchange, better known by "Embaixada de Minas Gerais", which led five young teachers from Belo Horizonte to Teachers College. It is worth mentioning here the perceptions and impressions about art, of one of these students, Professor Alda Lodi, obtained through interview, as well as, some letters from young student Benedicta Valladares, given the reality experienced at Teachers College.