A trajetória da professora Maria Rosa de Oliveira Magalhães em Santa Maria da Vitória – Bahia (1935 - 1990)

Abstract

This historical research investigates the life trajectory and educational work of Professor Maria Rosa de Oliveira Magalhães, particularly in the city of Santa Maria da Vitória-Bahia (Samavi). The time frame covers the year 1935, when the educator arrived in the city, until 1990, the year of her passing. The objective of the research is to construct a version of the life history and professional activities of Professor Maria Rosa de Oliveira Magalhães, discussing her motivations, worldview, social challenges, personal achievements, and the impact on the lives of her former students. In conducting the research, the concept of microhistory is employed, based on theorists such as Levi (1992), Alberti (2008), and Bloch (2002), who discuss the history of individuals, whether recognized in "official history" or not, but who hold significant social relevance. Additionally, the theoretical framework of Borges (2008) is utilized, emphasizing the importance of biography. Beyond the essential literature review, the research explores various primary sources from public and private archives, following the methodology of historical research: written sources, visual sources, and oral sources, such as documented interviews with former students. Through these sources, it was possible to glimpse different phases of the educator’s career, her training, the results achieved for the community in which she lived, and the former students who have worked and continue to work in various regions of Brazil and abroad. Her Christian religious motivation is also identified, specifically from the Protestant, Calvinist, and Presbyterian tradition of North American origin, which was dedicated to literacy and social development, breaking away from student punishment techniques practiced in some regions of Brazil in the early 20th century. Therefore, it was possible to identify the impact of the educator's projects on the social mobility of former students, demonstrated through the education they received, which enabled them to continue their studies and achieve self-sufficiency, inscribing Rosa Magalhães' name into the collective memory of Samavi.