Analysis of the school space for the teaching of natural sciences at the Valencia Secondary School (1877-1927): from Emilio Ribera’s natural history cabinet to Celso Arévalo’s laboratory

Abstract

At the beginning of the 20th century, some of the old cabinets of the Natural History professorships held in the Spanish secondary schools moved toward new spaces for experimental teaching. With a focus on this research object, this study deals with a particular space of practice, the old Instituto de Valencia. Its 19th century Natural History Cabinet considered one of the best in the country, was completed from 1912 with a modern teaching laboratory (Laboratorio de Historia Natural) and a research laboratory (Laboratorio de Hidrobiología), both under the supervision of professor Celso Arévalo. This work is framed in the field of historical research on science in the classroom and the study of the material and visual culture of the school. In my analysis, I use classic sources such as annual school memoirs, school programs, inventories contained in the Anales del Instituto and textbooks, together with more alternative sources such as photographs and commercial catalogues of makers and publishers of educational materials. I show thus the fundamental role of visual culture as a source and analytical method, as well as material culture (although through the lens of visual representations), to provide an improved understanding of the evolution of school spaces.