School memories: educational practices through the oral testimonies of former teachers and students of the Italian Marche region

Abstract

This article aims at investigating some educational practices used in the classroom by former teachers through the oral statements of both teachers and students. The research carried out has centered on those who attended primary school in the Italian region of Le Marche from the 1930s to the early 1960s. The main topic of this research refers to corporal punishment, which was inflicted in Italy until the 1960s, as described in this study. Taking into account the legislation at that time, it will be demonstrated that slapping, hitting with a stick and kneeling on chickpeas or corn were daily practices which did not provoke any reaction from the families. After explaining the methodology, with the compilation of oral statements –which make us encounter other serious problems– in the first part of the paper some excerpts of the interviews with former students who attended school during the fascist period will be provided and the teachers’ educational practices will be analyzed on the basis of their memories. In the second part, the testimonies of former teachers will be presented and through the description of anecdotes and daily routines their point of view on punishments will become quite clear.

Keywords: oral history, 20th century, fascism, Republic, Italy.