Faculdade de Ciências Políticas e Econômicas do Rio Grande, RS: constituição e influências para o desenvolvimento do município (1955 a 1969).

Abstract

This research aims - in the field of History of Education - to study historical aspects of Rio Grande's University of Political Science and Economics in the time frame between 1959 to 1969. We discuss how it was established, built and the contributions towards the city in a period which the local economy was struggling. To achieve our objectives we use theoretical support in the conceptual categories of school culture (JULIA, 1995; FRAGO, 1995; FARIA FILHO, 2004) and the ideal entrepreneur type (WEBER, 2001; MARTINS, 2008); in the formation of urban sociability, discussing the actors of the visible and invisible city (PESAVENTO, 2007). As a methodological resource, the document analysis was used relying on Gil (2007) in the classification of sources; Luca (2010) to support the examination of the content published in the local press about the institution that was the object of the study. The methodology of Oral History guided this research, supported by Meyhi (2007) and Portelli (1997) mainly to conduct four interviews with former students of the Economics course. We seek to understand how the FCPE have contributed to the development of the city of Rio Grande. Thus, we present a brief background of the FCPE and we summarized informations on higher education institutions created in the 1950s and 1960s in the city. With investments in Pesavento, we approach the changes in the urban plan of the city and the "sensitive" with the arrival of the colleges in this maritime city. Throughout the work it is possible to know details of the first facilities, the staff, servants and students; the form of entry, the subjects of the curriculum and course completion ceremonies. We also discuss the particularities of the struggle suffered by the course for recognition throughout the years. In detail, we talk about the school culture of the institution, their values, practices and how they instilled behaviors. Comprehensively we present the budget of the institution and how the revenue were consumed within the several years taken to research. Finally we present quantitative and qualitative data to understand how the institution has contributed to local development, thus meeting one of the purposes for which it was created. We highlight that the institution was important for the city and could be strengthened through the support of local leaders, represented by individuals who can be considered an "ideal type of entrepreneur" who managed to articulate in a national level resulting to the founding of the University of Rio Grande.