Pedagogical renewal, art and spiritual culture in Buenos Aires during the first decades of the twentieth century. The case of the “Escuela República de México” (Argentina, 1917-1945)

Abstract

During the first decades of the twentieth century in Argentina, innovative pedagogical experiences emerged and gained visibility. These educational proposals combine new ways of addressing childhood, redefinition of school functions, links with the educational community, and value artistic and experimental languages as ways of accessing knowledge. This article recovers a school experience that took place in the city of Buenos Aires (Argentina) between 1917 and 1945: the Escuela República de México (Escuela N° 7, C.E. 17). In the action of this institution we identify points of contact between processes of urbanization, the field of diplomacy, the frequent participation of artists and artistic events. The confluence of these dimensions together with a spiritualist and sensitive discourse are the aspects that guide the analysis and interpretation of this experience of integral education, in the words of one of its promoters.