“Of the wanting that there is, and of what is not in me”

the memorial phenomenon in schools, through the work of four women (Porto Alegre and São Leopoldo/RS)

Abstract

The article aims to problematize the constitution of memory spaces in four centenary schools in Rio Grande do Sul and to analyze the work of the women responsible for these places. The study, which is part of the field of the History of Education, uses the concepts of historical-educational heritage and guardians of memory as a reference. Methodologically, the museums and memorials of the institutions were visited and the teachers who work there were interviewed. We found that these places, created to preserve memory, tell an edifying story of the institutional past. At the same time, we observed that the power of these spaces depends very much on the willingness and commitment of these women. We concluded that there is a mismatch between the dedication of the teachers and the school's gestures of preservation, indicating the importance of greater investment in the construction of memory policies, which are not just centered on individual actions, but foster more fruitful collective activities, thus expanding the strength of the concept of historical-educational heritage.