The “Little Path” to the school. Moral decline and principles of urbanity between the house and the classrooms; Queretaro (1950-1960)

Abstract

The social and infrastructure conditions that children experienced when going to classrooms in Querétaro are documented, a Mexican town with the air of a town, which after the historical process called: Transition to modernity, entered a stage of industrialization with growth of urban areas, creation of neighborhoods, and red zones. The guiding questions are: what was child life like in the homes? What was the journey to the classrooms like? What influences were there in the streets? Previous work focused on lazy, hard-working, and vulnerable children. But those who use public roads to travel to school are not addressed; The routes and identities of those who influence minors are not described; which is reversed from a historiography on the daily life of public roads. In relation to Norbert Elias, it is proposed that the adoption of the values of urbanity in the middle of the 20th century in Mexico reflects a civilization of customs. In the results a “paradox of modernity” appears; Because while children are required to conduct themselves with moderation and decorum, adults break the rules and commit excesses in the streets, as a reflection of what was called: moral decadence of their customs.

Keywords: childhoods, public roads, dangers, influences.