Negotiation and resistance of the schoolmistresses in Almeria at the beginning of the 20th century: an approach through their complaints

Abstract

To understand the evolution of the schoolteacher’s role and the process of teacher feminization in contemporary times, it is necessary to study the legislative advances in Public Instruction, as well as the actions taken by the various institutions involved in the process. By examining various historical archive documents, such as complaints from different teachers, their personal files, and various reports from the Public Instruction Commission, we can gain insight into the reality of teachers in Almería at the beginning of the 20th century. Their testimonies, similar to those of other teachers across the country, allow us to understand how inequality between male and female teachers went beyond their salaries. A lack of materials, inadequate school infrastructure, and arbitrariness in the allocation of certain financial resources constituted the working conditions for the female teachers in the municipality of Almería.