Lärarliv i historien: Past Lives of Teachers

What was it like to be a teacher in the past compared to now? Who chose to become a teacher and what conditions did they have? In this book, we get to follow the lives of fourteen teachers and the work carried out in all the country's public schools, from the 19th century into the 20th century.

Here we get to meet, among other things, the beggar boy Sven, who through diligence and talent managed to train as a teacher, the runaway teacher and petty criminal Olof, and the craft teacher Hulda, who had to travel abroad and spread her ideas about textile craft. We read about rebellious, visionary zealots for teachers who take part in protests, organize summer camps for children and fight for better pedagogy and reforms, but also about teachers who struggle to make everyday life come together, are disliked or even harassed. It is this diversity of teaching life that the authors, through thorough archival work, capture with this book.

Each chapter revolves around a single individual. The personal portraits contribute knowledge and reflections about the school and contemporary times of which they were all a part. Their fates and adventures provide insights into the history of the school and ultimately the rise of modern society.

"Past lives of Teachers" is a book that suits all teachers and those interested in education and history. Its purpose is to shed light on teachers' everyday life and history beyond the political and institutional historiography.