The healthy child. Photography and the promotion health awareness in schools in Barcelona (1909-1933)

Abstract

During the first few decades of the 20th century, the Barcelona City Council implemented a widespread educational and childcare reform program. One of the basic premises for these initiatives was interest in improving children's health and hygiene. With this goal in mind schools were created in forests and near the sea, summer camps were organized, the physical conditions of schools were improved, and science was used to try to find a better way to reach children and young people with disabilities. The Barcelona City Council popularized the actions taken under this program by publishing various books that had highly interesting photographic content. In this article, we research the characteristics of this reform program as they pertain to childhood healthcare by analysing the discourse presented in these books via their combination of text and photographs.