Educating Italian Elites: The Role of the National Institute for the Increase of Physical Education (1906-1923)

Abstract

The current research focuses on the development of urban elites in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century. Between 1906 and 1923 the National Institute for the Increase of Physical Education aimed at involving the leading groups of Italian cities in the promotion of physical activities by setting up local Committees. Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate to what extent the Institute founded by jurist Luigi Lucchini contributed to integrate local élites with the system of sport and gymnastics values promoted at national level by State institutions such as school and army. The research extends to the topic of elites’ education the methodology outlined by Camurri (2009). The author argues that researchers should focus on all those processes that contributed to link central and local political institutions in order to point out bilateral influences existing between the 19th and 20th centuries. According to Camurri, a full understanding of Italian political and social history must analyse a variety of central-local relations. This article investigates the role of the National Institute for the Increase of Physical Education as it emerges from the correspondence between its central offices and local Committees and the magazine of the Institute. The letters analysed have been collected in local Archives, whereas the magazine was published between 1907 and 1912. As a provisional conclusion, the article provides evidence of how important further research on the education processes of Italian elites could be, as stated by Gaudio (2018, p. 9).