ABSTRACT

In the development of ideas and proposal for renewing children’s first approach to mathematics, there has been a fertile exchange among pedagogues, mathematicians, and publishers, starting from the late 18th century. Jean Macé storybook Grandpa’s arithmetic. A story of two little apple merchants was published in 1862 by Hetzel, who promoted the idea of mixing science and storytelling (among his authors were Jules Verne). It was a bestseller, with many and differentiated French editions and translations into several languages, appreciated by mathematicians. The unpublished letters conserved at the Paris National Library show the cultural project behind the business relationship, and their discussions on the attempt to downplay the rigidity of access to literacy and numeracy in childhood, which backed Macé’s aim at writing a playful story around grammar. Instead, in a few weeks he wrote a best seller on arithmetic, a pioneer attempt conveying modern pedagogical ideas and his political and cultural outlook.

 

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