THOUAR, PIETRO. - Educator and writer, b. in Florence on 23 Oct. 1809; d. there on 1 Jan. 1861.
An undisciplined pupil, he worked as a proofreader first for V. Battelli, then for G. Vieusseux; here he had the opportunity to build up for himself a vast and varied culture. But it was R. Lambruschini who won him over to a constant apostolate on behalf of children; Lambruschini greatly praised the writings entrusted to him and wanted him as his collaborator on the periodical Guida dell'educatore. In 1841 he was at the Superintendency of Studies; in 1848 director of the Pia Casa di lavoro; in 1860 director of the first male teacher-training school, established in Florence.
Enrolled in the "Giovane Italia", he devoted himself fully to the education of the people, following the Tuscan political movement. With the aim of replacing the almanac Il Sesto Caio Baccelli, which was rather insipid, he published in 1832 the Nipote di Sesto Caio Baccelli, more serious and better suited to educating the reader, which, after a wretched life, ceased in 1848, as did his Giornale dei fanciulli. Works that succeeded very well and lasted a long time with effectiveness in the schools are: the two popular tales Una madre and Le tessitore, the Racconti storici, the Racconti per i fanciulli and the Racconti per i giovinetti; in these the fluency and clarity of the language, the spontaneity of the narration, the liveliness of feeling merge into a serene calm, which aims at a slow and sure reform of character. He anticipates and opens the way for Collodi and De Amicis, but he cannot refrain from displaying the moral purpose too much and from a polished prolixity.
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