The sentence "children have to be educated…" seems all at once like a foregone conclusion, an injunction and an ideal. It seems obvious to adhere to what seems to be an anthropological invari-ant. However, this work proposes another perspective based on philosophical and historical studies of two major periods.

The (re)publication in the Bibliothèque Idéale des Sciences Sociales (Bi2S) of the work of Georges Liénard and Émile Servais finally brings to the attention of the scientific community an unjustly unknown investigation.The new preface by Stéphane Bonnéry, underline its precursory character for the sociology of education and children.

While the 19th century put children in school, the first half of the 20th focused on those who didn't go. By examining the trajectory and work of Fernand Deligny (1913-1996), schoolteacher, educator and writer, this book aims to redraw this history. this philosophical investigation aims to better situate Deligny's place.