The perspectives of Giuseppe Lombardo-Radice and of the idealist intellectuals on Maria Montessori

The Italian historiographical tradition on the reception of Maria Montessori has highlighted the widespread misunderstanding that she faced in Italy, often accompanied by prejudicial devaluation, if not by actual personal attacks. Within this critical panorama, stronger resistance was exhibited by Catholics and Neo-Kantians than by Idealists, and in particular Gentile and Lombardo-Radice showed deep appreciation for Montessori, offering her remarks that were rather interesting from a pedagogical standpoint – and are still to be considered thoroughly if we wish to approach her method critically. Furthermore, Lombardo-Radice also brought into the Italian debate a series of international criticisms that had the same tone and content as those addressed to her by the intellectuals involved in the new school movement, as evidenced by an analysis of the articles that Ferrière published in the magazine Pour l’Ère Nouvelleduring the 1920s. By doing so Lombardo-Radice confirmed his divergence from Gentile and his proximity to the progressive school movement.