Who was Emídio Navarro ?
He was a lawyer, a state counsellor, a minister, a member of Parliament, a journalist and a writer. he was born in Viseu on the 19th April 1844 and grew up in Lamego. He attended the local seminary but decided not to become a priest and applied for a University course of Mathematics and Philosophy. After some problems with the government, he finally decided to go to Law School and got his degree in 1869.
After finishing Law School, he moved to Bragança where he established his practice. Since he wasn't very successful, he moved to Lisbon where he became a member of the "Partido Progessista Histórico", apolitical party at the time, and joined the staff of the newspaper "O País".
He was one of the founders of the newspaper "O Progresso" and he also founded one of the most important political journalistic movements of the country at the time: "O Correio da Noite". as a member of this movement he became an active opponent of the Government.
He continued his practice and his journalistic career but he gave up his political life.
After being a member of the Parliament for several legislatures, he was Housing Minister for 3 years (886 to 1889). under his Ministry the main traffic routes were developed, Forestry Protection Services were enlarged and Commercial, Industrial and Agricultural Schools were fostered.
After having left the Ministry he was appointed Secretary of the Treasure and afterwards, in 1892, Minister of Portugal in Paris.
When he came back to Portugal he devoted himself entirely to journalism until health problems forced him to move to Luso (a well-known Portuguese Spa), where he lived for the rest of his life. He died on 16th August 1905.
By naming the school after him, we are honouring Emídio Navarro as the important Portuguese figure he was.