以往國內教科書研究著重於文本分析，鮮少從歷史著眼，以致難以窺見教科書發展過程中交織的複雜時空脈絡、意識形態、學術潮流與人際互動。本研究採取口述史研究法，試圖透過關鍵人物口述其參與教科書工作的經歷，補充教科書文本分析所無法得知的過程資料，進一步瞭解教科書的官方知識如何形成。本研究主要目的在探討解嚴前小學社會科教科書發展歷程及課程觀，主要訪談對象為當時社會科教科書主要作者之一的屠炳春先生。依其口述內容，並參照相關文件與文獻，本文將解嚴前分為三期進行討論︰（一）1952 至1962 年；（二）1962 至1979 年；（三）1979 至1988 年。主要研究結論為︰解嚴前社會科教科書傾向社會適應論與學科課程論，以及解嚴前教科書是個人學養與國家意識的產物。

Taiwan’s textbooks researchers were accustomed to using text analysis methods in content analysis, but seldom focused on history. Therefore, the complexity of the textbook development process, interwoven with social context, academic trends, and interpersonal activities as it was, was rarely explained. This study employs oral narration in an attempt to obtain data which could not be realized using text analysis. We strive to better understand the experience of key individuals and their work in textbook development and how the official knowledge was formed through interviews of these persons. This paper aims to explore the development process of elementary school social studies textbooks when Taiwan was under martial law and the curriculum view in the textbooks using the oral history of Mr. Ping-Chun Tu, one of the main textbook authors during the period. Based on his oral history and with reference to relevant documents and literature, questions can be divided into three phases for discussion: 1952-1962, 1962-1979, and 1979-1988. The main conclusions are: (1) Social studies textbooks before the cancelling of Martial Law featured the purpose of social adaptation and a type of disciplinary curriculum structure; (2) the textbooks were the product of personal erudition and national ideology.