THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA DON GIOVANNI BOSCO AS AN EDUCATOR a SDisamatton SUBMITTED TO THE CATHOLIC SISTERS COLLEGE OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY • l BY CAROLA E. KOPF-SEITZ, A. B., A. M. dmo <3 m(o THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Washington, D. C. 1926 i PRESS OF J. H. FURST CO. THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA DON GIOVANNI BOSCO AS AN EDUCATOR 3i SDts&ertatton SUBMITTED TO THE CATHOLIC SISTERS COLLEGE OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY CAROLA E. KOPF-SEITZ, A. B., A. M. y boston college library CHESTNUT HILL. MASS. > THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Washington, D. C. 1926 3 X h 7 m> • 8 'IS'KL, 217206 CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 PART I. Preparation. The Early Years, 1815-1841: Chapter 1. Influence of Margherita, Don Bosco’s Mother 5 Chapter 2. Academic Training 11 Chapter 3. Immediate Preparation for Career 15 PART II. Life Work. The Later Years, 1841-1888: Chapter 4. The Oratory 23 Chapter 5. Valdocco, Boarding School 33 Chapter 6. Associates and Co-Laborers 40 Chapter 7. Expansion of Foundations 45 PART III. Educational System: Chapter 8. Charity, Basic Principle of System 51 Chapter 9. The Preventive Method 54 Chapter 10. Spiritual, Moral and Educational Aspects 61 Chapter 11. Don Bosco’s Special Methods 68 SURVEY AND CONCLUSION 71 BIBLIOGRAPHY 74 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries https://archive.org/details/dongiovanniboscoOOkopf INTRODUCTION Don Giovanni Bosco, one of the most remarkable men of the nineteenth century for personality, saintliness of life and as founder of religious communities, was no less remarkable as an educator. It is the purpose of this dissertation to present him in this capacity, not unmindful of all those other traits and characteristics which have made him at once holy and great. Many studies have appeared on Don Bosco the man, the saint and founder; none has so far presented him as an educator. The, sources of this dissertation are, first of all, the many works of his biographers who were his personal friends and associates. Their works breathe the sentiments of loyal and devoted sons toward their father whom they revere as a saint; every word and every deed, no matter how simple and unimportant to outsiders, were held by them worthy to be reverently transmitted to posterity. It was customary with many of Don Bosco’s fellow workers to commit to writing every thing of any importance they saw him do or heard him say , 1 even to hunt up persons who were connected with him in any way and gather from them whatever information could be had. Such notes were then often exchanged, compared and completed. As a result a vast amount of information with remarkable exactness even to the most minute details was obtained. While this makes the reading of Don Bosco ? s biographies at times a tiresome task, on the other hand, it provides us with sources of first class historical value. Another result is the similarity, not to say identity, of material. It goes without saying that religious edification and the promotion of love for Don Bosco is their first and almost only aim . 2 His educational work is usually treated from this point of view. 1 Cfr. v. g. Lemoyne’s words in his Preface to his biography of D. Bosco : “Ben pochi al mundo furono amati come D. Bosco; e percio molti dei suoi figli presero copiose memorie e scrissero diligentissime cronache di quanto vedevano coi proprii occhi e udivano colie proprie orecchie. Noi stessi, dal 1864 al 1888, registrammo man mano quanto aecadde di piu memorabile.” 2 Cfr. v. g. G. B. Francesia’s remark in his Proemio, p. xili to Bonetti’s Cinque Lustri di Storia dell’ Oratorio Salesiano: “Gli (i. e. Bonetti) 1 2 Among the many biographies of Don Bosco three deserve special mention, viz., Lemoyne, Giovanni Battista, Memorie Biografiche di Don Giovanni Bosco , S. Benigno Canavese, 1898 ff.; Lemoyne, Giovanni Battista, Vita del Venerabile Servo di Dio Giovanni Bosco, Fondatore della Pia Societa Salesiana, delV Istituto delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice e dei Cooperatori Salesiani, Torino, 1914; Bonetti, Giovanni, Cinque Lustri di Storia delV Oratorio Salesiano fondato dal Sacerdote D. Giovanni Bosco, Torino, 1892. The author of the first two, Giovanni Battista Lemoyne (1839- 1916), entered Don Bosco’s Oratory at Yaldocco 1864. In 1883 he was appointed Secretary to the Superior Chapter and Editor of the Bolletino Salesiano. From that time on 3 he was engaged in gathering material for the biography of Don Bosco. From 1898 until shortly after Lemoyne’s death nine volumes of his Memorie Biografiche di Don Bosco were printed covering Don Bosco’s life up to 1870. For the last eighteen years of Don Bosco’s life he left the written material in readiness for publication. This work with which he was charged officially was intended as a preparation for Don Bosco’s beatification and is edizione extra- co mm er dale. I abstain therefore from quoting it. In 1914 he published his Vita mentioned above. About this work he says : “ Di lui (i. e. Don Bosco) si pubblicarono molte biografie in varie lingue, ma nessuna completa e, tanto meno, autentica ed ufficiale. A riempire siffatta lacuna esce quest’ opera in due volumi ... la narrazione e scrupolosamente conforme a verita.” His sources were notes made by himself and other Salesians, the Acts of the Canonical Process instituted with the Archbishop of Turin in preparation for the beatification and canonization and, finally, the autographic Memoirs of Don Bosco, his notes, his published works, his voluminous corre- spondence and “ anche i lunghi, frequenti e confidenziali colloqui, avuti per ventiquattro anni col Venerabile, dei quali non lasciammo cader parola.” All facts mentioned without quotation of the source in the following study are based chiefly on these two bio- graphies by Lemoyne. rimaneva ancora un desiderio, ed era di presentare, il meglio que fosse possibile, quale a noi apparve D. Bosco, cioe mite, amorevole, pazientissimo, anche quando ebbe a trovarsi come Daniele tra i leoni, che se l’avrebbera voluto togliere d’innanzi.” 3 Cfr. the last sentence of note 1, page 1. 3 The work of Bonetti, who was constantly associated with Don Bosco, first as his pupil and later as his companion, is in the main a collection of articles on Don Bosco’s work, published in the Bolletino Salesiano since 1880. The value of these articles is based especially on the fact that they were written with Don Bosco’s knowledge and under his supervision. Since all other sources of information agree as a rule with Lemoyne and Bonetti, and as they do not enjoy the same authen- ticity, I generally abstain from quoting them with the exception of those rather rare instances where they either differ from Lemoyne or Bonetti or mention a fact not reported by these two authors. A still more important source for Don Bosco’s life and work are his own published writings, and also his occasional notes, memoirs, and his correspondence. The books which he wrote are numerous and cover many different subjects. They are indeed full of interest and information as to his character, his interests and his abilities. However, with the exception of the Regolamento , they shed rela- tively little light on his educational principles and activities. His notes, memoirs and letters are not yet published; very small ex- tracts from them are found in Lemoyne. Most important among them are his Memorie dell’ Oratorio dal 1825 al 1855 . 4 * * * * * Io 4 The Memorie, the manuscript of which was found after Don Bosco’s death among his papers, were written at the instance or rather the formal command of Pope Pius IX after 1867. About their aim, character and arrangement Don Bosco expresses him- self as follows : “ . . . . io scrivo pei miei carissimi figli Salesiani, con proibizione di dare pubblicita a queste cose, sia prima, sia dopo la mia morte. A chi dunque potra servire questo lavoro? ServhA di norma a superare le difficolta future, prendendo lezioni dal passato; servirk a far conoscere come Dio abbia egli stesso guidato ogni cosa in ogni tempo; servirct ai miei figli di ameno trattenimento, quando potranno leggere le cose cui prese parte il loro padre, e le leggeranno assai piu volontieri, quando chiamato da Dio a rendere conto delle mie azione, non saro pifi tra loro. Awenendo d’incontrare fatti esposti forse con troppa compiacenza e forse con apparenza di vanagloria, datemene compatimento. un padre che gode parlare delle cose sue ai suoi figli, i quali godon pure di sapere le piccole awenture di chi li ha cotanto amati, e che nelle cose piccole e grandi ha sempre cercato di operare a loro vantaggio spirituale e temporale. Io espongo queste memorie ripartite in decadi, ossia in periodi di dieci 4 In presenting Don Bosco as an educator, it will be our aim to do so objectively, offering criticism favorable or adverse as the merits of his work demand. Every unbiased student of Don Bosco’s life and educational work will be captivated by his per- sonality, the sincerity of his aims and intentions, the purity of his zeal, the power of his indefatigable energy and the greatness of his results. The religious principles upon which his educational activity was based will remain forever the only reliable basis of all true education. It may be well, however, to observe that their practical application by Don Bosco, no matter how well suited to Don Bosco’s own conditions, may have to be changed in many ways according to the changing conditions of times, customs and races. anni, perche in ogni tale spazio di tempo succedette un notabile e sensibile sviluppo della nostra istituzione.” Cfr. Lemoyne, Vita, p. 41. PART I PREPARATION. THE EARLY YEARS, 1815-1841. CHAPTER 1 INFLUENCE OF MARGHERITA, DON BOSCO’S MOTHER Don Giovanni Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, at Becchi near Turin. His father, Francesco Bosco, was a man of sterling Christian character well versed in the teachings of his faith. His circumstances were of an extremely modest sort. He owned only a small cottage and a little land. As the proceeds thereof were not nearly sufficient to support the family, he had to hire out to work on adjacent farms. About a year after the death of his first wife, who left him a nine year old son Antonio, he had married Margherita Occhiena, June 6, 1812. Margherita Occhiena was born April 1, 1788, at Capriglio near Chieri. Her parents, Melchiorre Occhiena and Domenica Bossone, had given their children a good Christian education. Francesco Bosco found in Margherita not only a faithful consort, but also a tender and loving mother for the son of his first marriage, and a devoted daughter for his aged mother. The union of Francesco and Margherita was blessed with two children: Giuseppe, born April 8, 1813, and Giovanni, who was destined to accomplish such great things. Before Giovanni had reached the age of two, his father died after a very short illness on May 11, 1817. Margherita was an unusual woman. She was gifted with such eminent qualities of mind and heart, that the formation of the future educator should be attributed first and foremost to her. Her influence upon Don Bosco was so great and her participation in his labors so prominent, that for a full appreciation of Don Bosco’s character and work it is essential first to pay serious atten- tion to the life of his mother. Margherita was a woman of most remarkable energy. Indefatigable in her devotion to her family, she worked hard from early morning until late into the night. 6 After the death of her husband, she bore alone all the burdens which formerly they had shared with each other. Besides per- forming her many duties as mistress of the house and as mother, she did the heavy work of the field. Thanks to her unflagging zeal, her prudent economy and scrupulous care in little things, she succeeded, after the death of her husband, in bringing her family safely through the hard times of the famine of 1817. In all her trouble, she found strength in an unshakable trust in God, and this she knew well how to instill also into all her children and especially into Giovanni. Her piety was genuine and came from her heart. God was her aim always and in everything. Her prayers could well be said to be uninterrupted. Her unselfishness was really exceptional. Thus she refused a favorable offer of remarriage, because she wished to devote herself entirely to her children and their education and to the care of the beloved mother of her deceased husband whom she nursed faithfully until death took her away on February 8, 1826. When Giovanni, before enter- ing the seminary, was deliberating whether or not he should become a Franciscan and her pastor, who had heard of this, had advised her to oppose the move in consideration of her poverty, she imme- diately went to see her son at Chieri and said to him : “ I hear that you want to enter a monastery. Consider first, what a high vocation this is, and then, without any human considerations, do what you feel called to do. The pastor wants me to restrain you from taking that step, because later I might be in need of your assistance. But I tell you not to consider me. The one important thing is that you save your soul. Now mind well, that I want nothing from you. I was born poor and my wish is also to die poor.” Later on, in order to render possible the execution of Don Bosco’s plans, she did not hesitate to tear herself away from her family and to follow him to Yaldocco, in spite of her old age, the remon- strances of her children and the weeping of her grandchildren. Neither did she consider the fact that she had to live with her son in two small rooms in an ill-reputed neighborhood and in poverty and need, without any certain income. In all things, she thought of herself last. In spite of her poverty, she always found means and ways to stint herself in something, in order to help others. She was so charitable that she was justly called “the mother of 7 the needy ” and so generous that she seemed to be possessed of real wealth. Don Bosco loved to tell a trait of her unselfish charity. He had noticed that his mother wore a skirt which was very old and patched all over. He, therefore, gave her money to buy herself a new and simple dress. But she reappeared in the same old skirt. In answer to his questions, Don Bosco learned that she had used the money to purchase food and shoes for poor children. Several times thereafter he gave her money again, but always with the same result . 1 Just as marvelous as her virtue was her skill in the training of children. She proved her educational talents both in the education of her own children and in the great assistance that she gave Don Bosco later on after the founding of the homes of Yaldocco. Her foremost means in education was religion. As a truly Christian mother she aimed above all else to implant the germ of solid piety and wholesome fear of God deeply and carefully in the souls of the children. In their tenderest years she began to teach her children the common prayers, to instruct them in the Catechism and to take them to church on all Sundays and Holydays. “ God sees you,” was the first lesson which she gave the children and which she always recalled to their memory. She sought to fill them with a vivid horror of sin. “I would rather see you dead than on evil ways,” 2 was one of her sayings, which she impressed so deeply upon them that Don Bosco, during his whole life, fre- quently made mention of it. She used the phenomena of nature to bring God and his attributes near to the children and to teach them to fear and to love Him. She loved to tell the children stories from Holy Scripture and from the lives of the Saints and other edifying and instructive sources, but she would never tell ghost-stories. Being herself fearless and undaunted, she wanted her children to fear no one but God. Of practical applications, drawn from different events in life, her supply was inexhaustible. “ Her speech was so natural, so energetic and rich in illustrations, proverbs and parables, that she frequently attracted the attention of Don Bosco, who would hide himself behind a pillar and listen with pleasure and often with astonishment to the display of her 1 Lemoyne, G. B., Scene di Famiglia, esposte nella Vita di Margherita Bosco, Torino, 1913, p. 152-153. 2 Lemoyne, Scene di Famiglia, p. 72-73. 8 powers of thought and expression.” 3 Being herself always active to the extreme, she would allow no idleness among the children. Recognizing that proper occupation means practically everything in the children’s training, she very early gave them some light work suitable to their age. Thus, she made Giovanni, when he \vas hardly four years old, pick several bundles of hemp, before she allowed him to go to his play. All her children were given little duties to perform in the house and in the kitchen. In this way, she awakened and strengthened in them a sense of responsi- bility and kept them near herself. She always supervised and watched her children’s conduct attentively. Her supervision, how- ever, was never austere or suggestive of suspicion, but always prudent and amiable. In order to make her children love her company, she never showed any annoyance over their noisy merry- making. On the contrary, she herself joined them in their games and helped them to invent new ones. She would patiently answer all their childish questions and urge them to chat with her so that she might learn the better the feelings and thoughts awakening in them. Thus she succeeded in gaining the full confidence of the children who kept no secret from her. If she had to leave home for awhile, she would afterwards inquire and ask an account of what the children had done during her absence; she would praise them or point out their little faults in the kindest motherly manner. Thus she accustomed them to trust their mother and to become conscious of their accountability for their own actions. In spite of her kindness, she possessed a good measure of firmness so neces- sary in the training of children. She never resorted to bodily punishments; never did she strike one of her children, even a single time; and this not because of weakness, but because she knew how to use other means. Her children understood this very well and knew that she indeed would come to punish them, if they were stubbornly to persist in their faults. Don Bosco liked to tell the following story of himself. “ When I was only four years old, my brother and I, one day, returned from a long walk, almost perishing from thirst. My mother brought water and handed it first to Giuseppe. This vexed me. When my mother thereupon handed the water to me, I refused to 3 Lemoyne, J. B., Scene di Famiglia, p. 127. 9 take it. Without saying a word she put it aside. I waited a few moments, then I said bashfully : ‘ Mother ! ’ She answered : ( Well ? ’ ‘ Please, give me also a drink ! ’ * Oh/ she said, 6 1 thought, you were not thirsty/ Much ashamed I asked pardon. ‘ All right/ she said, and handed me the water.” Another time Giovanni had allowed his quick temper, to get the best of him. His mother called him and said : “ Giovanni, do you see that switch ? ” pointing to one of the corners of the room. “ Yes, I see it,” he answered, retreating a few steps. “ Go and bring it to me,” she said. “ What are you going to do with it? ” he asked surprised. “ Bring it to me and you shall see,” she answered. Giovanni brought the switch and giving it to her, he said: “ You are going to whip me?” “ And why shouldn’t I?” she answered gravely, “ If you play such bad tricks ! ” In the physical training of her children she was also strict and firm and accustomed them to a regular and hardened life. Above all she made them learn good order and painstaking cleanliness. She taught them that respect for oneself and others and ordinary politeness demand that each one should keep himself outwardly proper. In spite of all her poverty, she knew how to dress the chil- dren neatly and even attractively ; especially for church on Sundays and Holydays. And in this she avoided all vanity, always calling the children’s attention to religious motives. The children ate the plainest food imaginable. For breakfast, they received a piece of dry bread, prepared by herself, but no milk and no fruit, although she had fruit from her own trees. She let the children become used to long walks, and the stronger they grew, the more did she encourage them to use their strength at different kinds of work. She would not hesitate to make them, especially Giovanni, interrupt their sleep to perform some work of charity as, for example, calling the doctor to a sick neighbor or the like. The fact that Don Bosco could perform such enormous tasks, that he could get along with so little and that his whole life was so plain and simple, is due, no doubt, to this energetic training of his mother, who never made one concession to tendencies toward effemi- nacy. Just as she herself in her conduct towards her mother-in-law gave the best example of obedience, so did she demand uncondi- tional obedience also from her children. Her beckoning to one of them to bring her some wood or water was sufficient to make the 10 others likewise hurry for the things wanted. As regards obedience, it was a principle of hers to make the children do everything out of love of God. She taught the children to be prudent aud cautious in judging. A rooster had once been stolen from Giovanni’s flock of chickens. Giovanni, who suspected a certain man, followed him and, as a matter of fact, forced him to return it. Instead of praising him for his determined action, Margherita pointed out to him that he had overstepped the limits of prudence. She said to him : “ I do not insist on my rights, if I am in danger thereby to offend against charity or to get into a quarrel with my neighbors. On account of little things, I would not start dissension. I might take certain preventive measures, but I should still remember that on account of little things like those the world is not going to come to an end. Your intention was good, and the matter has been settled smoothly. But be careful not to mention this thing to others. And if you should meet this man again, make it appear as if you had forgotten the whole affair. Remember that one single enemy is just one too many.” It is not astonishing that with such qualities of character and such an educational genius Margherita exercised a great influence over the children who later gathered around Don Bosco. If there were some who resisted correction, Margherita would take special pains to win them over. Only rarely did anyone resist her, so well did she know how to touch the right spot and to back her warnings with proofs of genuine motherly love. The love and veneration shown to Mamma Margherita, as she was called by young and old, was indeed very great. Her death, November 25, 1856, meant a great loss not only to Don Bosco and his work, but to all who had been associated with her. Justly does Margherita’s biographer say of her in his concluding words : “ The memory of Margherita Bosco, the true mother of the children of the poor, will remain forever not only in the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales, but in all the houses that have so far been founded and those that will be founded in the future. Wherever the name of Don Bosco will be praised, there Margherita’s name also will be blessed.” 4 4 Lemoyne, J. B., Scene di Famiglia, p. 184. CHAPTER 2 ACADEMIC TRAINING When Giovanni had completed his eighth year, Margherita wanted to send him to school. Here at the very beginning of Don Bosco’s education, the greatest difficulties were encountered. Antonio, the step-brother of Giovanni, remonstrated violently against sending the latter to school, because he feared a diminution of his patrimony and a loss of his brother’s help on the farm. Finally he consented to let Giovanni attend school during the winter months. Not being admitted to any of the nearby schools, Giovanni was turned over to a peasant, who had offered to teach him how to read and write. In the following winter the pastor of Capriglio consented to receive him into his school. Twice a day, from November till April, often through rain and storm, the nine year old boy had to walk the two and a half miles from Becchi to Capriglio. During the following winter, on account of Antonio’s violent opposition, Giovanni could not go regularly to school ; only off and on was he able to see his teacher, to receive from him a few brief instructions and to get the loan of new books. In the fall of 1826, Don Calosso, the pastor of Murialdo, attracted by the exceptional talents of the boy, volunteered to teach him. In the middle of October, Giovanni commenced his course under Don Calosso with Italian and at Christmas with Latin grammar. In spring, however, he had to give all his time outside of the actual class-hours to farmwork and was not permitted any leisure for home study. But he never wavered. In February 1828, Mar- gherita sent him to the farm of a certain Moglia in Moncucco. Here his occupation as a cowherd left some time for reading and private study. His employers did not interfere, since his books seemed to be his only joy and his behavior was exemplary. Towards the end of 1828, however, a maternal uncle of his, Michele, after cancelling his contract with the Moglia family, sent him home again and endeavoured to obtain instruction for him from the rector of Castelnuovo and another priest at Buttigliera d’Asti. But unfortunately these men, for lack of time, had to deny his requests. Thus once more Giovanni had no other choice but to stay at home and help his brother on the farm. Margherita now 11 12 turned again to Don Calosso. This zealous priest sympathizing with Giovanni's misfortunes had him come to his house every day; after some time, however, on account of Antonio’s repeated com- plaints, he took him into his own house to live with him. Mar- gherita, in order to remove all cause for further quarreling, then divided the small paternal inheritance among the children in spite of Antonio’s resistance. After Don Calosso’s rather sudden death in November 1830, Margherita succeeded in having her son received into the public school at Castelnuovo. In the beginning Giovanni had to listen to a good deal of jesting and joking. He was much older and taller than his fellow students. His talent, however, and his seriousness in the studies and his success soon won him the admiration of everyone and the attention and the esteem of his teachers. It was a severe blow wdien Don Yisano, an exceptionally able teacher of his was transferred to some other office. His successor had an apparently insuperable prejudice against Giovanni and was con- vinced that no one coming from Becchi would ever “ amount to anything.” Instead of helping Giovanni in his studies, he advised him at every opportunity to go back to his pick and shovel. After the first scholastic year, Margherita decided to send Giovanni to the public school in Chieri and found a suitable lodging for him at the home of a widow, where he had to earn part of his board by working in the house. When he arrived in Chieri, on November 4, a great disappointment was in store for him. He had indeed a good deal of information along many lines, but in consequence of his irregular attendance at school his knowl- edge lacked order and system, and it was therefore decided to place him in the preparatory class of the college. After two months, however, he was transferred into the lowest collegiate class and after two more months he was admitted by way of exception to a special examination and then transferred to the second class of the college. At the beginning of the new school year he entered the third and, after another year, the fourth class of the school. His work throughout all these years was so excellent that every year his tuition and fees were remitted as a premium. His success was the more remarkable as his many occupations outside of the school left him comparatively little time for his studies. And yet he found ways and means of doing extensive private reading. As 13 reading and retaining were, according to his own words, 1 one and the same thing to him, he soon knew a large portion of the Italian classics by heart. The works of Dante, Petrarch, Tasso and others became so familiar to him that even in his advanced years he was still able to recite passages of them from memory without any effort whatever. Having brilliantly passed his examinations in August 1834, he decided to devote himself, not as his teachers had advised, to the study of philosophy, but as his inclination ran, to that of rhetoric and literature. In these studies he perfected himself in purity of language and style and thus prepared for his later literary labors. October 30, 1835, Giovanni entered the diocesan seminary in Chieri. It goes without saying that during the whole period of his seminary studies all his examinations were successful and his conduct exemplary. Proof of this is that year after year he carried off a premium of 60 lire. During the vacation, after the first year in the seminary, he accepted a position as teacher of elementary Greek in the Jesuit College at Montaldo. One of the priests of the Society who was known as an excellent Greek scholar, gave him advanced lessons during this time and made him translate almost the entire New Testament, a few books of Homer and some odes of Pindar and Anacreon. Again his progress was so amazing that his teacher volunteered to give him further help in his Greek studies after his return to the seminary. During all the following four years Giovanni regularly sent to him every week a Greek composition which, just as regularly, was gone over and returned with correc- tions and notes. In this way he acquired so excellent a knowledge of Greek that according to his own testimony, he knew Greek about as well as Latin. 2 His fondness for private reading was remark- able. In the first seminary year, his first year of philosophy, he devoted himself to the study of the classics; in the second philo- sophical year he read works on ecclesiastical history and besides studied the history of the Old and New Testament and Hebrew grammar. In that same year he began also the study of French. 1 “ .... In quel tempo io non faceva distinzione tra il leggere e lo studiare.” D. Bosco, Memorie, quoted by Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 150. 3 “ In questa maniera potei giungere a tradurre il greco quasi come si farebbe del latino.” D. Bosco, Memorie, quoted by Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 172. 2 14 During the following years of his theological studies he nevei neglected his private studies in literature and history. It was, therefore, quite natural that he should become the center of the literary Academy, which had been formed by twelve seminarians and in which essays on literary and historical subjects were read and discussed. In all these discussions Don Bosco was so exact and particular that he gained the nickname “ il rabbino della gram- matical During the vacation of 1840, he asked the Archbishop, Mgr. Franzoni, for permission to study his fourth year of theology pri- vately, because he had already completed his twenty-fourth year. The Archbishop, who knew of the excellence of Don Bosco’s scholar- ship from the previous examinations, granted his petition. Within two months he went through all the prescribed branches of study and was prepared for his final examination, which he passed so brilliantly that he was not only allowed to enter into the fifth-year class but also was made a prefect. The end of his seminary studies was thus approaching. On May 15, 1841, he passed the final examination with the mark “ plus quam op time.” After his ordination, which took place June 5, 1841, he declined several positions which were offered to him and instead accepted the invitation of Don Cafasso, vice-rector of a college for young ecclesiastics in Turin, to enter his college, in order to pursue further studies in Moral Theology and Homiletics. Here Don Bosco’s academic training for his priestly and educational career was completed. CHAPTER 3 IMMEDIATE PREPARATION FOR CAREER “ When I was only five years old, I conceived the idea of gath- ering the children to teach them the catechism. This was my liveliest wish and it seemed to me as if this was the only thing I had to do on earth.” 1 “ Just because my companions are bad, I go with them ; because, when I am with them, they are much better behaved and don’t use any bad words.” 2 These two utterances of Don Bosco’s childhood days show that his vocation of teacher and educator of the young was developing within him at an early date and even active in a manner suited to his age. Scarcely had he learned from his mother the primary truths of religion, as outlined in the little catechism, when he began to explain them to his companions and to teach them the necessary prayers. His ideas are clearly reflected in a dream he had when only nine years old. He saw himself among a band of playing children of whom not a few were cursing and swearing. When he heard the curses he threw himself into the midst of the players trying in vain to silence them by his words and with his fists. At this moment there appeared to him a white-robed, majestic-looking person order- ing him to place himself at the head of the boys adding this warning: “ Not with blows, but by meekness and love you must win these friends of yours.” Thereupon he commanded him to give the children an instruction on the evil of sin and the value of virtue. When Giovanni much confused declared that he was not able to do so, he was told : “ J ust because this seems impossible to you, you must seek to make it possible through obedience and the acquisition of the necessary knowledge.” Giovanni asked whence he could obtain this knowledge and by what means. The answer was: “I shall give you a teacher under whose guidance you can learn, without whom all learning is folly.” At this moment there appeared a woman in a brilliant garment who kindly grasped 1 D. Bosco, Memorie, quoted by Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 16. 2 D. Bosco, Memorie, quoted by Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 16. 15 16 Giovanni’s hand and said : “ Now observe closely.” At this moment the children disappeared and in their stead he saw many different animals. “ Behold, this is your field of labor,” continued the noble lady, “ here you shall work. Make yourself humble, strong and vigorous, and what you will see taking place in the animals in a moment, that you shall do for my children.” Imme- diately the wild beasts turned into gentle lambs which joyously gamboled about. With tears in his eyes Giovanni begged the lady to speak to him in a way that he might understand, because he did not know what it all meant. Putting her hand on Giovanni’s head she answered : “ When the time comes you will understand it all.” 3 When Giovanni told this dream to the family, his brothers remarked that no doubt he would become either a shepherd or a bandit; but his mother said : “ Perhaps he will be a priest.” 4 This interpre- tation of the dream had a decisive influence upon Giovanni in this that it gave him the definite idea of studying for the priesthood. But his concept of that calling was not the priesthood as such; the peculiar feature in his case was that from the very beginning he wanted to become a priest in order to help the children. Thus he explained to Don Calosso when the latter, surprised at his wonderful memory and clear intellect, asked him what he was going to be. “ I should like to be a priest in order to help my companions. They are not bad, but they become bad, because nobody cares about them.” 5 When he was on his way to Chieri in November, 1831, to remain there and to attend the school his companion, Giovanni Philipello, who was familiar with his repu- tation for learning, predicted that he would become a pastor very soon. But Giovanni answered : “ I do not want to become a parish priest, I want to study in order to devote my life to helping the children.” 6 During his seminary time he was often asked what he was going to do after becoming a priest. Here again he answered that he had no inclination to parochial work; he would like best to gather together poor, forsaken children in order to give them a Christian training and education. It seems that the priests of the time of Don Bosco’s childhood 3 D. Bosco, Memorie, related Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 42-43. 4 D. Bosco, Memorie, related Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 43. 6 Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 63. 8 Lemoyne, Vita I, p. 103. 17 occupied a rather isolated position, and that they sought to influence the lives of their parishioners by creating the feeling of respect rather than that of love. Giovanni took a different view of the matter and disapproved of the clergy’s keeping aloof from the children. He felt an impulse to approach his spiritual leader in order to hear from him a word of encouragement, and could not understand why a priest should have no time for children and why he should have “ more important things ” to do. “ But did the Saviour lose time when he made the little children come to him? I shall do differently later on. I shall not wait till the children come to me, I shall approach them and call them to me. I shall love them and win their love, I shall give them kind words and good counsels and do all I can for their eternal salvation.” 7 The more Giovanni became conscious of his vocation of teacher and educator, the more he sought for means and ways of exercising this vocation. The more he himself learned, so much the more did he try to teach. Wherever he went, in Becchi, in Moncucco, in Castelnuovo, in Chieri, everywhere, Giovanni gathered the children around him, teaching them to pray and to sing pious songs, giving them lessons in the Catechism, repeating to them what he had heard from the pulpit, and telling them edifying and instructive stories. Giovanni had an eminent genius for teaching and a special gift of arousing within his pupils a love of study. In Chieri, he was asked by the woman with whom he boarded to supervise the school- work of her son who simply would not study. Although this boy attended the next higher class Giovanni helped him to the extent that from then on his professors were not only satisfied with him but even gave him commissions of honor in the class. In Castel- nuovo, and especially in Chieri, Giovanni was requested by many families to give private tutoring lessons to their sons. Thus he was furnished with an opportunity to train himself in teaching and in discovering ways and means to make studying easier for those who had to struggle with particular problems and obstacles. During the vacations, especially of his term at the seminary, which he spent at home with his mother, he gathered the children around him to teach them the catechism, taught the older ones, among 7 Francesia, J. B., Short popular Life of Don Bosco. Translated from the Italian. London, 1905, p. 7-8. 18 them boys of 16 and 18 years, to read and write, and gave private lessons to a number of boys of Castelnuovo who were preparing to enter college. Thus during the vacation of 1839, he took the son of the Moglia family who wanted to become a priest into his own home at Becchi and taught him every day. The vacation following upon his first year at the seminary he spent at the Jesuit college of Montaldo teaching Greek and acting as assistant over a certain division of boys. Here he had an opportunity to acquire a practical acquaintance with the educational methods of the Jesuits and their preventive system. Moreover, he received here a clearer insight into his own vocation. He recognized that he was not called to devote himself to the sons of the upper classes with whom he here came into close contact for the first time, but that God called him to espouse the cause of poor and homeless children. This conviction was so strong in him that, long after, in 1864, when it was pro- posed to him to start a college for boys of noble families, he objected, almost violently, saying : “ So long as I live and so long as I can help it, this will never be done ; it would be our ruin.” 8 During his first year at college, the first sacristan of the cathedral church asked him for private lessons, because he wanted to become a priest, although he was then 35 years old. In spite of his crowded hours, Giovanni took it upon himself to prepare the sacristan for entrance into the seminary. Every day he instructed him, and with infinite patience and with great skill he advanced him within two years so far that he passed the necessary examinations. It may safely be assumed that during this time there ripened within him the wish some day to provide for those who in advanced years would feel called to the priesthood and could not easily begin their studies side by side with little boys. The plans for the institution of the Figli di Maria, which he founded later in 1875, may then have struck their first roots. At all events, it was then that he gathered his first experiences for this particular group of his future proteges. Soon after Giovanni as a boy had begun teaching catechism, he realised that to teach merely by reasoning was not sufficient to make others better and to lead them to God. He learned by expe- rience that he had to attract the children to himself and to exercise 8 Questo no ; non sara mai ; finche vivrd io e per quanto dipendera da me, non sara mai. Cio sarebbe la nostra rovina.” Lemoyne I, p. 173. 19 a personal influence over them. His first means to that end were the stories which he told with so much skill that not only the children of the whole neighborhood came to him, but the grown-ups also listened to him with pleasure. This, however, did not satisfy his zeal. He was convinced that a poor little boy like himself should have something more in order to attract and hold the atten- tion of larger audiences. As a matter of fact, he discovered another means, so peculiar that he is probably the only one reported in the history of education as having contrived to use it. When about 10 or 11 years old, he conceived the idea of attract- ing the attention of adults and children by different tricks such as were shown by circus people at the village fair. He used, there- fore, to ask his mother for permission to visit the fairs in the neighborhood. Attentively he watched the sleight-of-hand artists. His keen mind soon saw through their “ mysteries ” and since he possessed great bodily skill and strength he was soon able to imitate their tricks. He even took up tight-rope walking and other acro- batic feattires and became so efficient that he could make a break- neck leap, walk on his hands, and dance upon a rope like a pro- fessional rope-dancer. On Sundays and Holydays he gave entertainment in the court- yard of the parental home whither old and young came together to see him and listen to him. The programs of these entertain- ments revealed a remarkable psychological sense in him. The little Apostle somehow knew the means whereby he could attain the desired end. When the whole audience had arrived, he would first make the preparations for the entertainment; he stretched a rope from one tree to the other, spread out a carpet upon which to perform the various acrobatic feats, erected the platform with a table and so on. When everything was ready and the audience was full of expectation and curiosity, he recited first a part of the rosary and intoned a sacred hymn. Then he climbed upon the platform and with the words of introduction :