Abstract

St. John Bosco’s preventive system of education was due both to the Church tradition (catechumenate, Christian schools, charitable works, the work of St. Charles Borromeo, St. Philip Neri and others) and to the creative effort of Don Bosco himself. He laid down the principles of: rationality („ragione”, „ragionevolezza”) in dealing with pupils; religion, which madę it possible to approach education with regard for the last things and so to dispose young people most strongly to work on forming their own characters; and love („amorevolezza”), which marked the style of personal relations and integrated earthly and supematural matters into one whole. These principles madę it possible largely to overcome detrimental dualism in education and to introduce a new style in teacher-pupil relations, previously formal and rigorous. Don Bosco’s system consists in communal education, first of all in the family atmosphere of the so-called oratory. The position of the educator is that of the father, kind and rational in stating his demands, always with a view to forming a complete personality in his pupil. The system provides a space for personal dialogue and social involvement, especially through group work and religious and cultural societies. It calls for so-called assistance, i.e. continuous creative presence of the educator. The assistant helps the pupil to undertake work on his own character formation and introduces him to the social life of both the Church and the national community. The system draws on the resources of the Church for its content, means and methods. It also aims to be useful to the Church by forming Christians responsible for the world and by Identification with the goals of the community of God’s people.