“Gentleness is the exterior guise of charity, goodness. But it should not be an end point: it is extremely valuable for the teacher to love his pupils and love them for supernatural reasons; it is valuable that the teacher's ways of doing things, all his words, his vigilance, in a word, all his actions, be inspired by such love, otherwise the teacher will not be able to captivate his students’ affection and provide stability to his authority without which it would be impossible for a teacher to be a successful educator in their regard”.395
“Piety itself and, in particular the use of the sacraments, should be surrounded by gentleness and joy. One must do one’s very best to make sure the children find a certain delight in religious exercises. The piety which the students should be inspired by, should not be austere, under the spell of fear but a gentle piety, based mainly on love”.396
In an atmosphere of charity a vigilant presence is also justified. “The teacher's steadfast attention to what the students are doing ... produces very good results, not only because it represses the disorders which might show up and thus prevents their growing worse, but also and especially because it forestalls them”.397
Within this context the problem of punishments is also resolved. “Gentleness requires the teacher to follow these guidelines: 1. Punish rarely..; 2. Punish only out of charity… 5. Never strike children, never push them; never force them or treat them harshly... 15. The teacher should, as far as possible, make himself easily accessible and show kindness and warmth... 20. The teacher should win over the hearts of his students with moderation, since strictness irritates them and discourages them”.398 Finally, there is an appeal made to reason: “Always speak rightly to your students, with reasonableness, no matter what age they are and make sure that they act the same way, whenever any opportunity is given them”.399
9. The Barnabites' preventive style
It is a well-known fact that the Barnabites, a Congregation which came into being during the first half of the 16th century, dedicated themselves to the care of Colleges (boarding schools) at the beginning of the 17th Century. The Barnabites were always praised for their discipline. This is the reason why St. Francis de Sales wanted them to be teachers in the boarding institutions in Annecy. St. Francis de Sales thought of them as “excellent people”, “gentle and condescending”, “humble and kind”; as people of “solid piety, gentle and incomparably friendly”.400
The preventive aspect of their educational system seems to have been formulated more explicitly during the 19th Century. “We beg all those who take an active part in educating youth, in instructing youth, to be slow to punish, to try with all possible means suggested by charity to prevent the onset of evil rather than having to correct it”.401 “The supervision of younger boarders should be as constant and diligent as it is gentle and fatherly. It is better to prevent defects from showing up than to have the sad task of punishing them. Punishment should be used rarely and only as a medicine”. 402 “If the rule is not kept, then it is dead. For this reason, the superiors should do their utmost to keep the rule alive
395 Ibid., 46-47.
396 Ibid., 26 and 27.
397 Fr. V. Théoger, Virtù e doveri, 50.
398 Ibid., 47 and 49.
399 Ibid., 27; cf also 8,10,21,43.
400 A. M. Erba, Le scuole e la tradizione pedagogica dei barnabiti, in P. Braido, ed., Esperienze di pedagogia cristiana
nella storia, vol 1, (Rome: LAS, 1981) 180-181. We cite the documents proper to the Order of the essay by A.M. Erba. 401 Saggio di Regolamento per que’ Collegi dei PP. Barnabiti che hanno annesso il Convitto o il Ginnasio, (Rome: 1850),
4.
402 Programma of the Duke’s College Maria Luisa (Parma, 1832).