councillor [which means the one in charge of the trade school activities, workshops etc].
But in all this common activity the teachers, the shop-heads and assistants are involved as well in proportion to their age and the activities they are called to carry out. The Rules for the houses dedicate a chapter to every assignment and activity.1126 Instead the tasks indicated in the Rules of the Oratory 'for outsiders' turn out, in practice, to be nominal ones only, remnants of resources used by Don Bosco and gradually improved upon for their spirit.1127
Everyone works according to his competence and assignment within a network of relationships which
contribute to create a compact educating community. We see this, as far as Valdocco is concerned,
recorded in the minutes of t he meetings of assistants, teachers, and superiors of the house chapter or
even of the superior chapter. In the discussions and decisions made there, 'we' generally substitutes 'I',
following the principle:
We do not want to be feared; we want to be loved and we want you to put all your trust in
us.
1128
The solidarity of the educating community is particularly visible in boarding setups, in the boarding schools and hospices. But it is similarly evident in the various types of institutions where the young are gathered. Without distinction, everyone is asked to influence the young as fully as they can and provide an educative assistance which is not simple surveillance but something which enlightens, encourages, and promotes growth.
4. The mobile world of the young
In this context of family, fatherliness, at times paternalistic, what takes on an extraordinary importance is the 'feast of gratitude'. This feast is a partially steered one, but an occasion to generally mobilise all the lively energies of the young people involved in various of activities: sacred and secular songs, music, literary compositions, poems, theatrical performances, academic entertainment, recitations, decorations set up in the various places and performances.
The feast of gratitude began during the first years of the hospice1129 at Valdocco and it ordinarily
coincided with Don Bosco's Name day, June 24. It was solemnly celebrated and with ever -growing involvement by people, up to Don Bosco's death. He was the one being honoured. This feast was then 'copied' in style in all the Salesian educational institutions and became a solid pedagogical tradition.
4.1 Relationship between respect and gradual autonomy
The Feast of Gratitude, according to Don Bosco, aimed at enkindling in young people a sense of respect and love for their superiors, deepening the sense of family, as well as naturally aiming at promoting due sentiments of gratitude and kindness. This too is education.1130
It is quite natural that as part of a pedagogy of 'making oneself loved rather than feared', just as in any
well -functioning family, a privileged place is given to the process of learning how to show honour,
respect and reverence towards teachers, much as would be the case towards parents (Honour your
father and your mother), relatives and benefactors.
During Christmastime, Don Bosco often urged the boys to write to their parents and express gratitude
to them; ask them to forgive past faults and promise r espect and obedience for the future. In a Good
Night given to the boys on 31 December 1868, Don Bosco said: “I recommend that you pray and offer
1126 Regolamenti per le case...., part I, Regolamento particolare, Chaps. I-XVIII, pp. 19-57, OE XXIX 115-153. 1127 Cf. Regolmento dell'Oratorio...per gli esterni, part I, pp. 4-27, OE XXIX 34-57.
1128 Quoted in MB VI 320.
1129 Cf. MB II 491; III 534-536.
1130 Cf. MB IX 886.