This persuasion returned frequently especially during Don Bosco's final years, in talks given to Cooperators and benefactors. When he was in Marseilles, he spoke with particular concern about the country girls going to the city to earn their living and exposed to so many dangers of perversion. On the one hand the lack of education and religious instruction and on the other the presence of scandal, corruption, malice.. cause huge disasters among them. Now they are sheltered in the house at St Cyr where they “till the land and receive intellectual, religious and moral instruction”.1287

In the short novel-like Life of Valentino, Don Bosco intentionally demonstrates the educational effectiveness of a Catholic boarding school where the fact of being set apart, having perfect organisation and assistance all with the function of preserving and protecting the young, obtain quick and convincing educational results.

Set apart from his mates, removed from bad reading, the frequent mixing with his

classmates, the class competitions, music, recitals, some theatrical performances in a small

theatre. all these things had him soon forget the wild sort of life he had been livingfor

almost a year. And the recollection of his mother's advice, “Avoid idleness and bad

companions” would often come back to him. And so it was with ease that he picked up the

old habit of keeping the practices of piety again.1288

Several patterns can be seen from the above: a clear -cut separation from the outside world,

1289

strict admissions process,

1290

good control processes, and awareness of the rules.

1291

The concept of prevention is translated into one of the first boarding school traditions which was later

proven wrong by events namely, the rather marked mistrust for schools for day -students and boarding institutions. When Don Bosco was still alive, at a meeting of the Superior Chapter in February 1877 the

boarding school at Valsalice came up for debate and a s a consequence, the proposal to transform the

school into a semi -boarding school where the transportation arrangements would take care of picking

up and bringing back the students to and from home.

1292

Don Bosco did not accept the proposal.

The main positiv e aim of boarding school formation was more effective if there was less compromise

in daily contact with the outside world. The history of Don Bosco's boarding schools reveals this

twofold phenomenon: “annexed to the Oratory”, the main work, a hospice room-and-board institution is added which would soon enough become a boarding school for academic students, those who are aspiring to an ecclesiastical career or not, and for working boys. It was structured according to what was demanded by self-sufficient andautonomous formation. Given the increasing number of boarding schools it is the oratory that ends up by being considered as the 'school annex'.

From a pedagogical viewpoint there is no difference between the boarding schools and the hospices destined to shelter boys who are orphans and without assistance, either because their parents do not wish to or cannot take care of them, boys without any skill, without instruction and exposed to the danger of a miserable future.

The hospices are destined to offer their boarders a complete formation in an equally welcoming setting: instruction, professional skills, discipline for life, moral and religious education.1293 The Rules for the houses request that two conditions of pedagogical significance be followed for the acceptance of the

1287 Conference in Marseilles, 29 March 1883, BS 7 (1883) no. 5, May, p0. 79

1288 G. Bosco, Valentino...., pp. 21-22, OE XVII 199-200; cf. The whole of Chap VII Nuovo Collegio, Ritorna alla

pietà, pp. 19.25, OE XVII 197-03

1289 Cf. Regolamento del parlatorio 1860, MB VI 597-598.

1290 Cf. F. Motto, I «Ricordi confidenziali ai direttori» p. 155

1291 A typical case – the gradual limitations given the presence inside the Oratory of faithful who came for the feast of

MHC.

1292 G. Barberis, Minutes of chapter sittings, quad. 1, fol 32v.

1293 Regolamento per le case..., part II, Chap 1, pp. 59-60, OE XXIX 155-156.