the young as much as possible within a moral perspective. To be able to achieve this the following need to be established: 1. subject matter should be suited to the young; 2. things which might create bad habits in the young should be excluded.1190
One of Don Bosco's most trusted collaborators, Fr Julius Barberis, had previously outlined his general
thoughts based on the educational value of theatre performances. These thoughts were based on lived experience.
1. Theatre performances if well chosen are a school of holiness... 2. They provide excellent
intellectual instruction or the kind that teaches the practical prudence needed in life; 3.
They develop the mind of the one who is per forming; 4. They help us get to see human
existence and society from within ;5. They are great entertainment for the boys who think
about them several days before and several days after; 6. Last year (and this may have
happened a thousand times before an d after) a seminarian told me that he decided to join
our Congregation when he was attracted by the cheerfulness he gained from theatre
perfromances; 7. They get rid of bad thoughts and talk – everything focuses on the
performances; 8. They draw lots of youngsters to our schools because even during vacation
time, the oratory boys tell their classmates and friends and many others about the
cheerfulness at the oratory and about the theatrical performances they saw.1191
In January 1885, with special encourageme nt from Don Bosco himself, the print shop at San Benigno
Canavese issued the first of a collection series of dramatic readings to be used by educational
institutions and families. Initially this publication came out every two months and, from 1886 on, ever y month. The cover of the first one , written by Fr. John Baptist Lemoyne, had this well defined program:
It has been noticed that especially comedies, if not strictly morally correct, leave such
awful impressions on young minds that they still remain in old age. We have thought it best
to gather and publish a series of dramatic readings to overcome this; besides being
entertaining and attractive, they can be educational and morally correct. Some priests,
experts in drama, asked and guided byDon Bosco, are setting in place the following
program: the dramatic readings will aim at entertaining, instructing and educating the
masses and especially Italian youth, with a series of booklets containing dramas, comedies,
farces, tragedies and also simple dialogues and entertaining poems.1192
4. Music and singing
The role played by vocal and instrumental music in Don Bosco's educational system is also strictly connected with the idea that education happens through cheerfulness, a calm atmosphere and by refining aesthetic taste and feelings. Music finds plenty of room room in all of Don Bosco's institutions, from the festive oratory to the boarding school for academic students, to technical and professional schools. In the latter, the band received particular attention. Besides everything else, music gives a lively festive tone to any solemnity, sacred or secular: at religious functions, processions, during outings and excursions, receptions and departures, award ceremonies, academic entertainment and theatre performances.
In 1859, Don Bosco had a biblical quotation inscribed on the door of the classroom for vocal music,
1190 Regolamento per le case, Chap XVI Del teatrino, p. 50, OE XXIX 146; identical, other than for the absence of
“done according to the rules of Christian morality”, is the preface to the published Regulations a year after, in the
Deliberazioni del Capitolo generale.... tenuto in Lanzo Torinese..., p. 56, OE XXIX 432.
1191 G. Barberis, Cronichetta, quad. 4, 17 Feb. 1876. pp. 68-69.
1192 G.B. Lemoyne, Le pistrine e l'ultima ora del paganesimo. San Benigno Canavese, 1885, program of “Collana di
Letture drammatiche”; cf BS 10 (1886) no. 1, Jan, pp. 9-10; announced in BS 9 (1885) no. 1 Jan, p. 15 and on the
cover; presentation of Le pistrine in BS 9 (1885) no. 3, March, p. 48.