Therefore, a dismissal or an expulsion might not only seem reasonable but also inevitable, particularly at Valdocco and especially for the academic students section made up mostly of young men who aspired to an ecclesiastical vocation. Whoever did not show the signs of a vocation was either sent to another school or was sent home. Besides, academic students and working boys would also have remembered that the house which welcomed them and educated them relied on the generosity of benefactors.1236
Leaving aside the fact of not seeing the signs of a vocation as reason for dismissal, an expulsion or
dismissal was compulsory when all the other resources of the system had been exhausted. The
preventive system was never declared to be absolutely infallible system. The ones who were expelled
were mostly those who were guilty of the three evils which had to be avoided at all cost, and pointed out in the Rules for the houses. More so the case of recidivists. The three evils to be absolutely avoided were:1. Blasphemy and calling on God's holy name in vain 2. Dishonesty, taken to mean any scandal related to the sixth commandment 3. Theft. Additional evils were 'formal and systematic disobedience' and 'rebellion'.
In a long Good Night given on 13 February 1865, Don Bosco first denounced thefts, lack of discipline, and immoral acts, then openly communicated the decision he had arrived at:
I have therefore made a decision and this is to get rid of those responsible for these
scandals. Don Bosco is the most easygoing man on earth; you may destroy and break
anything, you may scamper around and he will always know how to show compassion for
you. But do not start ruining souls, because then Don Bosco becomes inexorable.1237
This is that type of environment Father Julius Barberis referred to in one of his diary entries as he keenly took notice of a certain situation at Valdocco.
There is a rule in ou r houses, and that is to absolutely not tolerate young men amongst us
who are ratbags or who in any way may cause scandal for their companions. One bad
conversation, even the smallest immoral act would be enough to have the guilty person
expelled from our house. But no one may be expelled without informing Don Bosco about
it.
1238
The intransigence of the chronicler was certainly connected with the students who aspired to the
ecclesiastical state, and the pre -novices.
However this intransigence for most of the boys was clearly contradicted by Don Bosco in his
Confidential Memo for Rectors which is a text of great normative value for them.
Whenever you come to discover some serious fault, summon the guilty party or suspected
party into your office and, in the most charitable manner make sure to have him
acknowledge his fault and the harm that he has done in committing it; then correct him and
invite him to fix up whatever pertains to his conscience. By following this procedure and
by continuing kindly assistance to the pupil we have obtained marvellous results and some
behavioural changes which seemed impossible.1239
The rules are similarly for the weekend Oratory, which still had a flexible structure.
1240
1236 Regolamento per le case..., p. part II, Chap XVI, p. 89, OE XXIX 185.
1237 G.B. Lemoyne, Cronaca 1864ff pp. 93-94. He gives a lengthy justification for the invitation to the boys listening to
“Denounce those responsible for disorder and sin” (Ibid pp. 96-97).
1238 G. Barberis, Cronichetta, quad. 3., p. 19.
1239 F. Motto, I «Ricordi confidenziali ai direttori»..., pp. 156-157.
1240 Regolamento dell'Oratorio....per gli esterni, part II, Chap II Condizioni d'accettazione, art. 6 p. 30, OE XXIX 60.