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.