Rozwój Towarzystwa Salezjańskiego w latach 1875-1888

Abstract

The 19th century was a very difficult and troubled period in the history of Italy. The peninsula was affected by many wars, revolutionary movements and above all a unification movement. These events, coupled with the process of industrialization, contributed to the great impoverishing of Italian society. This situation, in turn, had an adverse effect on the condition of education. A large part of children and teenagers were not subject to compulsory education. The situation was aggravated by women having to work in industry. All this resulted in a difficult material and moral situation of young people in Italy. Many persons and institutions sensitive to social ills would undertake numerous preventive activities in the field of education and upbringing. One of them was Fr. John Bosco. He took up work with poor and abandoned young people from Turin. As a young priest, he worked as chaplain to young offenders in a Turin prison in the years 1841-1844. This experience confirmed him in his belief that all had to be done to keep young men off that place of seclusion where they suffered further moral degeneration. Hence, he began to set up various institutions which were to provide young people with housing and opportunities for education and vocational training. These included oratories, high schools, vocational schools and boarding houses. To ensure the continuation of his work, he founded the Salesian Society (work with boys), and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (work with girls). He also created his own educational method which he called the preventive system. It was based on reason, religion, love, assistance and a family spirit. From 1875 the Society started to develop rapidly. Italian society, European countries and many countries in the world asked Fr. Bosco to set up Salesian educational institutions. The many requests, however, ran up against a number of difficulties. The biggest problem was the lack of qualified staff. The present article presents the growth of the Salesian Society in the field of education and upbringing at the time when St. John Bosco was General Superior of the Salesians.