THE "GENERAL ARTICLES" OF THE REGULATIONS FOR THE HOUSES 1877

CRITICAL TEXT: P. BRAIDO - TRANSLATION & NOTES: P. LAWS

INTRODUCTION

With his work developing rapidly, Don Bosco wrote a number of 'legislative' documents in 1877. This 'decalogue' for educators was inserted in the short treatise on the Preventive System (also in this collection) at the end, in such a way as to serve almost as an introduction to the following document, the Particular Regulations, governing office holders in Salesian Houses. In fact, when the two documents began to be edited separately, it became part of the Regulations.
Whilst brief, this document is sprinkled liberally with gems of Salesian educational wisdom.

TEXT

General Articles

1: Those who find themselves in a position of responsibility or who must care for the young people whom Divine Providence has entrusted to us all have the duty to advise and counsel any boy in the House, every time there is occasion to do so, especially when it is a case of preventing the offence of God.

2: If one wishes to be respected, he should set about making himself loved. He will achieve this important goal if by word, and even more by deed, he makes it understood that his exclusive concern is for the spiritual and earthly good of his pupils.

3: Assistance requires few words, but a lot of work. Students should be allowed to express their thoughts freely, but take care to straighten out, and even correct, expressions, words, actions that might not be consonant with Christian education.

4: Young people generally exhibit one of the following character traits: good, ordinary, difficult, bad. It is our strict duty to study the best means of reconciling these diverse characters so as to do good to all without anyone being the cause of harm to anyone else.

5: For those who are blessed by nature with a 'good' character or temperament, general supervision is sufficient, explaining the disciplinary rules and recommending their observance.

6: The greater number is made up of those who have an 'ordinary' character or temperament, being somewhat lively, and being prone to take things easy. These need brief but frequent tips, reminders, advice. They need to be encouraged to work, even by giving them small rewards, and - without ever losing sight of them - showing great confidence is placed in them.

7: But our care and efforts must be directed in a special way to those in the third category, those students who are difficult, even troublesome. One can reckon these as being about one in fifteen. Every staff member should make a point of getting to know them, of informing themselves of their previous history; should show themselves to be their friends. They should let them speak a lot, saying little themselves, and when they do, they should use brief examples, sayings, stories, and so on. We should never let them out of sight, without however making it appear that we do not trust them.

8: When teachers or assistants join their students, they should immediately cast their eye over them, and if they become aware that one of these (difficult ones) is missing, they should send someone to look for them, under the pretext of having something to say or recommend to them.

9: Whenever one of them needs to be reprimanded, counselled or corrected, it should never be done there and then, and in the presence of his fellow-students.

One may, however, make use of facts or episodes that have befallen others to express praise or blame which will find its way to the one for whom you have intended it.

10: These are the introductory articles to our Regulations. But everyone needs patience, application and much prayer, without which, I believe, any regulation would be useless.