“The Preventive System in the Education of the Young” (1877) is a foundational work by Don Bosco, emerging from a speech at the opening of the Patronage de Saint-Pierre in Nice. This document, despite the absence of the original handwritten version, is confirmed as Don Bosco’s through various sources. Unlike a systematic treatise, it offers a reflective exploration of the Preventive System, underscoring reason, religion, and loving kindness. As a pivotal text in Salesian education, it influenced contemporary pedagogical culture and became integral to the educational praxis of the Salesian Society. The Preventive System, while open to evolution, maintains its essential original features, showcasing Don Bosco’s enduring impact on educational philosophy.
Reference time period: 1877 – 1878
G. Bosco, “Prevention and education (1877-1878): The Preventive System in the Education of the Young” in “Section two. Pedagogical insights, reflections and ideas“, in “Part two. Writing and testimonies of Don Bosco on education and schooling” , by José Manuel Prellezo in “Salesian Sources 1. Don Bosco and his work. Collected Works”, LAS – Kristu Jyoti, Rome – Bangalore, 2017, 486-498.
Reference institution:
Istituto Storico Salesiano