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A letter to the magistrate of the city of Turin of 18 April 1865 opens an interesting and unprecedented glimpse into the daily life of Valdocco at the time. We are perhaps accustomed to thinking that in Valdocco, with the presence of Don Bosco, things always went well, especially in the fifties and early sixties when the Salesian work had not yet spread and Don Bosco lived in direct and constant contact with the children. Instead later, with a large heterogeneous mass of young people, educators, apprentice craftsmen, young students, novices, students of philosophy and theology, evening school students, “external” workers, difficulties could have arisen in the disciplinary management of the Valdocco community.

A letter to the magistrate of the city of Turin of 18 April 1865 opens an interesting and unprecedented glimpse into the daily life of Valdocco at the time. We reproduce it and then comment on it.