3. TOURS AND VISITS From statistics that Don Bosco sent to the Superintendent of studies for the year 1861-1862, we come to know that there were 318 boarders and 14 day students as follows: 96 in first class, 68 in second, 87 in third, 38 in fourth and 39 in fifth. Other buildings (between 1856 and 1859) While setting up and furnishing the new areas, Don Bosco decided to tackle other areas so he could open a completely free primary school for boys in the area who could not attend city schools or were not accepted in them. Thus between October and November 1856, against the wall along via della Giardiniera, and near the entrance, he built a triangular one floor building which gave him two classrooms (a larger one for primary classes during the day, the smaller one for evening classes) and a small reception area. The primary day classes began at the beginning of 1857, taught by Master James Rossi from Foglizzo who was also a good singer and trombone player (cf. MB 5, 553). In 1861 these classes were moved to the Filippi house, and in the two rooms on via della Giardiniera he set up the first printing press, run by Master Andrew Giardino, then (from 1862 to 1869) it became the metalwork-workshop. Next to it, on the right of the entrance, between 1859 and 1860, Don Bosco built, with financial assistance from Fr Cafasso, a more dignified reception with a room for the doorkeeper, parlour for the boys’ relatives and a covered entrance (cf. ODB 131). But after he had bought and fixed up the Flippi house, in 1863 a new reception areas was built in the southern corner of the property bought from the Filippi brothers. The old reception area was then set up for shoemakers and tailoring workshops (cf. MB 7, 543). So he could have all his secondary classes at Valdocco with their own teachers, Don Bosco had to find new classrooms. In summer 1859 he asked businessman Giovenale Delponte to build a place against the boundary wall to the courtyard on the north and had this divided into three large rooms. At the same time next to it, but on the right, he pulled down the shed used as a washing area and built a new room for the laundry with attached woodshed (cf. MB 6, 266). These two buildings were pulled down in 1873.
3.1.4. Further extensions to the “Camerette” (1861, 1862, 1876) On 16 July 1860 Don Bosco completed the first major extensions to the Oratory in terms of land and workshops, by buying the Filippi property for 65 thousand lire. 1861 extension The following year, having relocated his various tenants, he set about adapting areas for Oratory and hostel activities. Amongst other things he planned to link Don Bosco house with the Filippi house by doubling the width of the wing where his room was. The new area on the east he then used in the following way: on the ground floor the portico we see today. For decades (from the 1880s onwards) students gathered there for night prayers; a dormitory on the first floor ; a larger room as a library on the second floor and, adjacent to it,
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