Private School

Francesco began his formal education under the guidance of Domenico Tizzano, who ran a small private school in Pietrelcina, as was customary in villages without public schools. There, Francesco started learning Latin and other essential subjects. Yet, his progress seemed slow, and the teacher often complained to his mother about his lack of aptitude.

To support his son’s education, Francesco’s father emigrated to America. Although the tuition was modest, it was still a significant expense for a small farmer who relied on the land for his livelihood and had little access to cash. The monthly fees, combined with the family’s other needs, posed a considerable financial strain.

At first, Francesco’s studies appeared to be going poorly—or at least that’s how it seemed. Tizzano even dismissed him as hopelessly slow, calling him a dunce.

But Francesco’s mother refused to accept this judgment.

She approached another private teacher, Angelo Caccavo, who tested Francesco before agreeing to teach him. Recognizing his willingness to learn and natural intelligence, Caccavo took him on. It soon became clear that Francesco’s struggles with his previous teacher were likely due to his discomfort with the teacher’s moral conduct, which he found troubling.

Under Caccavo’s instruction, Francesco flourished. His performance as a student left nothing to criticize, and his behavior was equally exemplary.

On one occasion, however, he was accused of writing a love note to a classmate and was punished severely. Later, the teacher realized Francesco had been falsely accused, out of envy—both for the affection he inspired among his peers and for his diligence in his studies.

Francesco’s dedication to learning was remarkable. He created a small study space for himself in a family storeroom known as "la torretta" (the little tower). He pursued his studies with passion and even took charge of the family correspondence, regularly updating his father in America about his progress and the happenings at home.

In one letter, he described a class trip to Pompeii, noting that his share of the cost had been a few lire.

His father expressed disapproval of the expense, and Francesco agreed, adding:

“…but you must remember that next year, God willing, all celebrations and amusements will end for me because I will leave this life behind to embrace a better one.”