BARBERA, MARIO. – Jesuit and writer, born in Mineo (Catania) on 17 April 1877, died in Rome on 5 November 1947. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1891 and, having completed his studies,
was called in 1910 to join the editors of La Civiltà Cattolica. He also held positions in the Roman Congregations.
His first works were narrative in character: Fiori di rovine (Rome 1912), L'isola degli emiri (ibid. 1912), Bianca Fortis (ibid. 1918), Meriggio d'Etiopia (ibid. 1927). Having abandoned narrative writing, he devoted himself to the treatment of historical, apologetic, and pedagogical subjects. In the latter he displayed such balance, competence, and clarity of vision that, during the last quarter of this century, he became one of the most highly esteemed and authoritative scholars on educational matters. On the question of public schooling and freedom of education, he expressed a view that effectively influenced the clarification of ideas concerning these subjects.
Principal works on pedagogy: I convitti nazionali in Italia (Rome 1918); Libertà di insegnamento, principi e proposte (ibid. 1919); Intorno all'ordine degli studi del ginnasio e liceo dei seminari (ibid. 1921); Gesù adolescente nella educazione giovanile (ibid. 1923); Lo studio della lingua nella scuola classica (ibid. 1924); Il buono e il cattivo della riforma Gentile (ibid. 1925); Catholic Foundations in secular Universities (Woodstock 1927); Educating the Child at Home (St. Paul 1931); La « Ratio studiorum » (Padova 1942); S. Giovanni Bosco educatore (Torino 1942); Ortogenesi e Biotipologia, ibid. 1943; Educazione e salvezza sociale (Rome 1945); L'educazione nuova e il metodo Montessori (Milano 1946).