Figure 1.--These new Balilla boys are undergoing their ceremonial Fascist rebirth at a camp near Rome in 1931. They are about to be presented their uniforms.

The Balillas' oath recited by the boys at their induction read, "In the name of God and Italy, I swear that I will execute the Duce's orders and serve the cause of Fascist revolution with all my strength and, if necessary, with my blood." We do not have complete details on how the induction cerempny was conducted. There was a ceremony when the boys got their first Baslilla uniforms. We assumed that it was aublic ceremony wih the family invited. This may not have been the case. In at least some instasnces the boys participated in a ceremony in which they were symbolically reborn as young Fascists. The children waited unclothed while a Fascist party official gave a suitably patriotic speech. When he finished the speech, the boys were given their uniforms. An Italian reader writes,, "This must hasve made a strong impression in the mind of a child aged 6 or 7." HBU might have dismissed this account, but there are photoigraphs to demonstrate that such ceremonies did take place. We note a photograph taken at a Balilla summer camp in the suburbs of Rome (August 3,, 1931). The children are waiting for their uniforms. In the background we can see a tent. What we do not know is how common this was or if there were a variety of other induction ceremonies. An Italian reader tells us, "I think however that there were the change through time concerniung these ceremonies." Another reader writes, "Surely the children were inducted before the camp. Here seems that the new recruits receive the uniforms, perhaps at the beginning of the camp." Yes, we do not quite understand this as well. Part of being inducted into other groups such as the Boy Scouts or Hitler Youth was undergoing a ceremony already in your your new uniform." An Italian reader tells us, "The enrolment, that in theory was optional, took place before the camp." A reader writes, "Enrollment is merely putting the boys name on a list. Induction is when the boy formally joins and swears an oath of allegiance. In Scouting the boy has his uniform for the induction ceremony and the parents were there. I think the boy also had his uniform fir HJ induction, although I am not sure about the parents. If the Balilla induction was not at camp, this would mean that the boy was inducted without his uniform before the camp. That seems a little unlikely, but I have no real knowledge about that." Another reader writes, "I think that Balillas' enrollment took place during the year and the school had a great task in that. The induction took place during a summer camp, at least before 1935. In June 1935 Mussolini established the "sabato fascista" (fascist Saturday). On Saturday, school and work activities had to end at 1 PM. In the afternoon, boys and men were required to attend military training and girls to have gym. The sabato fascista also could be an occasion for induction."