Peppino was born in 1899, much to the delight of his parents who already had two daughters, Carolina (Lina) and Silvia. He grew up in Albiate, an altogether happy and boisterous child, until he reached school age.
In the Caprotti family, the interest in a good education outside the company is relatively recent, and follows not only the fact that, with the new Italy, basic education becomes compulsory, but also the desire to give their children a complete and prestigious education beyond the eminently technical and moral family.
After attending primary school, ten-year-old Peppino was sent to study in Switzerland for two years, like his grandfather and a couple of uncles.
Back in Italy, Peppino attended an ‘elementary commercial school’ in Milan (ROMANO, I Caprotti, p. 254), and then high school.
His early education stops there, also because he is certainly not an enthusiastic student, and shows worrying sides to his personality for a future entrepreneur. In a letter to his father in June 1915, his mother Bettina wrote clearly: ‘I wish I could instil some willpower and moral strength in our Peppino to prepare him for the struggle, to make him fall in love with work (because he has little inclination for studies) (…). Let us think together and see if we can set him on a good path. (…)”.
Given the subsequent results, it can be said that, albeit with some difficulty, the good parents succeeded.
Sources:
Albiate, Villa San Valerio Archives, Manifattura Caprotti Archives, Giuseppe Caprotti. Letters from his mother Bettina, b. 171, Letter from Bettina Caprotti to her husband Bernardo Caprotti, Seriate, 14 June 1915.
Bibliography:
R. ROMANO, The Caprottis. L’avventura economica e umana di una dinastia industriale della Brianza, Milan, 2008, p. 254.
