A whole school year in the life of Henri, a young boy from the the Italian bourgeoisie. He meets his new teacher, Mister Perboni, a very devoted man; and children of working-class families such as Garonne, a boy with a heart of gold; De Rossi, top student in the class; and Franti, the young rebel. But will the morals they are taught still be so noble when they become soldiers in WWI?—dbdumonteil