Lecture #5 Secondary Schooling in Ateneo (1872-1877)

DEPARTURE Rizal was accompanied by Paciano to take an entrance exam in Colegio De San Juan de Letran, a secondary Dominican School for orphaned Spaniards in Intramuros. (June 10, 1872) He was turning 11 years old Passes all the tests in Christian Doctrine, Arithmetic, and Reading. His father decided later to enrol him instead in Ateneo. 1873-73 FIRST YEAR Attended first day of classes at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila (June 26, 1872). Ateneo was run by the Jesuit inside Intramuros, now ADMU in Katipunan. Was not admitted at first but with the help of Manuel Burgos he was allowed to enrol despite he was a late enrolee and undersize of his age. He was an externo and lived at Titays boarding house on Calle Caraballo outside Intramuros. The externos belonged to the group Carthaginian Empire while the internos to the Roman Empire The best student of the class was called emperor and Rizal became an emperor at the end of his first month. Enrolled Spanish lessons in Sta. Isabel College during noon recesses. His grades in all his subjects were excellent (Arithmetic I, Latin I, Spanish I, Greek I). 1873-74 SECOND YEAR nd Nothing unusual happened in his 2 Year. He was in interno in Ateneo. Three of his new classmates were his classmates in Binan. His gradesin all his subjects were excellent( Greek 2, Latin 2, Spanish 2, Universal Geography). In his summer vacation, he read the books El Conde de Montecristo by Alexander Dumas, Historia Universal by Cesar Cantu, and Travelas in the Philippines by Feodor Jagor, a German Scientist. 1874-75 THIRD YEAR Shortly after the opening of classes, his mother arrived and told him that she was released in jail. Wrote the poem Al Nino Jesus (Nov. 14, 1874). Wrote 3 poems in Dec. 1875-i3 :El Embarque (Himno a la flota de Magallanes. His grades in all his subjects were excellent ( Greek 3,Latin3,Spanish3,Greek1,Universal History, History of Span and the Philippines, Algebra). He only got one medal Latin 3 1875-76 FOURTH YEAR Was an interno in Ateneo His teacher FR. Francisco de Paule Sanchez inspired him to write poetry and to study harder he topped all his classmates and won 5 medals had excellent grades in all his subjects (Rhetoric and Poetry,French1,Geometry, and Trigonometry). In his summer vacation, he wrote 2 poems-ie: Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria (April 1876). 1876-77 FIFTH YEAR His studies continued to fare well. Had excellent grades in all of his subjects (Philosophy1, Mineralogy and Chemistry, Philosophy2, Physics, Botany and Zoology). He graduated with a degree of Bachiller en Artes with highest honors (March 23, 1877) He was 16 years old He also received his prize for his poem El Embarque during the commencement exercises. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Secretary of Marian Congregation Member of Academy of Spanish Literature Member of the Academy of Natural Sciences Carved the image of Virgin Mary in a Batikuling wood Composed several poems and drama