Rizal education in manila- 1872-1877 "Genius has no country.

It blossoms
everywhere. Genius is like the light,
4 months After martyrdom of the the air. It is the heritage of all."
Three priest Jose Rizal

-mariano Gomez
-jose burgos
-jacinto zamora
Rizal continued his studies despite his mother's imprisonment, while
his mother was still in prison, Jose who had not yet celebrated his
eleventh birthday was sent to Manila to study at
Ateneo de municipal
- a college managed by the Spanish Jesuits. This school would later
become Ateneo de Manila Univ.
- is managed by highly competent educators who worked efficiently
to acquire recognition for the institution to in prestige as the most
excellent college for boys
On his first day in Manila, Jose, accompanied by his brother Paciano,
took the entrance examination in different subjects at the
College of San Juan de Letran and passed them all.
However, when he returned to Calamba to attend a town fiesta, his
father wanted him to study at letran changed his mind and and decided to
enroll him in Ateneo, a rival school of the letran.
When he returned to Manila, Jose once again accompanied by his
brother went to Ateneo de Municipal. At first, he was refused admittance
by Fr. Magin Fernando

for two reasons:

1. he was already late for registration,
2. 2) he was so frail and sick aside from being too small for his age.

Intervention of father manuel xeres burgos was a nephew of Father

Burgos, the martyred priest, Jose was finally admitted.
Jose enrolled in that college under the surname "Rizal" because their
family name Mercado had been under suspicion of the Spanish
authorities. His brother Paciano had used their surname Mercado in his
studies at the College of San Jose and the authorities knew that Paciano
was Father Burgos's favorite student and confidant.
Rizal in an Ateneo uniform rigid and the instructors were
SOURCE: JOSE RIZAL
NATIONAL disciplinarians
CENTENNIAL COMMSS'ON
Ateneo- was
ruled the Jesuits.
The system was
more advanced
than other
schools. The
instructions were

The school offered subjects in

 physical culture,
 humanities, and
 science.

Aside from the academic subjects, the school offered courses

in

 agriculture,
 commerce,
 mechanics, and
 surveying.

Religious instruction was emphasized and students were

required to attend masses every morning. Before and after each
class session, prayers were said by all students.

The students were divided into two groups:

Internos composed of the boarders, roman empire
Externos were the non-boarders, Carthaginian empire were always in
competition with in school activities.
 The best student in each group was called the emperor, a position
which every member of the group wanted to attain and maintain.

Ateneo students were required wear their uniform consisting of hem

fabric trousers and striped cotton coat materials called rayadillo which
became popular among the Filipinos. Later, it was adopted to be uniform
during the first day of the First Philippine Republic.
Highlights: While he was an excellent student in all his subjects in
Ateneo, Rizal was particularly exceptional in languages. This might also
be one significant factor why Rizal mastered 22 languages: Arabic,
Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish,
Tagalog, and other native dialects.
 During Rizal's first day in class, he "Man works tor an object. Remove
heard mass at the college chapel before that object and you reduce him into
inaction."
proceeding to the classroom where he saw
Jose Rizal
big number of boys who were mestizos
Spaniards, and Filipinos.
Rizal described his first professor Father Jose Bech as "a tall, thin man,
with a body slightly bent forward, a hurried walk, and an ascetic face,
severe inspired small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp nose that was almost
Greek, and thin lips forming an arc whose ends fell toward the chin."
Because Rizal was an interno, he was assigned to the Carthaginian. for
being new in the school not being proficient in Spanish, he was placed at
the bottom of the class occupying the end of the. line. However, he did
not make the condition a hindrance in his studies. After the first week, he
progressed rapidly, topped the class and became the emperor. At the first
month, he won first prize for a religious picture, the first he ever won in
Ateneo.
To improve his knowledge and fluency in Spanish, Rizal took private
lessons during recess time at the santa Isabel college.in spite of being the
brightest student in the class, having "excellent" marked. Rizal heard
remarks from some professors. He resented these much and tried not to
retain the academic supremacy he obtained during the first sem. Because
of that, he got second place at the end of the year, although all his grades
were still marked "excellent."

When the school year ended, Rizal spent his summer vacation in
Calamba. However, he did not enjoy his vacation because his mother was
still in prison. Without telling his father, he visited his mother. She was
very happy upon hearing that his son had excellent grades in all subjects
and received a gold medal for winning first rize in painting a religious
picture.
When summer ended, Rizal returned to Manila to continue his studies.
This time, he tried to study harder to regain his lost leadership in class.
Once again, he became the emperor. He had new classmates and three of
them were his former classmates in Binan. He was very happy seeing his
former classmates and he enjoyed his second year in Ateneo. At the end of
the school year, he did not only receive excellent grades but also a gold
medal for excellence.

He returned to Calamba that summer jubilantly. Like before, the reunion

with his sisters, brother, and parents was a very happy one when he told them
about his academic successes. As usual, he visited his mother in prison. He
comforted her by telling his scholastic conquests and some funny stories
about his professor and classmates. As expected, his mother was very happy
to hear his favorite son's outstanding performance in school. In the midst of
their splendid talks, Dona Teodora mentioned about her dream the previous
night. Upon hearing his mother's story, Rizal made a prediction about the
dream that she would soon be released from prison. Unbelieving of what her
son said, Dona Teodora just smiled with the thought that Rizal would only
like to console her. But his prophecy became true because after three months,
she was set free.

After this visit, rizal once again returned to the city for his studies. Rizal,
this time an adolescent, showed interest in reading romantic novels. Among
his favorite was the “the count of monte cristo” by alexander dumas. He was
also impressed of the fate of the main character and hero of the story who
made a spectacular escape from the dungeon, found a buried treasure and
later revenged against his enemies. Aside from this novel, he also read
several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Which greatly helped him in his
studies and enabled him to win more prizes. A history book which caught his
attention most was “Travels in the Ph” by Dr. Feodor jagor, a German
scientist who stayed in the country from 1859 to 1860. Rizal was impressed
this book because: it contained: 1. Jagor's careful observation and analysis
about the imperfections of the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, and 2.
His prophecy that Spain would yield the Philippines to American colonizers
in the near future.

In June 1874, his junior year in college, Rizal went back to Manila to continue his
conquest for knowledge. Shortly after classes had started that semester, his mother
arrived, telling him that she was already released from prison, just what he had
prophesied during his last visit to her in the prison cell in Santa Cruz, Laguna. Rizal was
very happy at all for not getting excellent performance in his studies like the previous
year. Though his grades in all subjects remained excellent, he only won one gold medal
in Spanish because he was not as good as his Spaniard classmate who beat him. At
the end of the school year in March 1875, he returned to Laguna, dissatisfied with the
result of his scholastic standing.
 Rizal's senior year in Ateneo was a memorable one. On June 16, 1875, he became
interno in Ateneo under father Francisco de pula sanchez who was a verv good
professor and scholar. Father Sanchez was so impressed of Rizal's performance that
gained deep admiration from the priest. He inspired young Rizal to study more and
write poetry, his first learning and aspiration.
On his part, Rizal loved, admired, and respected Father Sanchez very much and
considered him the best professor in school who always gave attention and
consideration for the “advancement of his pupils”. As a result, rizal topped all his
subjects and brought home five gold medals at the end of that school year. With
pride, he brought home the bacon and presented the medals to his parents. He was
extremely happy this time with the thought that he was able to repay his father's
sacrifices.
Rizal's last year of studies at Ateneo from 1876-1877 became more fruitful. he
excelled in all subjects and gained recognition as the most brilliant Atenean of his
time and the " pride of the Jesuits." He graduated as highest honors making his
parents, brother, and sisters truly proud of him. His scholastic records in Ateneo were
all excellent in all subjects - philosophy, physics, biology, chemistry, languages,
minerology, and many more. He did not only fare well in academic studies, but was
also active in extra-curricular activities. Being the emperor, he was an
 active member of a religious society, the Marian Congregation,
 devotee of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the college patroness.
 He was also a member of the Academy for Spanish Literature and the
 Academy of Natural Sciences and many more extra-curricular activities of
which only students of outstanding performance were qualified.
 REZAL

Shortly after graduation from college, the sixteen-year-old Rizal

experienced his first romance. Accompanied by one of his friends, he
visited his maternal grandmother in Manila. When he reached his
grandmother's house he met other guests, one of whom was a very
attractive girl named Segunda Katigbak. She was a college student at La
Concordia College where his sister Olimpia was also studying. Segunda
Katigbak came from Lipa, Batangas. Segunda was a close friend of his
sister, so he was able to know her more intimately during his weekly visit
to his sister. It was a love at first sight for the two and apparently, they had
shown love for each other. Unfortunately, Segunda was already engaged
to marry her townmate, Manuel Luz. Rizal, who was shy and returned to
Calamba nursing a frustrated heart.

Highlights: Rizal is just like any teenager who experienced a puppy

love, which resulted to a feeling of pain and frustration. Rizal's recording
of his first and tragic romance said, "Ended at an early hour, my first
love! My virgin heart will always mourn the reckless step it took on the
flower-decked abyss. My illusions return, yes, but indifferent, uncertain,
ready for the first betrayal on the path of love." However, he did not let
his frustration take over his determination to give his best efforts to his
studies.
"The school of suffering tempers the
spirit, the arenaotcombatstrengthens
the soul."
After graduating with highest honor with the
degree of Bachelor of Arts which was
Jose

equivalent to only high school during the Spanish time in Ateneo, Jose Rizal
decided to continue his studies in Manila despite his mother's objection. Both
his father Don Francisco and brother Paciano wanted him to pursue his
studies.
In April 1877, Don Francisco told Paciano to accompany his younger
brother to enroll in Manila. Jose Rizal, who was only ]teen years old tha time,
enrolled in the University of Sto. Tomas and up philosophy and Letters.
He enrolled in this course because he was not yet certain on what career to
pursue and his father liked this course.
 While studying at the University of Sto. Tomas, he also enrolled in
the vocational course with the title of perito agrimensor (expert in
surveying) at Ateneo. It was during the following school term that Rizal
received the advice of Ateneo Rector for him to take up medicine. He
wanted to take medicine because of his desire to cure his mother's
growing blindness due to cataract. Thus, he decided to take up medical
course in the University of Sto. Tomas.

While Rizal was studying at UST, he was engaged in many extra-

curricular activities in Ateneo. He continued his studies in surveying
excellent grades in all subjects, obtaining gold medals in agriculture and
topography. At seventeen, he passed the board examination for surveyors
but was not granted the title because he was below age. This time, he was
the President of the Academy of spanish literature and Secretary of the
Academy of Natural Science. He remained a member of the Marian
Congregation, of which he also was the secretary.
Although he was then a Thomasian, he remained loyal to Ateneo where
he had happy and beautiful memories. His Jesuit professors loved him and
inspired him to acquire greater knowledge, unlike in the University of Sto.
Tomas where he witnessed maltreatment of the Filipino students.
His grades in the medical course were "fair and good", unlike in Ateneo
where he got excellent grades in all subjects. These gave Rizal a heavy
heart for he knew he faired better than his Peninsulares classmates. He
hated the Dominican professors who were cruel and biased to his filipino
classmates who just kept quiet In spite of the humiliation.

It was during his freshman year as a medical student when he

experience his first taste of Spanish brutality . One dark night during
summer vacation in Calamba, while he was walking in the street, he failed
to recognized a man passing by he did not greet him due to darkness not
knowing that this man was a lieutenant at Guardia civil. With anger, the
Spanish Officer turned on rizal, whipped him with a sword and slashed his
back with it. The wound was not but painful. When he recovered, he
reported it to the Spanish Governor General. While in Malacanan palace ,
he was ignore for the simple reason that he was an Indio and the abusive
officer was Spaniard
In spite of Rizal's academic studies in the University of Sto. Tomas
and extra-curricular activities in Ateneo, he still found time for love. He
was admired by many young ladies and could still go with friends of his
age. Young ladies from the university as well as in Calamba fell in love
with him.
 In 1879, at the start of his junior year in UST, he lived in a boarding
house in Intramuros where he met a frail pretty, young lookin lady named
Leonor Rivera who was the daughter of his landlord uncle Antonio Rivera.
She was born in Camiling, Tarlac and a student of La Concordia College
where his youngest sister was studying then. Between Jose and Leonor
sprang a beautiful romance which they kept from their parents and friends.
To keep their intimate relationship secret, Leonor signed Taimis as her pen
name.

It was during this time that Rizal was able to write so many award
winning pieces in Literature. He wrote "A La Juventud Filipino," a prize-
winning poem with flawless form and exquisite verses. It urged the Filipino
youth from being dormant and to break the chain that have long bound the
spirit of the people. It became a classic in Philippine Literature for two
reasons: I) it was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino,
whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities, and 2) it
expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos and
not the foreigners were the 'Fair Hope of the Fatherland."

In the succeeding years, several

contests were participated in by Jose
Rizal. He joined in a contest sponsored
by Artistic-Literary Lyceum to
commemorate the fourth centennial of
the death of Cervantes. His winning
entry was entitled, "The Council of
the Gods." The contest was opened to
both Filipinos and Spamar s. The
judges of the contest were all
Spaniards, but

t e entries, the first prize was awarded

to Rizal's work because of its literary superiority over the others. Aside
from the two prize-winning poems mentioned Rizal he produced several
literary works such as poems, zarzuela, etc

Junta al pasig (beside the pasig) was

zarzuela whoch was staged by the ateneans in 1880 on the occasion of the
annual fest of the immaculate conception, the patroness of the school.

He also wrote a sonnet entitled, "A Filipina" for the album of the Society of
Sculptors, a poem urging all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines.
 Shortly after finishing fourth year of his medical course, Rizal decided
to continue his studies in Spain. In spite
of his enormous successes in the field he was no longer happy in his stay
in the Dominican-owned school. He felt that he could no longer endure
rampant bigotry, discrimination and hostility prevailing in the University
of Sto. Tomas. He informed his brother Paciano,his two sisters saturnina
and lucia, uncle Antonio rivera and some of his close friend about his plan
they agreed to keep the decision secret from his parents. They agreed that
Paciano would send a monthly allowance of 35.00 and his Uncle Antonio
would solicit from friends for other expenses.
Aside from his strong desire to finish his medical course due to his
mother's illness, there were three other reasons why Rizal decided to
continue his studies abroad.
1. The biased and hostile Dominican professors were against him.
2. He was disgusted with the antiquated method of instruction in the
university.
3. the racial discrimination that the Dominican professor harbored
against Filipino students

Highlights: It sounds unbelievable to know that it was no less than Jose

Rizal's mother who opposed Rizal's higher education, not because she didn't
want her son to know more, but because she feared that if he would get to
know more, the Spaniards would cut off his head just like what they did to
GOM-BUR-ZA. Surprised as he was years later, he wrote in his journal:
"Did my mother perhaps have a foreboding of what would happen to me?
Does a mother's heart really have a second sight?"