LEARNING MODULE

P1- 100 Life and Works of Rizal

 LESSON 2 RIZAL’S ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

a. Understand the struggles of Rizal during his academic years in the Manila far from his family and
mother.
b. Develop self confidence despite the many challenges he encountered as a Filipino in an environment
being run by the Spaniards.
c. Inculcate to the minds of the students that life is not an easy road and they need to be as tough as
they can be having Rizal as an example.
d. Value hard works and immerse from being a minority to become the best person that he can be as
exemplified in the life of Rizal as a student..

Four months after the execution of the three martyr priest, and Donya Teodora still in prison, Rizal was
being sent off to Manila to further pursue his study under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits, Ateneo de
Manila.

It was formerly called Escuela Pia, a school established for poor boys in 1817. He took he entrance
examination on June 10, 1872, He used the name “Rizal” as his surname instead of Mercado, boarded in
Caraballo street outside of Intramuros with Aling Titay as her landlady.
 Summer of 1873
It was March 1873 when Rizal returned to Calamba to have his summer vacation. His sister Neneg
(Saturnina) brought him to Tanawan to cheer him up. He also visited his mother in prison without the
knowledge of his father. After his vacation he returned to Manila for his second year in college and boarded

inside the Intramuros.

His second year in Ateneo was more fruitful one. He spent most his time reading different interesting books
and magazines such as “The Count of Monte Cristo”, Univeral History and Travels to the Philippines.
June 1876 was Rizal’s last year in Ateneo, he is truly the “Pride of the Jesuits” having excelled in all his
subjects He graduated BACHELOR OF ARTS with highest honors.
Rizal also has written several poems during his Ateneo days such as Mi Primera Inspiration ( My First
Inspiration), El Heroism de Colon ( The Heroism of Colombus), Colon Y Juan II, Gran Consuelo en la
Mayor Desdicha and Un Diarogo Alusivo a la Despedidade Los Colegiales

Summary of Rizal’s scholastic records

Land Surveying and Assessment- March 14, 1877, with honours and sobresaliente. Took and passed
a licensure exam in 1878 but was not given a license until 1881. In 1878, he enrolled for a degree in
Philosophy at University of Santo TomasTook medicine and specialized in ophthalmology.

Rizal’s First Romance

It was the first romance of our national hero and at the same time the first heartbreak at the age of sixteen.
Their love story did not flourish because of Rizal’s shyness and reserve. It was to late for him to know that
Segunda was already engaged to Manuel Luz and later got married.

RIZAL’S STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS (1877-1882)

After his graduation in Ateneo, his father wanted him to pursue higher education believing that great future
that awaited his son whose intelligence was among the best during his time. Despite the disapproval of his
mother Rizal continue to study in University of Sto. Tomas. He took up a vocational course leading to the
title of “peito agrimensor” {expert surveyor}with the grade of “Excellent” but was not given the title as he
was only 17 years old then.

He finally decided to take up medicine with the advice of Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Director of Ateneo de
Manila with the intention and desire to cure Doña Teodora’s failing eyesight.

Rizal’s first encounter of Spanish brutality happens in one summer vacation. It was night time and he was
walking when a guardia civil happens to pass by his side. Without him noticing that those were Guardia
Civil he did not bow his head and greeted them. At a striking distance the civil guards hit him with stingray
tail (buntot pagi) at the back and suffered for two weeks. He cannot accept such treatment and when
consulted by then Captain Primo De Rivera, Rizal was even reprimanded and should be thankful that he is
still alive.

He continued his study at UST and later on graduated with high scholastic records. He also have done
several artistic works during his stay in UST.

LITERARY WORKS IN UST

1. 1879 A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) It was Rizal’s winning masterpiece which he
submitted in the Literary contest held in Liceo Artistico Literario of Manila.
2. El Consejo De Los Dioses (The Council of Gods). Another literary contest by the Liceo to
commemorate the death of of Miguel Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. Rizal won the first prize
and the priza was a gold ring bearing the engraved bus of Cervantes. But his certificate was
conferred 2nd place upon knowing that the author was a Filipino decide to give the first prize to a
fellow Spanish.

OTHER WORKS

1. Abd-el-Azis Y Mahoma- a poem composed by Rizal for Manuel Fernandez and which declaimed by
the latter on the nigh of December 7, 1879;

2. Junta Al Pasig- A drama played by Ateneans on the occasion of Feast of Immaculate Concepcion on
Decemebr 8, 1880;

3. A Filipinas- a sonnet written in 1880 to praise the beauty of the Philippines and encourage fellow
Filipinos artists to glorify the Philippines through their artworks;

4. Al M.R.P.Pablo Ramon Recto del Ateneo, en Sus Dias A poem he wrote for Fr. Ramon Recto who
has been so kind and helpful to him.

ASSESSMENT TASKS
Instruction: As Rizal was deeply inspired by the different experience he had as a student, he engaged
himself in different field of artistry. Writing poem, sculpturing, painting are among the many things that
he loved doing. In a piece of paper compose a poem that will has inspired you in the past days and to
whom you will dedicate this poem. Five stanza with 5 sentences each stanza.Quiz no 4 (100%)

Criteria for grading

Content and wordings 50%

Rhyming and phrasing 50%

An Award for best poem will be given in recognition for the best original composition.

Quiz No. 5 Objective type of Quiz (10points)

Instruction: Identify the following statements by writing correctly the answers on the spaces provided

_________________1. He was considered as the best professor of Rizal in Ateneo.

_________________ 2. He prophesied that someday Spain would lose the Philippines and America will
succeed her as a colonizer.

_________________ 3. He was considered the brilliant Atenean of his time and pride of the Jesuits.

_________________ 4. The teacher of Rizal in Bina who was a disciplinarian and also the teacher of
Paciano.

_________________ 5. The first prize winning poem of Rizal while at UST which he pleaded to the youth
to rise from their complacency and use their talents and skills.

_________________ 6. The book written by Fr. Feodor Jagor consisting of his keen observation of the
defeat of Spanish Colonization in the Philippines.

_________________ 7. The novel read by Rizal that his imagination was stirred by the hero’s suffering and
his revenge on his enemies.

_________________ 8. The school registrar of Ateneo who refused to admit Rizal because was sickly and
undersized his age.

_________________ 9. The poem written by Rizal which stressed that education instills in the youth noble
ideas and sublime virtues toward the development and progress of nation.

_________________ 10. The school in Manila where Rizal first took the college entrance examination.

Quiz No. 6

Instruction: Essay type (5pts each)

1. Name at least three (3) of the qualities of Rizal as a student which you can also put to practice while
you are here in our institution.
2. Enumerate and explain at least 3 important achievement of Rizal as a Tomasian.