Lesson 2: Rizal in Ateneo

Chapter 4: Scholastic Triumph at Ateneo de Manila (1872-1877)

June 10, 1872

- Rizal went to Manila
- accompanied by Paciano
- took the entrance exam at the College of San Juan de Letran and passed them.
- Rizal was 11 years old at this time.

Entrance Examination that Rizal took at College of San Juan de Letran

-Christian doctrine
-Arithmetic
-Reading

Father Magin Ferrando

College Registrar of Ateneo

2 reason why Father Magin Ferrando refused Rizal's admission at first

1. He was late for registration
2. He was sickly and undersized for his age

Manuel Xerez Burgos

- nephew of Father Burgos
- intercede to admit Rizal in Ateneo

The Surname Rizal

- Jose Rizal was the first (and only) of his family to adopt the surname Rizal
- Given by the Spanish Alcalde Mayor

Mercado

Real Surname of Jose Rizal and his family

Meaning of the surname "Rizal"

in Spanish it means "a field where wheat, cut while still green, sprouts again"

Reason why Rizal adopted the surname Rizal

Because their family name "Mercado" had come under
the suspicion of the Spanish authorities.

Location of Ateneo

Intramuros, within the walls of Manila

Titay

- a spinster that owned a boarding house where Rizal stayed.
- owed Rizal family the amount of P300
- Jose boarded with her in order to collect part of the debt

Jesuits System of Education

The system of education in Ateneo

The Jesuits System of Education in Ateneo promotes these:

- physical culture
- humanities
- scientific studies

vocational courses Ateneo is offering

- agriculture
- commerce
- mechanics
- surveying

2 groups in ateneo

1. Roman Empire
2. Carthaginian Empire

Roman Empire

consisting of the internos (boarders)

Carthaginian Empire

composed of externos (non-boarders)

Emperor

The best student in the "empire" (highest rank)

Tribune

second best (second rank)

Decurion

third best (third rank)

Centurion

Fourth best (fourth rank)

Standard bearer

Fifth best (fifth rank)

Rayadillo

-The name of the coat material on their uniform
- became famous for it was adopted as the uniform for Filipino troops during the days of the first Philippine Republic

June 1872

Rizal's first day of class in Ateneo

Father Jose Bech

Rizal's first professor in Ateneo

A religious picture

First prize he received in Ateneo

Santa Isabel College

- Rizal took a private lesson here to improve his spanish
- Paid 3 pesos for the extra spanish lesson

Second half of his first year

- Rizal did not try hard enough to retain his academic supremacy because he resented the remarks of his professor
- placed second at the end of the year
- all his grades were still marked "Excellent"

March 1873

- end of the school year
- Rizal returned to Calamba for summer vacation

First boarding house of Rizal

- located outside intramuros on Caraballo Street
- 25 mins walk from the college
- owned by a spinster named Titay

Second boarding house of Rizal

- located inside intramuros on no. 6 magallanes street

Dona Pepay

Rizal's landlady at his second boarding house

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

- Rizal's first favorite novel

Cesar Cantu's historical work entitled Universal History

- Rizal persuaded his father to buy this costly set.
- this work was a great aid in his studies and enabled him to win more prizes in Ateneo

June 1874

- Rizal returned to Ateneo for his junior year
- her mother was released (3 months after the summer vaction, which Rizal has prophesied)

June 16, 1875

- fourth year of Rizal in Ateneo
- He became interno in the Ateneo

Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez

- One of Rizal's professor
- a great educator and scholar
- inspired Rizal to study harder and write poetry
- Rizal considered him as his best professor in Ateneo

June 1876

- Rizal's last year in Ateneo
- Graduated with highest honors.
- obtained the highest grades in all subjects

March 23, 1877

Commencement Day of Rizal
- Rizal was 16
- received a Bachelor of Arts degree
- with highest honor

Fr. Jose Villaclara

- advised him to stop communicating with the muses and pay more attention to more practical studies such as philosophy and natural sciences.

Agustin Saez

- a famous Spanish painter whom Rizal was under to when he was studying painting.

Romualdo de Jesus

- Noted Filipino Sculpture whom Rizal was under to when hw was studying sculpture

Tio Manuel

- whom Rizal received physical training

Sculptural Works in Ateneo

- image of the virgin Mary
- Sacred heart of Jesus

Fr. Lleonart

- impressed by Rizal's sculptural talent
- requested him to carve for him an image of the sacred heart of Jesus

Anecdotes of Rizal

-Felix M. Roxas
- Manuel Xeres Burgos

Anecdote Felix M. Roxas

- He related an incident of Rizal's schooldays in the Ateneo which reveals the hero's resignation to pain and forgiveness.

Anecdote related to Manuel Xeres Burgos

- it illustrates Rizal's prediction to help the helpless at the risk of his own life

First discovered the poetical genius of Rizal and the first to encourage him to write poems

- Dona Teodora (Rizal's mother)

Inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry and improved the latter's poetical art by opening his mind to the enriching influence of the world's literature

Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez

First poem by Rizal when he was in Ateneo

Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration)

Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration)

- Dedicated to his mother on her birthday
- written when he was 14 yrs old (year 1874)

in 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, he wrote more poems such as:

1. Felicitacion (Felicitation)
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flora de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to Magellan's fleet)
3. Y Es Espanol: Eleano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And he is Spanish: Elcano, the first circumnavigate the world)
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo

In 1876 , Rizal wrote poems on various topics - religion, education, childhood memories, and war. They were as follows:

1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of my Town)

2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance between religion and good education)

3. Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education the country receives light)

4. El Couriverio y el Triunfo; Batalla de Lucena y Prision de Boabdil (The captivity and the triumph: Battle of Lucena and the imprisonment of boadbil)

5. La Entrada Triunfal de los Reyes Catolices en Granada (The Triumphal Entry of the Catholic Monarchs into granada)

in 1877, he wrote more poems. It was his last year in ateneo. among the poems written that year were:

1. El Heroismo de Colon (The heroism of Colombus)

2. Colon y Juan II (Colombus and John II)

3. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great solace in great misfortune)

4. Un Dialogo Alusivo a la despedida de los colegriales (A farewell dialogue of the students)

My First Inspiration

It was most fitting that the first poem written by Rizal as an atenean should be about his beloved mother. In this poem, he felicitates his mother on her birthday, expressing his filial affection in sonorous verses.

Through education our motherland receives light

Rizal believed in the significant role which education plays in the progress and welfare of a nation. thus he stated in this poem

To the child Jesus

During his student days Rizal expressed his devotion to his catholic faith in melodious poetry, this is one the religious poem he wrote. It was a brief ode. It was written in 1875 when he was 14 yrs old

To the virgin Mary

Another religious poem that he wrote. it was undated so the exact date when it was written is unknown but probably written after his ode to the Christ Jesus.

San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr)

The drama Rizal wrote upon request of Fr. Sanchez.

June 2, 1876

Finished the manuscript of the drama

Segunda Katigbak

- Rizal's first romance.
- 14 year old Batanguena from Lipa

Manuel Luz

- Fiance of Segunda Katigbak