GEd 103 Module 2: Young Life Tragedies, Early Education, & Higher Scholastic Records

Father Jose Burgos

___, a noble and courageous Filipino priest under whom Paciano studied at the College of San Jose.

The Cavite Mutiny (January 20, 1872)

An uprising of approximately 200 Filipino and Spanish mestizo workers and soldiers at the Cavite Arsenal, triggered by Governor-General Rafael de Izquierdo's sudden abolition of their traditional exemption from paying tribute and performing forced labor (polo y servicio).

GOMBURZA Execution

Three native secular priests falsely implicated in the Cavite Mutiny, subjected to a mock trial, and executed by garrote on February 17, 1872, at Bagumbayan field.

Father Jose Burgos Background

Born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, in 1837; executed at age 35, a loss that deeply traumatized his student Paciano.

Father Jacinto Zamora y del Rosario

Filipino secular priest summarily executed alongside his clergymen peers; born on August 14, 1835.

Father Mariano Gomez Background

Born on August 2, 1799, in Santa Cruz, Manila; a Tornatrás (mixed Chinese and Spanish ancestry) who studied theology at Letran and UST, and was the uncle of labor leader Dominador Gomez.

Doña Teodora

Falsely accused alongside her brother, Jose Alberto Realonda, of conspiring to poison Alberto's unfaithful separated wife.

The Humiliation Walk (Doña Teodora)

Calamba's local gobernadorcillo, Antonio Vivencio del Rosario, and a sadist lieutenant of the Guardia Civil forced Doña Teodora to walk on foot from Calamba to the provincial jail in Santa Cruz—a grueling distance of 50 kilometers.

Doña Teodora Legal Defense Lawyers

Messrs. Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan, famous Manila attorneys who defended her during her two-year imprisonment.

Doña Teodora's Dramatic Royal Release

During a visit to Calamba by Governor-General Rafael Izquierdo, Jose's younger sister Soledad danced so charmingly that when offered a present, she requested her mother's release, prompting the Governor to dismiss the case.

Maestro Celestino

Rizal's first private home tutor in Calamba.

Maestro Lucas Padua

Rizal's second private home tutor in Calamba.

Leon Monroy

An old man and former classmate of Rizal's father who lived in the family household and instructed young Jose in Spanish and Latin grammar until his sudden death 5 months later.

Rizal's Relocation to Biñan School (June 1869)

Left Calamba for Biñan on a Sunday afternoon accompanied by Paciano; lodged at his aunt's house and went sightseeing with cousin Leandro while enduring intense homesickness.

Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz Classroom Interrogation

Jose's new private schoolmaster who asked: "Do you know Spanish/Latin?" to which Jose answered: "A little, sir," causing the boys, led by the teacher's son Pedro, to laugh.

Graphic Description of Maestro Justiniano

Tall, thin, long-necked, sharp-nosed, slightly bent forward, wearing a Batangas sinamay shirt, and knew by heart the grammars of Nebrija and Gainza.

Biñan Scholastic Domination and Backlash

Jose completely beat all the Biñan boys in Spanish and Latin, which provoked older classmates to maliciously fabricate lies to the teacher, resulting in regular physical discipline.

Ateneo Municipal Historical Origins

Began as Escuela Pia (The Charity School of Manila) founded in 1817; placed under Spanish Jesuits and renamed Ateneo Municipal when it began operating in 1865.

Ateneo Entrance Threshold

Passing a competitive entrance examination testing proficiency in Christian Doctrine, reading, writing, grammar, and elementary arithmetic.

Ateneo Enrollment Rejection Hurdles

The registrar, Father Magin Fernando, initially refused Jose's matriculation because he was late for registration and appeared too small, frail, and sickly for his age.

Ateneo Intercession and Surname Shift

Admitted via the intercession of Manuel Xerez Burgos (nephew of Father Burgos); Jose used the surname "Rizal" because "Mercado" was under intense colonial suspicion.

Titay Boarding House Arrangement

Jose boarded on Calle Carballo in Santa Cruz outside Intramuros to help settle a Php 300.00 debt the landlady Titay owed to the Rizal family.

The Ateneo Classroom Empires

The class was systematically divided into the Roman Empire (composed of internos or boarders) and the Carthaginian Empire (composed of externos or non-boarders).

Jesuitical Merit Hierarchy Ranks

Students competed daily for five military ranks: Emperor (Highest Rank), Tribune, Decurion, Centurion, and Standard Bearer (Entry-Level Rank).

First Year at Ateneo (1872-1873)

Under professor Father Jose Bech, Jose rose within a month to become Emperor of the Carthaginian empire and won a religious picture as his first academic prize; took extra Spanish lessons at Santa Isabel College for Php 3.00.

Favorite Teenage Summer Reading Books

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Cesar Cantu's multi-volume Universal History, and Travels in the Philippines by German scientist Dr. Feodor Jagor.

Ateneo Fourth Year internal Shift

Became an interno on June 16, 1875, under the mentorship of Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez (his favorite professor), winning 5 gold medals and topping all subjects.

Ateneo Graduation Details

Graduated on March 14, 1877, received the degree of Bachelor of Arts with highest honors, and maintained a flawless transcript of Sobresaliente (Excellent).

Ateneo Extracurricular Leadership positions

Served as Secretary of the Marian Congregation and member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences; studied painting under编 Agustin Saez and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus.

Ateneo Sculptural Masterpieces

Carved an image of The Virgin Mary onto a block of Batikuling wood with a pocket knife; at Father Lleonart's request, carved the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the dormitory doors.

Ateneo Poetic and Dramatic Pieces

Wrote Mi Primera Inspiración (first poem) and completed a religious zarzuela play entitled San Eustacio, Mártir.

Prophetic Maternal Opposition to Higher Education

Doña Teodora opposed university training, stating: "If Rizal gets to learn more, the Spaniards will cut off his head."

Freshman Enrollment in Philosophy and Letters (1877-1878)

Enrolled at UST because his father preferred it and he was personally uncertain of his track; completed Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy with Sobresaliente.

Shift to Medicine at UST (1878-1879)

Shifted because Ateneo Rector Father Pablo Ramon advised it, and Jose desperately wanted to find a clinical cure for his mother's cataracts.

Parallel Surveying Vocational Course

Simultaneously completed surveying at Ateneo, passing board exams at age 17 with gold medals in agriculture/topography; formally granted the title Perito Agrimensor (Expert Surveyor) on November 25, 1881.

First-Hand Encounter with Spanish Brutality (1878)

One dark night in Calamba, a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil brutally slashed Jose across the back with a sword for failing to recognize and salute him; General Primo de Rivera ignored his complaint because Jose was an Indio.

Literary Works Authored During UST Years

Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma (1879), Junto al Pasig ( zarzuela staged Dec 8, 1880), A Filipinas (sonnet), and Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramón (1881).

UST Student Activism and Slogans

Filipino students fought Spanish insults ("Indio, chongo!") with ("Kastila, bangus!"), leading to violent street rumbles where Jose actively participated to defend his peers.

Compañerismo (Comradeship) (1880)

A secret student society founded by Rizal at UST; its members were known as the "Companions of Jehu", with Jose serving as Chief and his cousin Galicano Apacible as Secretary.

Disillusionment and Decision to Study Abroad

Jose found the Dominican environment at UST suffocating, hostile, racially discriminatory, and obsolete; he secretly chose to leave for Europe after his 4th year of medicine, exposing this trauma later in an El Filibusterismo chapter.