Rizal's Life: Ateneo and UST

ATENEO DE MUNICIPAL

  • School run by Spanish Jesuits.

  • Bitter rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan de Letran.

  • Formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School), established in 1817 for poor boys in Manila.

  • Renamed Ateneo de Manila and run by highly qualified educators.

JOSE RIZAL

  • Sent to Manila four months after the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za, while Dona Teodora was still in prison.

  • Studied at the Ateneo Municipal under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits.

  • June 10, 1872: Accompanied by Paciano to Manila.

COLLEGE OF SAN JUAN DE LETRAN

  • First school chosen by Rizal's father.

  • Rizal passed the entrance exam covering Christian doctrine, arithmetic, and reading.

  • Don Francisco initially planned for Jose to attend Letran but changed his mind, enrolling him at Ateneo instead.

  • Initially denied admission due to:

    • Late registration

    • Frail and sickly condition

    • Undersized for his age

  • Admitted due to the intervention of Manuel Xeres Burgos, nephew of Father Jose Burgos.

  • Jose adopted the surname "Rizal" to avoid raising suspicions among Spanish authorities due to the family name Mercado.

CALLE CARBALLO

  • Located in Sta. Cruz, Manila, outside Intramuros.

  • Rizal's first boarding house in Manila.

  • Became acquainted with various mestizo students.

JESUIT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

  • More advanced.

  • Strict discipline.

  • More mechanical methods.

  • Cultivated physical arts.

  • Offered vocational courses: agriculture, commerce, mechanics, and surveying.

  • Goal: Shape character and will to comply with church teachings.

  • Classes opened and closed with prayers.

CLASS DIVISIONS

  • Classes divided into two groups:

    • Roman Empire: internos (boarders)

    • Carthaginian Empire: externos (non-boarders)

  • Five dignitaries in each empire:

    • Emperor

    • Tribune

    • Decurion

    • Centurion

    • Standard-Bearer

FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

  • Attended mass at the college chapel for guidance and success.

  • Observed a diverse student body of Spaniards, Mestizos, and Filipinos.

FATHER JOSE BECH

  • Rizal's first teacher in Ateneo.

  • Rizal initially placed at the bottom of the class as an externo assigned to the Carthaginian Empire.

  • By the end of the month, Rizal became emperor and the brightest pupil, awarded a religious picture as his first prize at Ateneo.

SANTA ISABEL COLLEGE

  • Where Rizal took private lessons in Spanish to improve during noon recess.

SUMMER VOCATION (March 1873)

  • Returned to Calamba.

  • Did not enjoy the vacation due to his mother's imprisonment.

  • Sister Neneng (Saturnina) took him to Tanawan to cheer him up.

  • Visited his mother in prison at Santa Cruz without his father's knowledge, sharing his achievements and grades.

SECOND YEAR (1873-1874)

  • Resided at No. 6 Calle Magallanes inside Intramuros.

  • His landlady was an old widow named Dona Pepay.

  • Rizal repented neglecting his studies due to offense from a teacher's remarks and studied harder, becoming "emperor" once more.

  • Classmates included three boys from Binan who were his classmates in Maestro Justiniano's school.

  • Received excellent grades and a gold medal.

  • Returned to Calamba in March 1874 for the summer vacation.

PROPHECY OF HIS MOTHER'S RELEASE

  • Rizal visited his mother in the provincial jail in Santa Cruz, sharing news of his Ateneo triumphs.

  • Dona Teodora shared a dream which Rizal interpreted as a prophecy of her release in three months, which proved correct.

TEENAGE INTEREST IN READING

  • In 1874, Rizal began to take interest in reading romantic novels and love stories.

  • Persuaded his father to buy him Cesar Cantu's UNIVERSAL HISTORY.

FAVORITE BOOKS

  • THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexander Dumas

  • TRAVELS IN THE PHILIPPINES by Dr. Feodor Jagor (1859-1860):

    • Impressed by Jagor's keen observations of the defects of Spanish colonization.

    • Jagor's prophecy that Spain would lose the Philippines and that America would succeed her as colonizer.

THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO (1874-1875)

  • Returned to Ateneo in June 1874.

  • His mother's release from prison.

  • Rizal's academic performance wasn't as stellar as the previous year, winning only one medal in Latin.

  • Lack of fluent Spanish cost him the Spanish medal.

  • Returned to Calamba for the summer vacation in March 1875, unimpressed by his scholastic work.

FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO (1875-1876)

  • Became an interno in the Ateneo on June 16, 1875.

FATHER FRACISCO DE PAULA SANCHEZ

  • A great educator and scholar.

  • Inspired Rizal to study harder and write poetry.

  • Rizal considered Father Sanchez his best professor in the Ateneo.

  • Described by Rizal as a "model of uprightness, earnestness, and love for the advancement of his pupils".

  • Topped all his classmates and won five medals at the end of the school term.

LAST YEAR IN ATENEO (1876-1877)

  • Returned to Manila in June 1876.

  • Excelled in all subjects.

  • The most brilliant Atenean of his time.

  • Finished his last year in a blaze of glory.

  • Obtained the highest grades in all subjects: philosophy, physics, biology, chemistry, languages, mineralogy, etc.

  • Graduated with Highest Honors on Commencement Day (March 23, 1877) at 16 years old, receiving the degree Bachelor of Arts.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN ATENEO

  • Active in extra-curricular activities.

  • A campus leader outside the classroom.

  • Active member and later secretary of the Marian Congregation.

  • Member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences.

FATHER JOSE VILACLARA

  • Advised him to focus on practical studies like philosophy and natural sciences.

  • Rizal continued to solicit Father Sanchez's help in improving his poetry.

AGUSTIN SAEZ

  • Famous Spanish painter.

  • Taught Rizal drawing and Painting.

ROMUALDO DE JESUS

  • Noted Filipino sculptor.

  • Taught Rizal sculpture.

TIO MANUEL

  • Sports-minded.

  • Trainer of Rizal in physical training.

  • Rizal engaged in gymnastics and fencing to develop his weak body.

SCULPTURAL WORKS IN ATENEO

  • Carved an image of THE VIRGIN MARY on a piece of batikuling with his pocket-knife.

  • The Jesuit fathers were amazed at the beauty and grace of the image.

FATHER LLEONART

  • Impressed by Rizal's sculptural talent.

  • Requested him to carve an image of the Secret Heart of Jesus, which Rizal presented to him within a few days.

ANECDOTES ON RIZAL

  • Felix M. Roxas:

    • Related an incident of Rizal's schooldays in the Ateneo which reveals the hero's resignation to pain and forgiveness.

    • Rizal was accidentally hit in the face by a book during a quarrel between Ateneans Manzano and Lesaca, resulting in a bleeding injury. Despite the pain, he did not complain and returned to classes without bitterness.

  • Manuel Xeres Burgos:

    • Related an anecdote illustrating Rizal's predilection to help the helpless at the risk of his own life.

    • During a vacation afternoon, Rizal helped fellow student, Julio Meliza, retrieve his kite from the cathedral tower while other boys laughed.

POEMS WRITTEN IN ATENEO

  • DOÑA TEODORA:

    • Discovered and encouraged Rizal's poetical genius.

  • FATHER SANCHEZ:

    • Inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry.

    • Improved Rizal's poetical art by opening his mind to the enriching influence of the world's literature.

MI PRIMERA INSPIRACION (MY FIRST INSPIRATION)

  • 1874

  • First poem Rizal wrote in Ateneo.

  • Dedicated to his mother.

  • Written before he was 14 years older.

FIRST ROMANCE OF RIZAL

  • SEGUNDA KATIGBAK:

    • A pretty fourteen years old Batanguena from Lipa.

  • SHORT STORYLINE:

    • Experienced his first romance at sixteen years old.

    • Visited his maternal grandmother in Trozo, Manila, where he saw Segunda.

    • Accompanied by his friend MARIANO KATIGBAK (brother of Segunda).

    • His old grandmother was a friend of the Katigbak family of Lipa.

    • His grandmother's quests urged him to draw Segunda's portrait which he complied.

    • Rizal come to know Segunda more intimately during his weekly visits to La Concordia College, where his sister Olimpia was a boarding student

    • Olimpia was a close friend of Segunda.

    • Theirs was indeed "a love of first sight".

    • But it was hopeless since the very beginning because Segunda was already engaged to be married to her townmate, Manuel Luz.

    • The last time they talked to each other was December, 1877.

CHAPTER 5: Medical Studies at the University of Santo Tomas (1877-1882)

  • Philosophy and Letters (1877-1878):

    • First course Rizal finished at the University of Santo Tomas

    • he transferred to the medical course

  • Administered by the Dominicans, rival educators of the Jesuits.

MOTHER'S OPPOSITION TO HIGHER EDUCATION

  • After graduating with the highest honors from the Ateneo, Rizal had to go to the University of Santo Tomas for higher studies.

  • Both Don Francisco and Paciano wanted Jose to pursue higher learning in the university.

  • But Dona Teodora, who knew what happened to Gom-Bur-Za, vigoriously opposed the idea. Don Francisco kept quiet and told Paciano to accompany his younger brother to Manila, despite their mother's tears.

RIZAL ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY (April 1877)

  • Young nearly 16 years old

  • Matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas, taking the course on Philosophy and Letters.

  • Reasons for enrolling in this course:

    • His father liked it

    • He was "still uncertain as to what career he pursues".

  • He had written to FATHER PABLO RAMON, Rector of the Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student days in that college asking for advice on the choice of a career.

FIRST-YEAR TERM (1877-1878)

  • Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy and History of Philisophy (Philosophy and Letters)

  • During his first school term in the University of Santo Tomas (1877-78), Rizal also studied in the Ateneo.

  • Finishes Surveying Course in Ateneo (1878) and obtaining gold medals in other vocational courses (agriculture and topography).

  • At the age of 17 he passed the final examination in the surveying course, but he could not be granted the title as surveyor because he was below age.

  • The title was issued to him on November 25, 1881.

  • Although Rizal was then a Thomasian, he frequently visited the Ateneo, not only of his surveying course, but more because of his loyalty to the Ateneo.

  • He continued to participate actively in the Ateneo's extra-curricular activities.

SECOND-YEAR TERM (1878-1879)

  • Rizal received the Ateneo Rector's advice to study MEDICINE.

  • Another reason why he chose medicine for a career was to be able to cure his mother's growing blindness.

ROMANCES WITH OTHER GIRLS

  • He was a romantic dreamer who liked to sip the "nectar of love".

  • His sad experience with his first love had made him wiser in the ways of romance.

  • Shortly after losing Segunda Katigbak, he paid court to a young woman in Calamba.

  • In his student memoirs, he called her simply, "MISS L.", describing her as "fair with seductive and attractive eyes".

  • After visiting her in her house several times, she suddenly stopped his wooing and the romance died a natural death

    • He gave name two reasons for his change of heart, namely:

      • The sweet memory of Segunda was still fresh in his heart

      • His father did not like the family of "Miss L".

DONA CONCHA LEYVA

  • Where he boarded during his sophomore at UST.

  • Intramuros.

  • The next door neighbors of Dona Concha were CAPITAN JUAN and CAPITANA SANDAY VALENZUELA from Pagsanjan, Laguna, who had a charming daughter named LEORNOR.

  • He courted LEONOR VALENZUELA, who was a tall girl with a regal bearing. He sent her love notes written in invisible ink.

  • ORANG (pet name of Leonor Valenzuela)

  • But, as with Segunda, he stopped short of proposing marriage to Orang.

RIZAL'S NEXT ROMANCE

  • Leonor Rivera his cousin from Camiling

  • "Casa Tomasina," at No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas 1879

  • Where Rizal lived at the start of his junior year at the university.

  • His landlord-uncle, ANTONIO RIVERA had a pretty daughter LEONOR.

  • Leonor, a student at La Concordia College, where Soledad (Rizal's younger sister) was then studying.

  • Leonor, born in Camiling, Tarlac, on April 11, 1867, was a frail, pretty girl "tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes".

  • Between Jose and Leonor sprang a beautiful romance. They became engaged.

  • In her letters to Rizal, Leonor signed her name as "TAIMIS,'.

VICTIM OF SPANISH OFFICER'S BRUTALITY (Calamba, 1878)

  • He was walking in the street. He dimly perceived the figure of a man while passing him. Not knowing the person due to darkness, he did not salute nor say a courteous 'Good Evening". The vague figure turned out be a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. With a snarl, he turned upon Rizal, whipped out his word and brutality slashed the latter on the back.

  • Rizal reported the incident to GENERAL PRIMO DE RIVERA, the Spanish governor general of the Philippines at that time. But nothing came out of his complaint, because he was an Indio and the abusive lieutenant was a Spaniard.

  • Later, in a letter to Blumentritt, dated March 21, 1887, he related: "I went to the Captain-General but I could not obtain justice: my wound lasted two weeks".

"TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH" (1879)

  • Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila, a society of literary men and artists, held a literary contest.

  • Rizal, who was then eighteen years old, submitted his poem entitled A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA (To the Filipino Youth).

  • The Board of Judges, composed of Spaniards was impressed by Rizal's poem and gave it the first prize.

  • This winning poem of Rizal is a classic in Philippine literature for two reasons:

    • It was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino, whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities,

    • It expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were the "fair hope of the Fatherland".

"THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS" (1880)

  • The Artistic-Literary Lyceum opened another literacy contest

  • This time the contest was opened to both Filipinos and Spaniards.

  • Rizal, inspired by his poetical triumph the previous year, entered the literary joust, submitting an allegorical drama entitled EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOSES (The Council of the Gods).

  • awarded the first prize to Rizal's work.

  • D.N. DEL PUZO, a Spanish writer, won the second prize.

  • For the first time in history, an Indio -a nineteen-year old Filipino medical student at that excelled in a national literary contest, defeating several Spanish writers of his time in Manila.

OTHER LITERARY WORKS

  • December 8, 1880

  • Aside from the two prize-winning works mentioned above. Rizal although studying medicine, produced other poems and a zarzuela, this zarzuela was Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig).

  • In the same year (1880), he wrote a sonnet entitled A FILIPINAS for the album of the Society of Sculptors.

  • The year before, in 1879, he composed a poem entitled ABD-AZIS Y MAHOMA, which was declaimed by an atenean, Manuel Fernandez on the night of December 8, 1879 in honor of the Ateneo's Patroness.

  • In 1881, he composed a poem entitled AL M.R.P. PABLO RAMON. He wrote this poem as an expression of affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo rector, who had been so kind and helpful to him.

RIZAL'S VISIT TO PAKIL AND PAGSANJAN (1881)

  • Famous shrine of the Birhen Maria de los Dolores.

  • He was accompanied by his sisters Saturnina, Maria, and Trinidad and their female friends.

  • They took a casco (flat-bottom sailing vessel) from Calamba to Pakil, Laguna, and stayed at the home of mrs. And Mr. Manuel Regalado, whose son Nicolas was Rizal's friend in Manila.

  • In Pakil Rizal was infatuated by a pretty girl colegiala, YBARDOLAZA, who skillfully played the harp at the Regaldo home.

CHAMPION OF FILIPINO STUDENTS (1880)

  • Rizal was the champion of the Filipino students in their frequent fights against the arrogant Spanish students, who were often surpassed by the Filipinos in class work

  • Spanish student insultingly called their brown classmates (Filipinos) "Indio, chongco!"

  • Filipino students called them "Kastila, bangus!" Hostility between these two groups of students often exploded in angry street rumbles.

  • Rizal participated in these student brawls.

  • In 1880, he founded a secret society of Filipino students in the University of Santo Tomas called COMPANERISMO (Comradeship), whose members were called "Companions of Jehu."

  • He was the chief of this secret student society, with his cousin from Batangas, GALICANO APACIBLE, as secretary.

  • As chief, he led the Filipino students into combat against the Spanish students in various street fights.

  • In one of the fierce encounters between the two groups near the Escolta in Manila, Rizal was wounded on the head.

  • His friends brought him bleeding and covered with dust to his boarding house, "CASA TOMASINA". Leonor Rivera tenderly washed and dressed his wound.

UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

  • Rizal was unhappy at this Dominican institution of higher learning because:

    • The Dominican professors were hostile to him

    • The Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards

    • The method of instruction was obsolete and repressive.

EL FILIBUSTERISMO

  • Rizal described how the Filipino students were humiliated and insulted by their Dominican professors and how backward the method of instruction was, especially in the teaching of the natural sciences.

  • Because of the unfriendly attitude of his professors. Rizal, the most brilliant graduate of the Ateneo, failed to win high scholastic honors.

DECISION TO STUDY ABROAD

  • After finishing the fourth year of his medal course. Rizal decided to study in Spain.

  • He could no longer endure the rampant bigotry, discrimination, and hostility in the University of Santo Tomas.

  • His older brother (Paciano) readily approved his going to Spain and so did his two sisters Saturnina (Neneng) and Lucia, Uncle Antonio Rivera, the Valenzuela family, and some friends.

  • Rizal's parents, Leonor, and the Spanish authorities knew nothing of his decision to go abroad in order to finish hid medical studies in Spain.