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RIZALS EARLY CHILDHOOD

Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna.
He was the seventh child in family of 11 children.
His father is named Francisco Mercado Rizal and his mother is Teodora Alfonso u Quintos.
The townspeople call him Pepe.
The life of Jose Rizal, like other young Filipino boys had a lot of pleasure memories to reckon
during his childhood days in Calamba.
With parents full of affection to their children and an abundant blessing, he grew up in a home
environment characterized by joy and contentment.
The first teacher of Jose was his mother, Teodora.
On her lap, young Rizal learned at the age of 3, the alphabet and hist first prayers.
As tutor, Dona Teodora was patient, conscientious and understanding.
It was her, who first discovered that her son had a talent for poetry.
One late night, Rizals mother, Dona Teodora was narrating the parable of the moth. Young Rizal
was inattentive to the story, his attention was focused on the moth encircling to the tongue of
the flame of the oil lamp. Dona Teodora scolded Jose and told him that if he would not adhere
to the advice of his parents or other old people around him, he would end up like the moth that
burned itself in the fire.
I made profoundest impression on him.
Moths no longer were, insignificant insects for me. The moth died a martyr in its own illusion.
He thought he really conquered the burning flame but he did not.
At young age, Rizal gained inspiration that it is not impossible to conquer insurmountable odds
and be a martyr in reality but never an illusion. This was what he did as he grew in age and in
wisdom.
As Rizal grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons.
Early teachers of Rizal were Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, Francisco Mercados
classmate, an old man named Leon Monroy, who taught introductory lessons in Latin to Rizal.
Unfortunately, he didnt live love. He died months later.
In 1865, a tragedy struck when his favorite sister Concha died.
I lost my sister Concha, it was the first time I shed tears caused by love and grief.
In 1868, at the age of 7, Rizal wrote a comedy, which highlighted his literary talent, he was
rewarded P2.00 by the municipal captain.
At the age of 8 in 1869, he wrote the poem Sa Aking Mga Kabata
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita, mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda
Rizals deep love for his mother was expressed in the poem Mothers Birthday
When he turned 9, Jose was sent to a boys school in Binan. His teacher was Dr. Justiniano Cruz.
He was accompanied by Paciano Mercado, who acted as his second father.
The school was in the home of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut.
In succeeding days, he had fights with boys of Binan, he was not quarrelsome by nature but he
never ran away from a fight.
In academic studies, Jose beat all Binan boys. He surpassed all of them in Spanish, Latin and
other subjects.
As seen of a Catholic clan, born and bred in a wholesome atmosphere of Catholicism and
possessed an inborn pious spirit, Rizal grew up a good Catholic.
Pilgrimage to Antipolo: June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to
Antipolo, in order to fulfill his mothers vow which was made when Jose was born.
After praying at the shrine of the virgin of Antipolo, Rizal and his father went to Manila.
It was the first time that Jose saw Manila. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding
student at La Concordia College in Sta. Ana
RIZALS FORMATIVE YEARS IN ATENEO
Rizal took and passed the entrance exam at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, but his father
opted for Ateneo.
Fr. Magin Ferrando: You cannot admit to this university because youre already late for
youre already late for registration. And besides, you seem underaged for your height
The registrar of Ateneo Fr. Ferrando refused to admit Rizal but upon the intercession of
Manuel Xerez-Burgos, he was then reluctantly admitted.
While attending Ateneo, Rizal developed into a first-rate student. He was remembered as an
original thinker, a creative scholar and a natural leader.
Rizal wrote the poetry A La Juventud Filipina (To The Philippine Youth)
Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez remarked that Rizal was becoming proficient in Spanish. He
encouraged him to practice this craft.
Meanwhile, Fr. Jose Villaclara instructed Rizal in the sciences and philosophy. He convinced
him to take scientific attitude about life. He told him you shouldnt waste your time in just
poetry.
Rizal wrote Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education Our Motherland
Receives Light) which suggested thar education is an integral part of the rational character.
Aliansa Intima la Religion y la Educacion in which Rizal expressed the importance of
religion in education, and to him, education without God is not true education.
A la Virgen Maria (To The Virgin Mary)
Al Nino Jesus (To The Child Jesus)
In Memory of my Village where he recalled joyous days of his c childhood in Calamba.
Rizal also wrote A Farewell Dialogue of the Student just before he graduated in Ateneo.
On March 23, 1877, not yet 16 y/o, he received the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with highest
honors. His 4 years in Ateneo were a continuous pageant of brilliant scholastic triumphs.







RIZALS LIFE AT UST
I was sixteen when my mother told my father: Dont send him to Manila any longer; he
knows enough; if he gets to know any more, they will cut off his head! Did my mother
perhaps have a foreboding of what was going to happen to me Does a mothers heart
really have a second sight?

After Ateneo, Rizal enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas. April 1877, Rizal then nearly
16, matriculated UST as a philosophy and medical student and the following year,
matriculated at the faculty of medicine.
Rizal was led for his desire to cure the cataracts that caused his mothers blindness.
At UST, Rizal received passing marks but found that the heavy emphasis on science wasnt
his liking.
The brilliant Atenean, did not shine at UST. He failed to obtain high academic records.
Although Rizal interest in literature, science and philosophy grew even more. His mind
opened to new ideas - with characteristic humility.
Rizal suggested that University of Santo Tomas helped him developed patriotic sentiment.

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