CHAPTER 4

Before he celebrated his 7th birthday, Jose was sent to Manila. He studied in the Ateneo Municipal, a
college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. This College was a bitter rival of the Dominican
owned College of San Juan de Letran. It was formerly the Esculea Pia (Charity School) a school for poor
boys in Manila which was established by the city government in 1817. When the Jesuits returned to
Manila, they were given the management of Escuela Pia, whose name was changed to Ateneo
Municipal, and later became the Ateneo de Manila. They were explendid educators, so the Ateneo
acquired prestige as an excellent college for boys.

Rizal Enters the Ateneo

Jose accompanied by Paciano, matriculated at the Ateneo Municipal. At first, Father Magin Fernando,
who was the college registrar, refused to admit him for two reason: (1) he was late for registration and
(2) he was sickly and undersized for his age. Rizal was then eleven years old. However, upon the
intercession of Manuel Xerez Burgos, nephew of Father Burgos, he was reluctantly admitted at the
Ateneo.

Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname “Rizal.” He registered under this name at the
Ateneo because their family name “Mercado” had come under the suspicion of the Spanish authorities.
Paciano had used “Mercado” as his surname at the College of San Jose and he was known to the
authorities as Father Burgos’ favorite student and confidant.

Jose was called an externo during his days in the Ateneo Municipal. He lived in a house outside the walled
city, owned by a certain Titay who owed the family of Jose P300. Jose’s stay in her house was a way to
pay off the debt.

Jesuit System of Education

The system of education given by the Jesuits in the Ateneo was more advanced than of other colleges in
that period. It trained the character of the student by rigid discipline and religious instruction.

The students heard Mass in the morning before the beginning of the daily class.

Students were divided into two groups, namely: the “Roman Empire” composed of the internos (boarders)
and the “Carthaginian Empire” composed of the externos (non-boarders). Each of these empires had its
ranks. The best student in the empire was the emperor; the second best, the tribune; the third best
Decurion; the fourth best, the centurion; the fifth best, the standard bearer.

The Ateneo students in Rizal’s time wore a uniform which consisted of “hemp-fabric trousers” and striped
cotton coat” The coat material was called rayadillo, which later became famous for it was adopted as the
uniform for Filipino troops during the days of the First Philippine Republic.

Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo (1872-1873)

Rizal’s first professor in the Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech, whom he described as a “tall, thin man, with a body
slightly bent forward, a harried walk, ascetic face, severe and inspired, small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp
nose that was almost Greek and thin lips forming an arc whose ends fell toward the chin.”
Being a newcomer and knowing little Spanish, Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class.

After the first week, he progressed rapidly. At the end of the month, he became “emperor”. He was the
brightest pupil in the whole class, and he was awarded a religious picture. It was the first prize he ever
won at the Ateneo.

Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College during the noon. He paid three pesos for those extra
Spanish lessons, but it was a money well spent.

In the second half of his first year in the Ateneo, Rizal did not try hard enough to retain his academic
supremacy which he held during the first half of the term. This was because he resented some remarks of
his professor. He placed second at the end of the year, although all his grades were still marked
“EXCELLENT”.

Summer Vacation (1873)

At the end of the school year in March. Rizal returned to Calamba for summer vacation. He did not
particularly enjoyed his vacation because his mother was in prison. He went to visit his mother in prison.

When the summer vacation ended, Rizal returned to Manila for his second year term in Ateneo. This time
he boarded inside Intramuros. His landlady was an old widow named Doña Pepay, who had a widowed
daughter and four sons.

Second Year in Ateneo (1873-74)

Rizal repented having neglected his studies the previous year simply because he was offended by the
teacher’s remarks. So to regain his lost class leadership, he studied harder and once more became
“emperor”.

At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all subjects and a gold medal.

Prophecy of Mother’s Release,

Teenage interest in Reading

As a normal teenager, he became interested in love stories and romantic tales.

The first favorite novel of Rizal was the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. He persuaded his
father to buy him costly of Cesar Cantu’s historical work entitled Universal History.

Third Year in Ateneo (1874-1875)

However, despite the family happiness, Rizal did not make an excellent showing in his studies as in his
previous year. His grades remained excellent in all subjects, but he won only medal – in Latin. He himself
was not impressed by his scholastic work.

Fourth Year in Ateneo (1875-1876)

On June 16, 1875, he became an interno in the Ateneo. One of his professors this time was Fr. Francisco
de Paula Sanchez a great educator and scholar. Rizal had the highest affection and respect for Father
Sanchez, whom he considered his best professor in the Ateneo.
In his student memoirs, Rizal wrote Father Sanchez in glowing terms, showing his affection and gratitude.
He described this Jesuit professor as “model of uprightness, earnestness, and love for advancement of his
pupils”.

Last year in Ateneo (1876-1877)

He excelled in all subjects. The most brilliant Atenean of his time, he was truly “the pride of Jesuits”.

Rizal finished his last year at the Ateneo in a blaze of glory. He obtained the highest grades in all subjects
– Philosophy, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Languages, etc.

Graduation with highest honors

Rizal graduated at the head of his class.

Extra-Curricular

Religious Society

Dramatic work in Ateneo

Father Sanchez, requested him to write a drama based on the prose story of St. Eustace the Martyr.

Upon the opening of classes at the Ateneo in June his last Academic year at Jesuit College- he submitted
to Father Sanchez the finished manuscript of the drama entitled “San Eustacio, Martir.

First Romance of Rizal

Shortly after graduation from the Ateneo, Rizal, who was then sixteen years old, experienced his first
romance. The girl was Segunda Katigbak, a pretty fourteen-year old Batangueña from Lipa.

One Sunday Rizal visited his maternal grandmother who lived in Trozo, Manila. He was accompanied by
his friend Mariano Katigbak.

His grandmother’s guests, who were mostly college students knew of his skill in painting.
Rizal came to know more Segunda intimately during his weekly visits to La Concordia College, where his
sister Olimpia was a boarding student.