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“Rizal’s Life: Higher

Education and Life Abroad”

“La Solidaridad”

Jamila T. Endoso
BSOA III- B
 Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life’s Abroad
Rizal concieved the secret mission, with the blessing of his brother Paciano was to do the
following: “Observe keenly the life and culture, languages and commerce and government and
laws of the European Nations in order to prepare himself for the task of liberating his people
from Spanish Tyranny”
Jose Mercado- Rizal used this name; a cousin from Biñan.•May 3, 1882- Rizal departed on
board the Spanish streamer Salvador bound for Singapore.•Donato Lecha- the ship captain from
Asturias, Spain.-Rizal described him as an affable man, “much more refined than his other
countrymen and collegues that I have met.”
 First tutor- Maestro Celestino
 Second tutor (Arithmetic)- Maestro Lucas Padua
Leon Monroy
A former classmate of Rizal’s father. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed
Jose in Spanish and Latin. He did not lived long and died five months later.
Rizal Moves to Biñan Sunday afternoon of June 1869, Rizal left Calamba to move in Biñan. Paciano
accompanied Rizal in his trip on board a carromata. Their travel lasted for one and a half hour. Then
proceed to their Aunt’s house, where Rizal was to lodge. First Day at the Village School. He was
accompanied again by Paciano to the village school under the charge of Maestro Justiniano Cruz,
Paciano’s teacher during his elementary school days.
Academic Studies at the Village School. Even at this level of education, Rizal was able to demonstrate
his intellectual superiority– the best in his class in Latin, Spanish, and the rest of the subjects. Because of
this, he was the object of jealousy by his classmates; and thus was made to look bad in front of the
maestro and was punished. Academic Instruction at the Village School. He did not enjoy his schooling
at the village school, under Maestro Justiniano Cruz. He did not even like his teacher, who he described
as a tall man with a long neck and a sharp nose and a body bent slightly forward. End of Schooling at the
Village School. He then returned to Calamba after receiving a letter from his sister Saturnina. By
December 17, 1870, he was able to return to his hometown. He went home by boarding a steamship
named Talim.
Studies At Ateneo and UST
SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT ATENEO DE MANILA (1872-1877)
Jose was sent to Manila four months after the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za and with Dona Teodora still in
prison. He studied in the Ateneo Municipal,, a college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. Bitter
rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan de Letran. Formerly the Escuela Pia(Charity School)-
for poor boys in Manila established in 1817. In 1859- name was changed to Ateneo Municipaly the
Jesuits and later became the Ateneo de Manila.
RIZAL ENTERS AT ATENEO
June 10, 1872- Jose, accompanied by Paciano, went to Manila to take the entrance examinations
on Christian Doctrine, arithmetic, and reading at the College of San Juan de Letran, and passed them. His
father was the first one who wished him to study at Letran but he changed his mind and decided to send
Jose at Ateneo instead. Father Magin Ferrando, college registrar of Ateneo Municipal, refused to admit
Jose because: He was late for registration and; He was sickly and undersized for his age (11 years old)
Upon the intercession of Manuel Xeres Burgos, nephew of Father Burgos, he was admitted at Ateneo.
Jose adopted the surname 3Rizal ́ at the Ateneo because their family name 3Mercado ́ had come under
suspicion of the Spanish authorities. Ateneo was located in Intramuros, within the walls of Manila. He
boarded in a house on Caraballo Street, 25 min walk from the college.
The boarding house was owned by Titay, who owd Rizal family P300. Jose boarded there to collect part
of the debt.
RIZAL’S FIRTST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)
Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech. He was placed at the bottom of the class since
he was a newcomer and knows little Spanish. He was an externo (Carthaginians), occupying the end of
the line. But at the end of the month, he become 3emperor ́ of his Empire. He was the brightest pupil in
the whole class, and he was awarded a prize, a religious prize. He took private lessons in Santa Isabel
College during noon recesses to improve his Spanish language paying three pesos for those extra lessons.
Summer Vacation (1873) Rizal didn’t enjoy his summer because his mother was in prison so
Neneng(Saturnina) brought him to Tanawan. But without telling his father, he went to Santa Cruz to visit
her mother in prison. He told her of his brilliant grades. After summer, he returned to Manila and now
boarded inside Intramuros at No. 6 Magallanes Street. Dona Pepay, who had a widowed daughter and 4
sons, was his landlady.
SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO (1873-1874)
At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all subjects and a gold medal. The Count
of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- the first favorite novel of Rizal which made a deep impression on
him. Universal History by Cesar Cantu- Rizal persuaded his father to buy him this set of historical work
that was a great aid in his studies. Dr. Feodor Jagor- a German scientist-traveler who visited the
Philippines in 1859-1860 who wrote ‘Travels in the Philippines.
THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO (1874-1875)
Rizal grades remained excellent in all subjects but he won only one medal—in Latin. At the end of the
school year (March 1875), Rizal returned to Calamba for the summer vacation. He himself was not
impressed by his scholastic work.
FOURTH YEAR ON ATENEO
June 16, 1875- Rizal became an interno in the Ateneo. Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez- a great
educator and scholar, one of Rizal’s professors who inspired him to study harder and to write poetry.
Rizal described this Jesuiot professor as “model of uprightness, earnestness, and love for the advancement
of his pupils” Rizal topped all his classmates in all subjects and won five medals at the end of the school
term.
LAST YEAR IN ATENEO (1876-1877) Rizal- The most brilliant Atenean of his time, and was truly 3the
pride of the Jesuits Graduate with Highest Honor March 23, 1877- Rizal, 16 years old, received from his
Alma Mater, Ateneo Municipal, the degree of Bachelor of Arts, with highest honors. The night before
graduation, he could not sleep. Early morning on the day of his graduation, he prayed to the Virgin to
recommend his life and protect him as he step into the world.
RIZAL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Fortunately, Rizal’s tragic first romance, with its bitter disillusionment, did not adversely affect his
studies in the University of Santo Tomas. His love for higher education proved to be greater than his love
for a pretty girl. In April, 1877, Rizal, who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the University of
Santo Tomas, taking Philosophy and Letters. He enrolled in this course for Two reasons
1. His father liked it
2. He was still “Uncertain as to what career to follow.
Pablo Ramon Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student days in that college, asking
for advice on the choice of career. Unfortunately, the Father Rector was in the Mindanao and during those
days it took several months foe a letter to travel between Manila and Mindanao. First year term (1877-79)
in the UST, he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy. (1878-1879)
Rizal took up medicine, enrolling simultaneously in the preparatory medical course and the regular first
year medical course. He studied Medicine Because: he wanted to be a physician so that he might cure his
mother’s failing eyesight the Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, whom he consulted for a choice of
career, finally answered his letter, recommending medicine.

Document Analysis Worksheet

Type of document (check one)

_̸̸__ Newspaper ___ Letter ___ Diary ___ Government Report ___ Interview ___ Legal
document ___ Debate transcription ___ Jesuit relation ___ Index ___ Memoir ___ Other

Author (or creator) of the document:

Queena N. Lee-Chua

What do you know about the background of the author(s)?

Lee-Chua, Queena N.
PhD Clinical Psychology (1995) Ateneo de Manila University
Born on April 13, 1966, Lee-Chua’s list of accomplishments and activities stretches out
to prolific frontier. She has written science and math books, a newspaper column, and teaches
both subjects to students, parents, media, and practically everybody else. But she remains
consistent in her goal to make science and math learning “fun” through “simpler, more
understandable language.” She brings the “fun” to print, radio, TV, online, and interpersonal
audiences.

Who do you think this document was written for?

I think this document was written for researchers know what Rizal’s life about
because Rizal called as a hero and I think we must know what Rizal as a Filipino citizen,
what he did why he was called a hero.

What is the topic or issue of the document?

Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life’s Abroad

Document Information: (There are many possible answers to these questions)

A. List three things the author said that you think are important:
1. I learned to conquer apathy and indifference by initiating change,”
2. Rizal is my Ateneo hero because he dared to break the walls built by Spanish
colonizers around Filipino minds to conquer them into servitude. His entire life was dedicated to
the proposition that we Filipinos can overcome our self-imposed apathy and indifference, and
that, like our early ancestors, we can become horizon-chasers who know no limit to our dreams
and aspirations.”
3. “Every Filipino knows Dr. Jose Rizal’s story but each has his own way of getting
inspiration from the man,”

What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Give an example from
the document to support your opinion.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/16335/rizal-the-atenean

Quote evidence from the document that tells you this.

“He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his
destination”
 La Solidaridad
on July 16, 1888
An editorial headed Association Hispano-Filipina; Several young people, both Filipino
and Spanish, have established an Association in Madrid under this name, not related to any
political ideology. The Association looks to improving physical and moral conditions in the
Archipelago and shall welcome as members any well-meaning Spanish citizens who wish to
support its aims, making use exclusively of legal propaganda to bear an influence on public
opinion and thus achieve administrative and political reform of the Government and the Cortes.
The Association’s initial aims were a package of 16 reforms, including compulsory
teaching of Spanish in the archipelago; the elimination of the use of stocks, the pillory and the
lash in jails and Courts of Justice; the importance of Judges’ capacity to speak the local dialects
so as to avoid the need for Court interpreters; the establishment of a Property Registry and a
Civil Registry; the elimination of Church tithes and compulsory alms contributions; the
establishment of secondary schools in two or three of the provinces of the Archipelago; a radical
reform of the Universidad de Filipinas to achieve parity with mainland Spanish Universities; the
promotion of planting cotton shrubs, cocoa trees and indigo producing plants; the review or
signature of commercial exchange treaties with China and Japan; the establishment of
agricultural Banks; a new territorial framework for Philippine provinces; the construction of an
extensive network of roads and country roads, as well as an affordable railroad system; the
analysis of the reasons and causes of the financial crisis in the Philippines, and measures to
remedy its outcome; the legislation to resolve the agricultural and market crisis in the
Philippines; the modification of the Customs Tariff Duty Schedule; and, finally, reforms in the
Public Administration. Besides these objectives the Association also looked to an analysis of the
social and administrative framework in the Philippines. It was notionally a non-political
institution, presided by Miguel Morayta. The inaugural session was held in great pomp and
ceremony, with the presence of politicians and journalists who supported the Filipino cause. The
idea of establishing a publication bringing together the Association’s aims was present at the
time of the inauguration.
During the end-of-year banquet in 1888 a new organization was established in Barcelona
named La Solidaridad, with Galicano Apacible as President, López Jaena as Vice-President,
Manuel Santa María as Secretary, Ponce as Treasurer and José M. Panganiban as Auditor. Rizal
was voted in as President Ad Honorem.35 Early in 1889 the Filipino colony in Barcelona started
to design the composition of a new daily of that same name.
On February 15, 1889, La Solidaridad began publication in Barcelona.
Contributors to the magazine were strong defenders of liberal and self-representing ideological
positions. Pablo Rianzares and Ponce were the initial owners, while Graciano López Jaena was
appointed Director. In 1890 La Solidaridad transferred to Madrid due to the fact that the
headquarters for the Asociación Hispano-Filipina was located in that city, and in the opinion of
the institution’s officers this location would be more appropriate for their interests. López Jaena
decided to remain in Barcelona, so Marcelo Hilario del Pilar was appointed new Director. La
Solidaridad was a publication written by Filipinos, but I am not sure it was addressed to all
Filipinos. The high cultural level of its contents, the exquisite drafting of its texts, the political
issues under discussion, all lead me to believe that the magazine was aimed towards a Spanish
audience. The officers and contributors wanted to be read as Spaniards, and it addressed the
ilustrado Filipino élite.
The most distinguished contributors included Graciano López Jaena and Marcelo H. del
Pilar until 1893; Mariano Ponce (under the pseudonyms Naning and Kalipulako); José Rizal,
who wrote under the pseudonym Laong Laan, contributing only during 1889 and 1890, leaving
the newspaper in 1891; Antonio Luna (Taga-Ilog); José M. Panganiban, JOMAPA and
Ferdinand Blumentritt. There is no extraordinary content in the discourse pursued by La
Solidaridad: in fact, it is comparable to any other newspaper or magazine dedicated to political
issues of importance in the nineteenth century. It was not uncommon to find satire, parody or
irony regarding the weakness of Spanish society in the Spanish Press of the time, particularly
among intellectual and radical circles. It was quite frequent to read satire addressed at the clergy.
It seems, therefore, that the argument often repeated concerning the anti-clerical stance displayed
by La Solidaridad was quite common in nineteenth century Spain. In fact, its contents and style
were very typical of the contemporary Spanish Press. Not for nothing did some of its
contributors also cooperate with republican and liberal publications, such as El Día, El Imparcial,
El Liberal, El Globo, La Justicia, El País, La Publicidad, La Vanguardia, El Noticiero Universal
or El Suplemento, among others. All the former were firm supporters of instituting reforms in the
Philippines. 7_Art_Cano.indd 189 10/11/11 12:59 190 Entre España y Filipinas: José Rizal,
escritor / Between Spain and the Philippines: José Rizal, the Writer La Solidaridad went through
two clearly differentiated stages.
The first was the period between 1889 and 1890, and is the period of Rizal’s
contributions. The second runs from 1891 until its final disappearance in 1895, and witnessed the
discrepancies arising between Del Pilar, López Jaena and Rizal. López Jaena left the daily in
1893 and was named Director of a new republican daily established in Barcelona called El
Látigo Nacional; he became extremely critical of La Solidaridad. Rizal also left the daily due to
his discrepancies with Del Pilar. All three journalists were possessed of great egos and wanted to
be opinion-makers, so that their wish for playing a leading role, together with differences of
criteria, led each to take a different path. Also, a determinant event took place in 1891 which
defined the future development of La Solidaridad: the far-right daily La Política de España en
Filipinas began publication, with the prime purpose of undermining La Solidaridad by
implementing a campaign based on discrediting Filipinos and making use of a raciallyslanted
discourse La Solidaridad defined its program as: Our expectations are, rather than modest,
extremely modest. Our program, of the utmost simplicity, is to fight all reaction, hamper any
backward stance, to welcome and accept whatsoever liberal idea and defend all progress: in
brief, to act as one more of the many voices who speak on behalf of the “ideals of democracy” in
the hope that it may rule over all peoples throughout the many regions of the world [emphasis
added].
 The significance of La Solidaridad is founded on the fact that it was later co-opted by
intellectual Filipinos and North Americans, with a clearly defined purpose. American historical
research tried to prove that La Solidaridad worked on behalf of reformism ra ther than
independence. This idea was relevant for America’s reconstruction of Filipino history, as it
justified its occupation of the archipelago by suggesting that educated Filipinos wished for
nothing but self-government. The Filipino ilustrados believed that the mass of the Filipino people
was not sufficiently mature to manage independence. They thus required the tutelage of a
progressive nation. Filipinos, however, understood La Solidaridad to be the “seed for a Filipino
awareness”. At the same time, the American administration deliberately omitted to mention the
role played by other dailies in order to stress the Press censorship imposed on the Philippines and
characterize the presumed despotic nature of the Spanish administration. El Resumen and La
Opinión, among others, claimed to be nationalist and liberal, demanded reforms, and criticized
the religious orders, as did La Solidaridad, but rather than being published in Spain their habitat
was the Philippines, which may raise questions concerning the often-mentioned Press
censorship.
They aims to work peacefully for political and social reforms, to portray the deplorable
conditions of the Philippines so that Spain may remedy them, to oppose the evil forces of
reaction medievalism, to advocate liberal ideas and progress, to champion the legitimate
aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy and happiness.
Document Analysis Worksheet

Type of document (check one)

_̸̸__ Newspaper ___ Letter ___ Diary ___ Government Report ___ Interview ___ Legal
document ___ Debate transcription ___ Jesuit relation ___ Index ___ Memoir ___ Other

Date of document:
February 15, 1889

Author (or creator) of the document:

Graciano López y Jaena

What do you know about the background of the author(s)?

Graciano López y Jaena (December 18, 1856 – January 20, 1896), commonly known as
Graciano López Jaena, was a Filipino journalist, orator, reformist and national hero who is well
known for his newspaper, La Solidaridad. ... At the age of 18 he wrote the satirical story Fray
Botod which depicted a fat and lecherous friar.

Who do you think this document was written for?

I think this document was written for as researchers to know the reforms of La Solidaridad was
established to express the goal of the Propaganda Movement towards achieving assimilation with
Spain.

What is the topic or issue of the document?

La Soridaridad

Document Information: (There are many possible answers to these questions)

A. List three things the author said that you think are important:
 1. Representation in the Cortes
2. Abolition of censure
3. An expressed and definite prohibition of the existing practices of exiling residents by
purely administrative order, and without a writ of execution from the courts of justice.

What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Give an example from
the document to support your opinion.
http://msc.edu.ph/centennial/solidaridad.html

Quote evidence from the document that tells you this.

“We are persuaded that no sacrifices are too little to win the rights and the liberty of a
nation that is oppressed by slavery.”