SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPS AT THE ATENEO DE MANILA

- Rizal matriculated at the Ateneo De Municipal

- At first he was refused to him because
1. He was late for registration
2. He was sickly and undersized for his age
- 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 suspicion of the Spanish
authorities . Paciano had used the “Mercado” as his surname and he was known to the
authorities as Father Burgos’ favorite student and confidant
- The system of education given by the Jesuits in the Ateneo was more advance than that of the
other colleges in that period. It trained the character of the student by rigid discipline and
religious instruction.
- Students were divided into two groups:
1. Roman Empire consisting of the internos (boarders)
2. Cartaginian Empire composed of the externos (non-borders)

FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO

- First professor was father Jose Bech

- He was placed at the bottom of the class because he was a new comer and knowing little
Spanish
- He was an externo
- At the end of the month he became the “emperor”
- He was the brightest pupil in the whole class
- To improve his Spanish, he took a private lesson in Santa Isabel College during the noon recess
- At the end of the school year, he returned to Calamba for summer vacation

SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO

- He 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. Once more he
became an “emperor”
- His first favorite novel was “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexander Dumas

THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO

- He did not make an excellent showing of his studies in the previous year.
- His grades remained excellent in all subjects, but he won only one medal- in Latin. He failed to
win the medal in Spanish because his spoken Spanish was not fluently sonorous.

FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO

- He became an Interno
- One of his professor this time was Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez. He inspired Rizal to study
harder and to write poetry.
- Inspired by Fr. Sanchez, he resumed his studies with vigor and zest.
- He topped all his classmates in all subjects and won five medals at the end of the school term.
 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

SCULPTURAL WORKS

- He carvwd the image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of Batikuling, Philippine hardwood) wit his
pocket knife.
- He carved the image of the Sacred heart of Jesus upon the request of Fr. Lieonart

POEMS

- Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration)- first poem written by Rizal during his days in
Ateneo, dedicated to his mother on her birthday
- The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education- He showed the importance of
religion in education. To him, education without God is not true education

FIRST ROMANCE OF RIZAL

- Segunda Katigbal- Rizal’s love at first sight, but it was hopeless since the very beginning because
Segunda was already engaged to be married to her town mate.

MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

- Rizal matriculated in the UST, taking the course of Philosophy and Letters. He enrolled in this
course for two reasons: 1. His father liked it and 2. He was still uncertain as to what course to
pursue
- During his first term in the UST, Rizal also studied in the Ateneo. He took the vocational course
leading to the title of “Perito agrimensor”(expert surveyor).

ROMANCE WITH OTHER GIRLS

1. Miss L- Nobody knows who this woman was. Rizal himself did not give her a name. However he
gave two reasons for his change of heart 1. The memories of Segunda was still fresh in his heart
and 2. His father did not like the family of Miss L.
2. Leonor Valenzuela- He sent her love notes written in invisible ink. This ink consisted of water
and salt. It left no trace on the paper. He taught Orang the secret of reading the note by heating
it over a candle so that the words may appear. But, as with Segunda, he stopped short of
proposing marriage to Orang.
3. Leonor Rivera- a pretty girl “tender as budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes. They became
engaged

LITERARY WORKS

1. A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)- a classic Philippine literature for two reasons: 1. It
was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino and 2. It expressed for the first time the
nationalistic concept that the Filipinos not the foreigners, were the fair hope of the fatherland
2. The Council of the Gods- The winning allegory of Rizal was a literary masterpiece based on the
Greek classics.
UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

- Rizal was unhappy at the Dominican institution of higher learning because

1. The Dominican professors were hostile to him
2. The Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spanish
3. The method of instruction was obsolete and repressive

IN SUNNY SPAIN

SECRET MISSION: To observed keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and
commerce, and government and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself to the mighty
task of liberating his oppressed people from the Spanish Tyranny

BARCELONA

- The first impression of Rizal was unfavorable because he thought that it was ugly,- with dirty
little inns and inhospitable residences because he happened to stay upon his arrival at a dingy
inn situated in an unimpressive narrow street in the town’s most ugly side.
- Later he changed his bad impression and came to like the city. He found it to be really great city
with an atmosphere of freedom and liberalism

LITERARY WORKS

1. Amor Patrio (love of Country)- first article written on Spain’s soil. He sent it to his friend in
Manila, Basilio Teodoro Moran, a publisher of Diariong Tagalog, the first Manila Bilingual
newspaper. Rizal used a pen name Laong Laan. It was published in two texts- Spanish, originally
written by Rizal and Tagalog text translation made by m.H Del Pilar
2. Los Viajes (Travels)
3. Revista De Madrid (Review of Madrid)

LIFE IN SPAIN

- Rizal enrolled in the University of Central De Madrid (Central University of Madrid) in two
courses- Medicine and Philosophy and Letters
- He studied painting and sculpture in the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
- Took lessons in French, German and English under private instructors
- Practiced fencing and shooting
- He led a Spartan life. He rigidly budgeted his money and time

RIZAL AS A MASON

- Rizal came in close contact with prominent Spanish Liberal and Republican Spaniards who were
mostly masons.. He was impressed by the way the Spanish masons openly and freely criticized
the government policies and lambasted the friars which could not be done in the Philippines.

STUDIES COMPLETED IN SPAIN

- He was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad De Central De Madrid.
- The next academic year, he studied and passed all the subjects leading to the degree of Doctor
of Medicine. Due to the fact, however, that he did not present the thesis required for
graduation nor paid the corresponding fees, he was nor awarded his Doctor’s diploma