Chapter III Early Education in Calamba and Biñan.

Typical Schooling- Reading, Writing, arithmetic and Religion. (Rigid and Strict)
Teaching strategy- forced into the minds of the pupils by means of tedious memory method aided by the
teacher’s whip.

1. The Hero’s first teacher

- first teacher of Rizal was his mother.
- On her lap, he learned at the age of three the alphabet and prayers.
- Dona Theodora, was patient, conscientious, and understanding.
- Tutors of Rizal, Maestro Celestine, Lucas Padua and later Leon Monroy – former classmate of
Rizal’s Father who instructed José in Spain and Latin. (later died after 5months).

2. José goes to Biñan.

- June 1869 José left Calamba for Biñan. Accompanied by Paciano, who acted as his second
father.
- aunt’s where José was to lodge.
- that same night, with his cousin Leandro, went sight seeing in the town. But José was
depressed because of homesickness.

3. First day in Biñan School.

- School of Maestro Justinian Aquino Cruz
- 30 meters away from José’s aunt.
- Teacher asked José if he knew Spanish and Latin. But his classmate who is the son of the
teacher name Pedro laughed at him.

4. First School Brawl.

- while the teacher is taking his siesta, José met the bully Pedro and challenged him for a fight.
- the latter agreed, yet José was able to beat him. Because Manuel thought José how to wrestle.
- a classmate named Andres Salandanan challenge José for an arm fight.
- José with weaker arm lost and nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk
- In succeeding days he had other fights.

5. Painting lesson in Biñan.

- near the school was the house of an old painter, called Juancho, father in law of the school
teacher.
- José, lured by his love for painting spent many leisure hours at the painter’s studio.
- Juancho freely gave him lessons in drawing and painting.
- José Guevarra classmate of José who became apprentices of the old painter.

6. Daily life in Biñan.

- Prayer and study.

7. Best student in school.

- José beat in academic studies all the Biñan boys.
 - his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority.
- his classmates tell lies to the teacher to discredit him before the teacher’s eyes.
- with this the teacher punishes José.
- he often given with five to six blows.

8. End of Biñan Schooling.

- Saturnina sent him a letter before Christmas season of 1870 informing the arrival of the
steamer which will take him from Biñan to Calamba
- he left Biñan, Saturday December 17, 1870. Regretfully bid farewell to his fellow classmates
and teacher.
- on board was a Frenchman named Arturo camps, a friend of his father, who took care of him.

9. Martyrdom of Gomburza
- Cavite Mutiny. Filipino sergeant lamadrid, rose in violent mutiny because of the abolition of
their usual privileges, including the polo y servicio by the reactionary Governor Rafael de Izquerdo.
- Father Mariano Gómez, Jose Burgos, Jacinto Zamora.
- executed on February 17, 1872 ordered by Governor General Izquerdo.
- the execution lead Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish tyranny and redeem his oppressed people.
- 1891, El Felibusterismo second novel of José is dedicated to Gomburza.

10. Injustice to Hero’s Mother.

- Dona Teodora was suddenly arrested on a malicious charge.
- José Alberto, while on business trip Europe found that her wife is living with other man.
- to avert family scandal Dona Teodora persuaded her brother José Alberto to forgive his wife.
- but the wife pursue to file case accusing the two of attempting to poising her.
- Forced Dona Teodora to walk from Calamba to Santa Cruz. 50 kilometers long.
- for two years and half, Dona Teodora was imprisoned.
- two great lawyers of manila: Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan help Dona Teodora to
be acquitted.