CHAPTER 4

THE ATENEO MUNICIPAL

Rizal Transfers to Manila
When Jose Rizal was nine years old, his parents sent him to Biñan to undergo formal
schooling in the basic curriculum of that generation: the four Rs.
He followed a regular daily routine, attended to his studies and excelled in them.
Besides taking formal lessons in Latin and Spanish, Rizal availed himself of the services of a local
painter in order to improve his talent in the field. He soon became one of the best painters of
the school. Before Rizal reached his eleventh birthday, he was sent to Manila and enrolled at
the Ateneo Municipal, a college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. Ateneo’s first
name was Escuela Pia, which name was changed to Ateneo Municipal and later became Ateneo
de Manila. On June 10, 1872, he took the entrance examination on Christian doctrine,
arithmetic, and reading. His father wished him to study at Letran, but changed his mind and
decided to enroll him at Ateneo. Fr. Magin Fernando, the college registrar, refused to admit
Rizal because he arrived late for the registration and he was sickly and undersized for his age.
However, with the help of Fr. Manuel Burgos, he was admitted at the Ateneo.
Jose was the first in 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
Spanish authorities.
Jose boarded in a house outside lntramuros in Caraballo Street, just a 25-minute walk
from college, where Ateneo was once located. This boarding house was owned by Titay, a
spinster. The Ateneo students were trained on the system of education given by the Jesuits.
Rigid discipline, character building, and religious instruction were given emphasis. Class in every
subject was opened and closed with prayers.
On his first day of class, in June 1872, Rizal first heard mass at the College Chapel and
went to his class. Rizal’s first professor was Fr. Jose Beach. Being a newcomer and knowing little
Spanish, Rizal was placed at the back of the classroom. A late enrollee as he and one whose
knowledge of Spanish was taken with ridicule naturally had to start from the tail-end of the
class as an externo; hence, he was assigned to the Carthaginians. After the first week, Jose
progressed rapidly. In a month’s time, however, he was at the head, the class “emperor”. He
spent long hours of reading; his love for books grew tremendously. He asked his father to buy
him a complete set of the “Historia Universal” by Cesar Cantu which he conscientiously read,
and the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. He was only 12 years old when he made
these demands. It would seem that Rizal had a feeling that he had since birth been chosen for
an exalted mission. This may have been only fantasy, but his behavior in relation to the
realization of the mission was a reality. From the time he entered Ateneo, he lived a well-
organized life, with discipline, and strictly followed a study method and work schedule, a
system which he maintained all his life. He trained himself for this sacred apostolate; he must
conduct himself with excellence.
During his first year, first semester studies at Ateneo, he won first prize in a contest for
religious picture. He spent his noon recess in taking private lessons in Spanish at the Sta. Isabel
College. In his second semester, Rizal did not try hard, to retain his scholarship. He resented
some remarks of his professor and placed second, although his grades were still marked
“excellent”.
Nothing unusual happened in his second year term. He studied harder and once`more
became the “emperor”. At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all
subjects and a gold medal. In March 1874, he went to Calamba to spend his summer vacation.
On June 16, 1875, Rizal went back to Ateneo as an “interne”. Rizal resumed his studies
with vigor and zest. He topped all his classmates in all subjects and won five medals. He
returned to Calamba for his summer vacation in March 1876.
Rizal returned to Manila in June 1876 for his last year in Ateneo. His studies continued
to fare welt. He was considered to be the best and most brilliant. On March 23, 1877, Rizal
received the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (a high school certificate) with grades rated “excellent”,
and he had five prizes and several awards. At sixteen, the young graduate was a mature man.
His scholastic records at the Ateneo from 1872-1877 were as follows:
1872-1873
Arithmetic Excellent
Latin I Excellent
Spanish I Excellent
Greek I Excellent
1873-1874
Latin 2 Excellent
Spanish 2 Excellent
Greek 2 Excellent
Universal Geography Excellent
1874-1875
Latin 3 Excellent
Spanish 3 Excellent
 Greek 3 Excellent
Universal History Excellent
History of the Philippines and Spain Excellent
1875-1876
Rhetorical Poetry Excellent
French 1 Excellent
Geometry and Trigonometry Excellent
1876-1877
Philosophy 1 Excellent
Mineralogy and Chemistry Excellent
Philosophy Excellent
Physics Excellent
Botany and Zoology Excellent

CHAPTER 5
THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Jose Rizal at the University of Santo Tomas
After graduating with the highest honors from Ateneo, Rizal had to go to the University
of Santo Tomas for higher studies. In April 1877, Rizal who was only 16 years old then enrolled
at the UST, taking the course on Philosophy and Letters because he was still uncertain as to
what course he would take up and his father liked the course as well. While studying at the
UST, he also took up vocational course in Surveying and excelled in all subjects. At the age of
17, he passed the final examination, but could not be granted the title because of being
underage, but the title was issued to him on Nov. 25, 1881.

First Love
While Jose Rizal was at the UST taking his medical studies, he experienced his first love.
There were many loves in the course of Rizal’s life, for he was very susceptible to this emotion
although he was very cautious and correct, not only as a general principle but also because he
was aware of the possible consequences of his acts. He never sacrificed his studies for his
feelings, invariably, he finished his tasks first.
 On Sundays, he used to go in the company of a friend to Trozo, Manila where his
grandmother lived. One day he met a young girl of 14 named Segunda Katigbak, who turned
out to be the sister of his friend. He fell in love with her, but it turned out that she was already
engaged. He found out later that Segunda went to the same college where a sister of his stayed
as a boarder. The two friends went together to visit their sisters, who became friends. Although
Rizal tried to keep away in deference to her being engaged to Manuel Luz, the grace of Segunda
had captivated him.
Rizal made a pencil sketch of her. She in turn embroidered a rose on his hat band. The
affair progressed without any pressure on the part of Jose; she broke up with her fiancé and
they continued seeing each other under very proper circumstances. Before Christmas vacation
that year, the two had a last meeting during which Jose did not propose. They left separately
within the next two days with the agreement that they would see each other when Segunda
passed Calamba. But when her coach crossed the town, he just lifted his hat. She responded
with a smile waving her handkerchief, but the timid Rizal did not approach her. Because of this,
indecision and timidity characterized his conduct all his life.

Rizal as a Student of Medicine

When Jose returned to Calamba in 1878 for Christmas vacation, Doña Teodora, her
eyes suffering from some defect, could hardly recognize him. At the moment, no diagnosis
could be made for there was no ophthalmologist in Calamba or in neighboring towns. Later it
was found out that the disturbance was due to a cataract but the classification of the cataract
could not be ascertained. Rizal thought that she might go blind. This circumstance led him to
shift the orientation of his studies. Medicine would not only enable him to cure his mother’s
illness but he also considered it as a noble profession which he could use to serve his
countrymen. At the start of the school year of 1878-1879, he registered at the College of
Medicine at the UST, somewhat against his natural inclination. This, however, did not become
the cause for his wholehearted studies. At the same time, he did not lose contact with the
Jesuits, for they founded a literary academy, of which he was the president. With his great
versatility, he still had time to write poetry, to paint, to sculpt, and to indulge in courtships
prompted by his easy inclination to love.

Leonor Rivera
During the year 1879, the gallant lover Rizal visited many ladies in Manila society
without seriously committing himself to anyone. He liked good conversation and because of his
culture and intelligence, his language was colorful and poetic, sometimes spiced with irony. But
he never entered into any significant, binding compromises.
One afternoon he went to visit his uncle Antonio Rivera, who had a boarding house in
Manila. He was accompanied by Paciano, his inseparable brother. It was decided that he would
stay in the house as a boarder. There he met his cousin, Leonor, daughter of Antonio, a young
girl of 13, typical of oriental girls. She had very fair skin and light brown hair, a very pleasing
voice and could carry an interesting conversation.
Antonio, in his double role of uncle and possible father-in-law of Jose, played an
important part when he favored in 1882 the departure of his nephew for Europe.

A Poet Is Born to the People

In 1879, the Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila held two contests one for the
peninsulares and another for the natives. Rizal decided to submit a poem entitled “A La
Juventud Filipina”. It won first prize, consisting of a silver pen. The poem cannot claim
excellence, but it is significant in that it was the first public expression of patriotism of Rizal. It
urges the Filipino youth to hold its head high for “it is the fair hope of my motherland”.
On its third year 1880-1881, the Liceo, in commemoration of the death anniversary of
Cervantes, held a contest, this time without discrimination. Rizal entered the contest and
submitted a piece entitled “El Consejo de los Dioses”. He was 18 years old. In spite of the fact
that the board of judges was composed of peninsulares, and that there were 14 contestants,
among them friars, journalists, writers, and professors, Rizal got the first prize, consisting of a
gold ring, with the bust of Cervantes carved in cameo on top. The judges justified their decision
with the following declaration: “The idea and message are of great originality besides the fact
that it excels in its entirely in style, an admirable wealth of details, delicacy of thought, and
figure of speech.” (Bantug and Ventura, 1997)
El Consejo de los Noses is a play in poetic prose which narrates the meeting of the gods
at Mount Olympus, presided over by Jupiter to choose the most important work of universal
literature. The dialogue is very interesting and gives evidence to the literary and mythological
culture of Rizal. After a heated debate, Jupiter, advised by Justice, decides that Homer, Virgil,
and Cervantes are of equal excellence. Rizal exalted Cervantes and Hispanism. During Christmas
vacation of 1881, Rizal received a letter in Calamba from Leonor Rivera, with the signature she
usually used (Taimis). She complained of Rizal’s failure to write. His subsequent conduct
indicates, however, that Rizal’s love for her had not diminished at all. Jose Rizal was unhappy of
his medical studies at the UST. He was unhappy at this Dominican institution because the
Dominican professors were hostile to him. Filipino students were racially discriminated and
their method of instruction was obsolete and repressive. Because of this, Rizal failed to win high
scholastic honors. In the first year of the Philosophy course, Rizal got an excellent rating, but
not impressive in the four years of his medical course. After finishing the fourth year of his
medical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain.
 CHAPTER 6
THE FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE
The Departure
Rizal premed well for his departure as per agreement with Paciano and his uncle
Antonio that is why he was able to leave on May 1, 1882. On that day, Paciano woke him up at
dawn to go to Biñan and thence to Manila. He called his servants to hire a carromata to
transport him to the next town. Paciano gave him 356 Mexican pesos, the legal tender then in
the Philippines. He did not bid goodbye to his six sisters who were still sleeping. He took a cup
of coffee and kissed the hands of his parents who thought that he was only bound for Manila,
not for abroad.
The carromata arrived and the brothers went to the house of their sister Neneng
(Saturnina), wife of Manuel Hidalgo to pick up a diamond ring which she had promised Jose, but
since she was still asleep, they decided to proceed to the house of Lucia, wife of Mariano
Herbosa, who was already awake.
After having changed carromatas twice, they arrived in Manila. There they went to see
Jose Ma. Cecilio, a great friend and Confidante of Rizal in his love affairs who informed him that
his passport would be ready that same day, as indeed it was. His uncle Antonio arrived with the
passport. The passport bore the name Jose Mercado.
On the second of May, he rose early. At seven his compadre (Mateo Evangelista)
arrived, and together they went to see the Salvadora which was anchored at the Pasig. In the
afternoon, he attended to his obligations. He went to say goodbye to Pedro A. Paterno who
gave him a letter for Mr. Esquivel, an important Filipino resident in Spain. After this he went to
take leave from the Jesuits who gave him letters of introduction for their boarding houses in
Spain.
The many visits that Jose made that day are proofs that there was nothing secret about
his trip; it was a secret only to his parents. What was kept secret was the motive of the journey.
On the third day of May, he woke up at five in the morning. He heard mass; later had
breakfast but could not eat well owing to his emotional state.
Accompanied by Gella and Tio Antonio, he went to the Paseo de Magallanes and then to
the wharf on the Pasig River where the Salvadora was docked. They accompanied him up to the
bay. Our hero was deeply touched by these acts of his friends who had been like a second
family to him.
As in all his trips, he wrote, describing the passengers, the incidents and circumstances
of life on board, always in a poetic vein inspired by the seascape.