CHAPTER 4

EDUCATION AND ACHIEVEMENTS

(Childhood Years in Calamba and Biñan)

The town of Calamba (formerly kalamba), now a city, is known as the

“cradle of a genius”. It is situated on a verdant plain by the side of Laguna
de Bay. The happiest period in Rizal’s early life was spent in this town.
Rizal’s mind and character were deeply nurtured in this place. He loved
this place very much so that when he was 15 years old and a student of
Ateneo, he wrote a poem UN RECUERBO A MI PUEBLO” (in memory of
my town) he was very much impressed of his beloved town because of its
panoramic view, it’s evergreen meadows of innumerable fruit-bearing trees and bananas, it’s singing birds
and its lovely sunrise.

Rizal’s Childhood Years:

Happiest Days of Rizal in Calamba could be summarized as follows:

1) He loved to climb the fruit trees in their backyard where he spent his leisure
time.
2) From his nipa cottage built by his father, he loved to watch the fowls, birds, and the plants in the
garden.
3) From his Azotea, he watched the moon in the sky after the nightly rosary.
4) At nightfall, he joined his sisters and parents to pray the daily Angelus.
5) He used to take a walk during moonlight night in the town plaza by the river and lakes
accompanied by his aya (maid) Ina Munda.
6) He loved to listen to his aya telling stories about fairies, imaginary tales, legends, and folklore.
7) At the age of three, he goes with his mother to the church to take part in novena and join the
religious procession.
 Education at Calamba:

 He learned at the age of three the alphabet, and prayers from his patient, conscientious and
understanding mother.

 He learned how to read and write from his first tutor, Maestro Celestino, and second tutor Maestro
Lucas Padua. The third tutor was Leon Monroy, an old man who was a classmate of Rizal’s father.
Monroy lived at the Rizal’s house and taught Rizal Spanish and Latin but died five months later.

 Rizal used to visit father Leoncio Lopez, the town parish priest, to listen to the stimulating opinions
of the priest on current events and sound philosophy of life.

 Of the many stories told by his mother Doña Teodora to Jose, the tragic fate of the young moth left
a deep impression/impact on Rizal’s mind that to sacrifice one’s life is worthwhile.

 Rizal’s three uncles played a great part in the early education of Rizal. Gregorio, who was a lover
of books, taught Rizal the love for books, to work hard, to think for him, and to observe life keenly.

Sorrows and Tragedies in Rizal’s life:

1) The untimely death of her younger sister Concepcion at the age of three was Rizal’s first sorrow.
2) The malicious charge that caused a tremendous impact in the life of Rizal.
3) The Cavite uprising in 1872.
4) The harsh treatment Rizal’s townmates had to endure at the hands
of the Spanish Guardia civil.
5) The rude treatment to children and women.

Rizal’s life and education in Biñan:

  Rizal left Calamba for biñan in June 1869 on a Sunday afternoon, accompanied by his brother
Paciano. They rode in a carromata for a one and half drive to the house of their aunt where Rizal
had to lodge.

 On that same night. Jose and his cousin Leandro went sightseeing in the town but Jose did not
enjoy well because of homesickness.

 The next morning (Monday), he was brought by Paciano to maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz,
the former teacher of Paciano. Maestro Cruz was tall, thin, long-necked, with a sharp nose, he
used to wear a sinamay shirt, but was a disciplinarian and a tough teacher.

 Rizal learned Spanish, Latin, and other subjects from Maestro Cruz.

 At Biñan, Rizal was involved in several fights. First, Rizal and Pedro, the son of Maestro Cruz
who was much bigger than Rizal. They wrestled furiously in the classroom. Rizal, though
smaller and with a fragile body, defeated Pedro because Rizal learned the art of wrestling from
his uncle Manuel. The second brawl was with Andres Salandaan who challenged Rizal t an
arm-wrestling match or the bunong-braso. Rizal lost because he had a weaker arm.

 Rizal also learned drawing and painting from Juancho, maestro Cruz’s father in law.

 In academic studies, Rizal beat all Biñan boys in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects.

 Rizal left Biñan for Calamba on a Saturday afternoon on December 17, 1870, after one and
half-year of schooling. He boarded the steamer Talim with a Frenchman Arturo Camps, a
friend of his father.

REFERENCES

Mariano M. Ariola (2013). Life, Works, and Writings of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, 61 Ground floor, Herald Building,
Muralla St. Intramuros, Manila: Purely books trading and publishing corp.
 CHAPTER 5
RIZAL'S YEARS AT THE ATENEO
MUNICIPAL COLLEGE DE MANILA

In 1872, after the martyrdom of GOMBURZA. Jose went

to the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, a college that was
managed by the Jesuit in Manila. The Jesuits' ideas and
ideals of education attracted the sons of prominent
Filipino families. He studied there for five years until he
obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with the highest
honors that entitled him to yenroll in any university.

Don Francisco, who first wanted Rizal to study at Letran

changed his mind and decided to send him to Ateneo
instead. His supposed entrance to Ateneo Municipal
(which became Ateneo de Manila later) was first rejected by Father Magin Fernando, the college registrar
because Rizal was late for registration and was sickly and undersized for his age 11 years. However, his
brother Paciano, a former aid of martyred father Jose Burgos, pleaded to Manuel Xerex Burgos to
intercede. At last Jose Rizal (his registered name at Ateneo) was admitted to the school but was assigned
to sit at the last row of the class.

Rizal boarded a house on Catholic Street which was owned by a spinster Titay. Rizal boarded her house to
collect a part of the P300 debt of Titay.

Students at the Ateneo were divided into two groups, the Roman Empire consisting of the internos
(boarders) and the Carthaginians Empire composed of the externos (non-boarders). The students wore a
school uniform consisted of hemp-fabric trouser and striped cotton coat.

Rizal’s first professor at Ateneo was father Jose Bech. At first, Rizal was an externo, a Carthaginians
occupying the end of the line but after a month, he became the emperor, the brightest pupil in the class,
and was awarded a religious picture as a prize- the first prize he ever won at the Ateneo.

During the second term at Ateneo, he only placed second in rank because he resented some of the
remarks of his professor- although all his grades were still marked “excellent’.

Rizal returned to Calamba in March 1873 for summer vacation. But he did not enjoy the vacation because
his mother was in prison. To cheer his sadness, neneng (saturnina), his sister brought him to Tanauan. At
the end of the summer vacation in 1873, Rizal returned to Manila to enroll in a second-year term. This time
he boarded inside Intramuros at No. 6, Magallanes street at the house owned by
Doña Pepang an old widow. His schooling ended in 1877 when he graduated with the
highest honors in all his subjects.

After his graduation, Rizal who was then sixteen years old experienced his first
romance - that painful experience which comes to nearly all adolescents”. The girl
was Segunda Katigbak, a pretty fourteen years old Batanguena from lipa. But it was hopeless since the
very beginning because Segunda was already engaged to be married to her townmate, Manuel Luz, Rizal,
for all his artistic and intellectual prowess, was a shy and timid lover. Segunda had
manifested, by insinuation and deeds. Her affection to him, but he timidly failed to
purpose.

Among his remarkable achievements at the Ateneo Municipal College de Manila were the following:

1) He produced two sculptural pieces carved in “batikulin”. One was the figure of “our lady”
and the other was the image of the “sacred heart”. These works of art are still preserved
aim in the Ateneo library.
2) The importance of education was the primary theme of his early poems while he was a
student at the Ateneo municipal college de manila. These were “por la education recibe
lustre la patria” (through education, the country receives light) and “Alianza intima entre la
religion y la Buena education” (the intimate alliance between and good education).
3) His literary and academic excellence qualified him for membership in two prestigious
societies at the Ateneo municipal college de manila; the academy of Spanish literature and
the academy of natural sciences. These academies were exclusive societies, which
welcomed as members-only Athenians who were gifted in literature and sciences. He later
became prefect of the academy of Spanish.

REFERENCES

Mariano M. Ariola (2013). Life, Works, and Writings of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, 61 Ground floor, Herald
Building, Muralla St. Intramuros, Manila: Purely books trading and publishing corp.
Lomibao, Somera, Camus-Rivera, and Dulos, © 2011, Rizal’s life, works and writings, IPM
Publishing, Culiat, Tandang Sora, Quezon City.