Rizal in Ateneo

Rizal was supposed to enroll at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, a Dominican institution, for his secondary
education.

Instead, he entered Ateneo Municipal de Manila, a Jesuit institution.

The registrar refused to admit him due to his late registration and he appeared to be frail and sickly.

Fortunately, by the help of Manuel Xeres Burgos, a nephew of Fr. Jose Burgos, Rizal was admitted to
Ateneo.

Background of the School

Ateneo de Manila began in 1859 when the Spanish Jesuits established the Escuela Municipal de Manila.

Under the Jesuits, the Escuela eventually became the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1865.

In 1909, years after Ateneo became a private institution, the Jesuits removed the word “Municipal” from
Ateneo’s official name, and it has since been known as the Ateneo de Manila.

Education System of the Jesuits

The Jesuits gave emphasis to rigid discipline, character building, and religious instruction. They
promoted physical education, culture, humanities, and scientific studies.

The Jesuit system of education was more advanced than that of other schools during that period.

They started and ended the class with a prayer and they heard masses every morning.

Students were divided into two competing groups: The Roman Empire (internos) and The Carthaginian
Empire (externos). Each empire had its own Emperor, the smartest student in the group.

Rizal’s experience in his 5 years in Ateneo

Throughout most of his time in Ateneo, Rizal was an externo. He lived outside the “walled city” or
Intramuros, specifically, in Caraballo St. in Sta. Cruz.

It was estimated to be 25 minutes away from the school.

Initially, Rizal was discriminated by his classmates and professors, mainly because he only had a little
knowledge about Spain, a probinsiyano, and a late enrollee.

Due to this discrimination, Rizal was motivated to take private lessons in Santa Isabel College to improve
his knowledge of Spanish.

First Year in Ateneo (1872-1873)

Fr. Jose Bech was his first professor in Ateneo.

He was placed at the bottom of the class but rapidly progressed and at the end of the month, he became
an “Emperor”.

At the end of the year, he placed second but his grades were excellent.

Second Year 1873-1874

He regretted “neglecting” his studies the previous year.

He became an insatiable reader.

At the end of the year, Rizal received excellent grades in all subject and earned a gold medal.

Third Year 1874-1875

This was the time when his mother was released from jail as Rizal anticipated.

Rizal was not “excellent” in class but still maintained good grades. He had a gold medal in Latin but
failed to acquire the gold medal in Spanish.

Fourth Year 1875-1876

In June 16, 1875, he became an interno in Ateneo.

He was inspired to study harder and write poetry under Fr. Francisco Paula de Sanchez whom he
described as a great educator and scholar, a model of rectitude, of solicitude, and had a great devotion
to students’ progress.

Because of the motivation and inspiration from Fr. Francisco, Rizal acquired five medals at the end of the
school term.

Fifth Year 1876-1877

He was “the pride of the Jesuits”.

He obtained the highest grades in all subjects –Philosophy, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Language.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with the rating of “sobrasaliente” which meant highest
honors.

Sculptures

Image of the Virgin Mary –made from batikuling

Image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Poems

My First Inspiration
Child Jesus

To the Virgin Mary

Felicitation

The Embarkation, A Hymn to Ferdinand Magellan’s Fleet

And He Is Spanish: Elcano, The First To Circumnavigate The World

The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo

The Tragedy of St. Eustace

In Memory of My Town

Through Education, Our Motherland Receives Light

The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Education

The Captivity and the Triumph: Battle of Lucena and the Imprisonment of Boabdil

Triumphant Entry of the Catholic Monarchs into Granada

The Heroism of Columbus

A Farewell Dialogue of the Students