Education at Biñan Laguna, Ateneo and Sto.

Tomas

EDUCATION AT BIÑAN
• Rizal had his education like a typical schooling of an Ilustrado family.
It was a typical schooling that a son of an Ilustrado family received during his time,
characterized by the four R's- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Instruction was rigid and
strict. Knowledge was forced into the minds of the pupils by means of the tedious memory method
aided by the teacher's whip
The Ilustrados (Spanish: [ilusˈtɾaðos], "erudite", "learned" or "enlightened ones". The
term “Illustrado” originated in the Philippines during the Spanish Colonial period and refers to a class
of educated and enlightened individuals who played a significant role in advocating for social and
political reforms. belonged to the European- educated middle-class Filipinos. Many of the names we
know and remember today in our country belonged to this class: Jose Rizal, Juan Luna, Graciano
Lopez Jaena, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Felix Resureccion Hidalgo, Antonio Luna, and Mariano Ponce.
• During the time of Rizal, education was characterized by the 4Rs: reading writing, arithmetic, and
religion.
• Rizal became an intellectual giant although he was born a physical weakling.

First Teacher

• His first teacher was his mother, Dona Teodora Alonso. As tutor, his mother was patient,
conscientious and understanding. It was she who first discovered that her son had a talent for
poetry. Accordingly, she encouraged him to write poems. To lighten the monotony of memorizing the
ABC’s and to stimulate her son’s imagination, she related many stories.
• At the age of 3, Rizal learned to recite the alphabet and prayers.
• As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home. First is Maestro
Celestino, then Maestro Lucas Padua.
• Leon Monroy, who was a former classmate of Rizal's father, taught the young boy Spanish and Latin.
• When Leon Monroy died, Rizal's parents decided to send their gifted Son to a private school in Binan.
• Rizal was nine (9) years old when his parents sent to him to study in Biñan.

Rizal goes to Binan

• Sunday , June 1869, Rizal left Calamba for Binan, he was accompanied by his brother Paciano.
Jose Rizal’s older and only brother who devotedly took care of the National Hero. As Nick
Joaquin said, “Without Paciano to back him up, it’s doubtful that Rizal would have gotten as far as he
reached.”

• Rizal lodged at his aunt's house in Binan.

• Rizal's school in Binan was in the house of his teacher, Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Which was a
small nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose's aunt. Cruz was quick to discipline his
students for any infarction using a short, thin stick.

First School Brawl

• Pedro, the teacher's son, was not very fond of Rizal. He bullied Rizal, and this led to Rizal's first
school brawl.
• Rizal Challenged Pedro to fight, despite being the underdog and him having learned the art of
wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, and defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he became popular
among his classmates. He had other fights while in Biñan, but he never ran away.

Painting Lessons

• Rizal also took painting lessons for free in Binan, and was taught by an old painter named Juancho,
his school teacher's father-in-law.
• Jose Rizal and Jose Guevarra were the favorite painter of the class.

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 Education at Biñan Laguna, Ateneo and Sto. Tomas

Best Student in School

• He was the best student in school, beating all the Binan boys.
• Some classmates were jealous that they inform to the teacher whenever Rizal had fights outside of
the school. Some also told lies to discredit him.

Academic Instruction At The Village

Rizal did not enjoy his schooling at the village school, under Maestro Justiniano Cruz. In fact
he did not even like his teacher, who he described as a tall man with a long neck, and a sharp nose
and a body bent back slightly forward (Guerrero, 1998).

• Although Rizal did not like his mentor, he considered him an expert in Latin and Spanish grammars.
One thing that he detested from his teacher was the use of corporal punishment to make pupils learn
the lesson for the day.
• To Rizal such kind of instruction was barbarous. Rizal’s hatred of this kind of teaching was highlighted
in his novel, Noli Me Tangere (Guerrero, 1998).

End of Binan Schooling

• Christmas season in 1870, Rizal received a letter from his sister, Saturnina informing him the arrival
of the steamer Talim which would take him from Binan to Calamba.
• December 17, 1870. Rizal left Binan after a year and a half of schooling in the town.

EDUCATION IN THE ATENEO MUNICIPAL (ATENEO DE MANILA)

(1872-1877)
• Rizal was 11 years old when he entered Ateneo.
• Rizal was sent to Manila four months after the friars Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora were martyred.
• He studied in the Ateneo Municipal, which was under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuit priests.
• The Ateneo Municipal was later named Ateneo de Manila.
• Rizal's father had intended him to study at Letran but changed his mind and sent him to the Ateneo
instead.
• At first, the college registrar, Fr. Magin Ferrando, refused Rizals's admission because the boy had
registered late and he was sickly and small for his age.
• Rizal was nonetheless admitted to the Ateneo with the help and intercession of Manuel Xeres Burgos,
a nephew of the martyred priest.
• Rizal adopted the name Rizal to escape suspicion. His brother Paciano had used the name Mercado,
and was now known to the authorities as Jose Burgos' favorite student.
• The quality of education in the Ateneo was more advanced.
• Students were divided into two groups: the "Roman Empire" (boarders) and the "Carthaginian
Empire" (non-boarders).
• The best student in each empire was the emperor, followed by the tribune, then the decurion, the
centurion, and the fifth best was the standard-bearer.
• The Romans had red banners, and the Carthaginians had blue.
• Rizal's first professor at the Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech.
• To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College at noon breaks.
• Rizal's first favorite novel was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas.
• He won a medal in Latin.
• Rizal considered Fr. Sanchez as his best professor in the Ateneo.
• He obtained the highest grades in all subjects and graduated with the highest honors.
• When Rizal was 16 years old he had his first romance with Segunda Katigbak. Unfortunately, the
lady was already engaged to be married. Rizal, as a shy and timid lover, failed to propose despite
her encouragement.

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 Education at Biñan Laguna, Ateneo and Sto. Tomas

Other activities while in Ateneo

• He studied painting under Agustin Saez.

• He studied sculpture under Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus.
• He carved the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a Batikuling wood.
• He carved the image of the Sacred Heart.
• He joined the organization Marian Congregation. His mentor was Fr. Pablo Pastells, S.J.
• He was a member of the Academy of Spanish literature.
• He was a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
• Fr. Jose Villaclara, S.J. encouraged him to pay attention also to the sciences and philosophy

MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

Rizal, after completing Bachiller en Artes at Ateneo, was admitted to the Dominican University
of the Philippines (UST) despite his mother's fear of his martyrdom. He considered various courses,
including literature, law, and medicine, but his brother Paciano discouraged him from taking law due
to political conditions. At 16, Rizal enrolled in Philosophy and Letters, majoring in Philosophy,
Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy. He excelled in surveying but couldn't
practice surveying. After finishing one year in Philosophy and Letters, Rizal transferred to the medical
course.

• He enrolled in UST for two reasons: (1) to appease his father, and (2) because he was still unsure of
what career he should pursue.
• He enrolled at the faculty of Philosophy and Letters; majored in Philosophy, 1877 – 1878
• However, Rizal took up medicine following the advice of Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Rector of the Ateneo.
He also did so to be able to cure his mother's growing blindness.
He submitted an entry in the Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila in 1879, entitled ―A La
Juventud Filipina‖ (To the Filipino Youth)

• He won 1st prize in the contest, was awarded a silver quill.

• For the first time, he used the phrase ‗the youth, the fair hope of my country‘
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• He finished a surveying course in the Ateneo, but was not given the title of Surveyor because he was
still 17 and underage.
• After finishing four years in the medical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain. for some reasons: to
widen his knowledge, to avail of more conducive conditions in Europe, and to learn a cure on the
worsening eye condition of his mother. He did not seek his parents' permission for this, because he
knew they would not allow it.

Note : Please refer to the Module-in-SS105-Life-and-Works-of-Rizal -----UNIT III: RIZAL’S LIFE:

HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFE ABROAD page 38-42—for additional informations. Thankyou!

Source: https://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2011/12/education.html
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/technological-university-of-the-philippines/bachelor-of-
science-in-mechanical-engneering/summary-of-rizal-in-binan/22137926

Prepared by : Arsenal Quenie Joy C.

Esteva Marie Angeline A.
Cosio Juana Jo
(BSEd IV- English)

Arsenal, Esteva, Cosio BSEd 4-Eng