The Enlightened

Tomasian
 Enrollment at UST
April 1877
Rizal enrolled at UST, taking the course on
Philosophy and Letters.
Reasons:
1. His father liked it.
2. He was still uncertain as to what
career to pursue.
 Rizal’s enters the University
 During Rizal‘s first school term in the UST,
Rizal also studied in Ateneo. He took the
vocational course leading to the title of
perito agrimensor.
 November 25, 1881- the title was issued to
Rizal for passing the final examination in
the surveying course.
 Rizal’s enters the University
1877 – 1878
Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,
Theodicy, and History of Philosophy during
his first year term.
 Medical Studies at UST
 After finishing the first year of a course in
Philosophy and Letters (1877-1878). He
transferred to the medical course.
Reason:
To be able to cure his mother’s growing
blindness.
 Medical Studies at UST
 Rizal studied in UST from 1878-1882. his
grade in Medicine consists of 2 excellent, 3
very good, 8 good, and 2 fair (physics and
general pathology). His grades in UST
College of Medicine were not as impressive
as what he got at Ateneo due to the
hostility of the Dominican professors.
 Romances
 He fell in love with a woman simply called “Miss L”,
a woman with a fair, seductive and attractive eyes.
 He courted Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl with regal
bearing. Rizal sent her love notes in invisible ink.
 Rizal had romance with Leonor Rivera. Leonor was
a pretty girl and a students of La Concordia
Colllege. Both Rizal and Leonor were engaged, he
used the sign name “Taimis”.
 Victim of Spanish Brutality
 When Rizal was a freshman medical at UST,
he experienced his first taste of Spanish
brutality.
 Failure to perceive a lieutenant during that
night.
 Gen. Primo de Rivera – Gov. General of the
Philippines at that time.
 Literary Contest
A La Juventud Filipina
It is inspiring poem of flawless form. This
poem won as a classic Filipino literature for two
reasons:
1. It was a great poem in Spanish written by
the Filipino, whose merit was recognized by Spanish
literary authorities.
2. Expressed for the first time the nationalistic
concept that the Filipino, and not the foreigners,
were the “fair hope of the Fatherland”.
 Literary Contest
A Filipinas
A sonnet written by Rizal for the album
of the Society of Sculptors; in this sonnet, he
urged all Filipino artists to glorify the
Philippines.
Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma
Poem honouring the Ateneo Patroness.
 Literary Contest
El Consejo De Los Dioses
 In 1880, Artistic-Literary Lyceum opened another
literary contest to commemorate the 4th
centennial death of Cervantes, Spain’s famous
author of Don Quixote.
 Rizal submitted an allegorical drama entitled El
Consejo de los Dioses.
 The judges were all Spaniards and they awarded
the first prize to Rizal’s work because of its literary
superiority.
 Champion of Filipino Students
 Rizal was the champion of the Filipino students in
their frequent fights against arrogant Spanish
students.
 In 1880, he founded a secret society of Filipino
students in UST called Compañerismo
(Comradeship), members were called
”Companions of Jehu”.
 Rizal was the chief of the secret society and his
cousin from Batangas, Galicano Apacible was the
secretary.
 Unhappy Days in UST
1. The Dominican professors were hostile to
him.
2. The Filipino students were racially
discriminated by the Spaniards.
3. The method of instruction was obsolete and
repressive.
 Finishing Medicine at UST
 Notable in all of his subjects.
 He was the 2nd best student in a class of
seven who passed the medicine course.
 Decision to go in Europe
 To complete his medical course in
Barcelona, Spain.
 To make a name for himself in the field of
Journalism.
 To observe and study European Society.
 To prepare himself for the task of liberating
the Filipinos from Spanish Tyranny.
References:
 Pasigui, Ronnie E. and Danilo H. Cabalu., 2006. The Man and the Hero
(An Anthology of Legacies and Controversies). C & E Publishing, Inc.
 Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide., 1997., Jose Rizal: Life, Works,
and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero.All
Nations Publishing Co. Inc.
 Zaide, Gregorio, et.al., 2010., Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writings of a
Genius, Writer, Scientist, and National Hero, All Nations Publishing
Corp.
 Zulueta, Francisco M. 2004., Rizal: Life, Works and Ideals. National
Bookstore.