Rizal's Higher Education

1. If you are given the chance to choose a

university to enroll in college, what school
would it be?
2. Do you have a favorite teacher? What
makes him/her different from others?
What we'll discuss
Rizal in Ateneo
Rizal in UST
At the Ateneo
- A Student at the Ateneo (1872-1877)
Jose was sent to Manila four months after the martyrdom
of Gom-Bur-Za and with Dona Teodora still in prison. He
studied in the Ateneo Municipal - a college under the
supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. Ateneo Municipal, a
bitter rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan de
Letran formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School)- for poor
boys in Manila established in 1817, In 1859- name was
changed to Ateneo Municipal by the Jesuits and later
became the Ateneo de Manila
Rizal Enters Ateneo
June 10, 1872- Jose, accompanied by
Paciano, went to Manila to take the
entrance examinations on Christian
Doctrine, arithmetic, and reading at the
College of San Juan de Letran, and passed
them. His father was the first one who
wished him to study at Letran but he
changed his mind and decided to send
Jose at Ateneo instead
 Father Margin Fernando - Jose adopted the
Ateneo's college registrar, He
refused to accept of Rizal because surname Rizal at the
of two reasons: Ateneo because their
1. He was late for registration family name Mercado
2. He was sickly and undersized for his
age. had come under
Manuel Xeres Burgos - nephew
of Father Burgos (GomBurZa). suspicion of the
interceded and Rizal was Spanish authorities.
accepted.
Jesuits System of Education
Jesuits trained the character of the student by rigid
discipline, humanities and religious instruction. They
held Mass early in the morning before the beginning
of daily class. Classes were opened and closed with
prayers.
Student Division:
1. Roman Empire - internos
2. Carthaginian Empire - externos
Jesuits System of Education
Student Ranking:
1. 1st best: emperor
2. 2nd best: tribune
3. 3rd best: decurion
4. 4th best: centurion
5. 5th best: standard-bearer.
Rizal's First Year in Ateneo (1872-1873)

Fr. Jose Bech - Rizal‘s first professor in Ateneo

Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class since he was
a newcomer and knows little Spanish. He was an externo
(Carthaginians), occupying the end of the line. But at the
end of the month, he becomes emperor´ of his Empire. ´
Rizal's First Year in Ateneo (1872-1873)
He was the brightest pupil in the whole class, and he
was awarded a prize, a religious picture. Rizal took
private lessons in Santa Isabel College during noon
recesses to improve his Spanish language paying three
pesos for those extra lessons. He placed second at the
end of the year, although all his grades were still
marked Excellent´
 Summer Vacation (1873)
Rizal didn‘t enjoy his summer because his mother was
in prison so Neneng (Saturnina) brought him to
Tanawan. But without telling his father, he went to
Santa Cruz to visit her mother in prison. He told her of
his brilliant grades. After summer, he returned to
Manila and now boarded inside Intramuros at No. 6
Magallanes Street. Dona Pepay, who had a widowed
daughter and 4 sons, was his landlady.
 Summer Vacation (1873)
Prophecy of the Mother's Release
Dona Teodora told her son of her dream the
previous night. Rizal, interpreting the dream, told
her that she would be released from prison in 3
months‘ time.
 Teenage Interest in Reading
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexander Dumas
Rizal's first favorite novel
UNIVERSAL HISTORY by Cesar Cantu
Rizal persuaded his father to buy him this costly
book
TRAVELS IN THE PHILIPPINES by Dr. Fiagor Jagor
was impressed by: Jagor‘s keen observations of the
defects of Spanish colonization; and his prophecy
that someday Spain would lose the Philippines and
that America would come to succeed her as
colonizer.
Rizal's Third Year in Ateneo (1875-76)
June 16, 1875- He became an interno in
Ateneo.
Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez - Rizal's best
professor. He inspired him to study harder
and write poetry. Rizal described him as
model of uprightness, earnestness, and love
for the advancement of his pupils. He
returned to Calamba with 5 medals and
excellent ratings.
Rizal's Fourth Year in Ateneo
March 23, 1877 - received the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, with highest honors.
Rizal was the highest in all subjects and won five
medals at the end of the school term. He excelled
in all his subjects and was the most brilliant
Atenean, he was truly “the pride of the Jesuits"
Extra Curriclars in Ateneo
A member and secretary of Marian Congregation, a
religious society. He was accepted because of his
academic brilliance and devotion to Our Lady of
Immaculate Conception.
A member of the Academy of Spanish Literature
and the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Agustin Saez - teacher in painting
Romualdo de Jesus - teacher in sculpture
Continued his physical training under hi sports-
minded Tio Manuel.
Sculptural Works in Ateneo
Image of The Virgin Mary - used
a piece of batikuling (Philippine
hardwood) with his pocketknife.
Sacred Heart of Jesus -
requested by Father Lleonart
Poems Written in Ateneo
Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) -
the first written poem of Rizal, which was
dedicated to his mother on her birthday. He
wrote it when he was 14 years old.
El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (
The Departure: Hymn to Magellan‘s Fleet).
Y Es Espanol: Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta
al Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the Fist to
Circumnavigate the World).
El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The
Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo)
In 1876, he wrote poems on religion, education
memories and war. (e.g. In Memory of my Town)
RIZAL'S POEM IN EDUCATION•
Through Education Our Motherland Receives
Light- education plays in the progress and
welfare of a nation. •
The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
Good Education- showed that Education
without God is not true education
RIZAL’S RELIGIOUS POEM •
Al Nino Jesus (To the Child Jesus)- written when
he was 14 years old, expressing his Catholic faith
devotion. •
A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary)
Mother's Opposition to Higher Education
Both Don Francisco and Paciano wanted Jose to pursue
higher learning in the university. But Dona Teodora who is
a woman of education and culture objects to Rizal desire
for University education. She knew what happened to the
Gom-Bur-ZA, and told her husband
“ Don’t send him to Manila again, he knows enough. If he
gets to know more the Spaniards will cut off his head”
The University of Sto. Tomas
Rizal Enters the University
Rizal took the course on Philosophy and
Letters for two reasons:
1. His father likes it
2. He was still uncertain as to what
career to pursue.
Rizal did not finish the course. It was the
following term (1878-1879)
RIZAL TOOK UP THE MEDICAL COURSE
Two reasons:
1. He received the advice of Father Pablo Ramon,
Ateneo’s Rector to study medicine, and
2. To be able to cure his mother’s growing
blindness.
• He excelled in all subjects in the surveying course in
Ateneo. • He obtained gold medals in agriculture and
topograph
Finishes Surveying Course in Ateneo
• 1877-1878 Rizal took the vocational course
leading to the title of ―perito agrimensor”
(expert surveyor). He passed the final
examination in the surveying course on
November 25, 1881. He remained loyal to
Ateneo.
LITERARY WORKS (1879) •
Liceo-Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of
Manila, a society of literary men and artists, held a literary
contest.
1. A La Juventud Filipino (to the Filipino youth)- a winning
piece of Rizal (1st place)
Two reasons why Rizal‘s poem is a classic in Philippine literature:
1. It was the first great poem in Spanish written by the Filipino, whose
merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities.
2. It expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the
Filipino, and not the foreigners, was the ―fair hope of the fatherland.
Champion of the Filipino Students
There were frequent student brawls between the Filipinos
and the Spaniards
1880: Rizal founded Companerismo (Comradeship), a
secret society of Filipino UST students. The members were
called “Companions of Jehu”.
He was the chief of the society.
His cousin, Galicano Apacible was the secretary.
In one of the skirmishes, Rizal was wounded on the head.
His friends brought him to Casa Tomasina where Leonor
Rivera took care of him.
 Unhappy Days at UST
Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo
Tomas suffocating to his sensitive spirit.
He was unhappy at this Dominican institution of
higher learning because:
(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