Early Education in Calamba and Biñan

Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. 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. Despite the defects of the Spanish system of elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire
the necessary instruction preparatory for college work in Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical
weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and backward
system of instruction obtaining in the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.

The Hero’s First Teacher

The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable woman of good character and fine culture. On her
lap, he learned at the age of three the alphabet and the prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his student memoirs,
"taught me how to read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which I raised fervently to God."

As tutor, Doña Teodora 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.

As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home. The first was Maestro
Celestino and the second, Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of
Rizal’s father, became the boy’s tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose in Spanish and
Latin. Unfortunately, he did not lived long. He died five months later.

After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send their gifted son to a private school in Biñan.

Jose Goes to Biñan

One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing the hands of his parents and a tearful parting from his sister,
left Calamba for Biñan. He was accompanied by Paciano , who acted as his second father. The two brothers rode in
a carromata, reaching their destination after one and one-half hours’ drive. They proceeded to their aunt’s house,
where Jose was to lodge. It was almost night when they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.

That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went sightseeing in the town. Instead of enjoying the sights,
Jose became depressed because of homesickness. "In the moonlight," he recounted, "I remembered my home town,
my idolized mother, and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet to me was Calamba, my own town, in spite of the fact
that was not as wealthy as Biñan."

First Day in Biñan School

The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother to the school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.

The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose’s
aunt.

Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil under him before. He introduced Jose to the
teacher, after which he departed to return to Calamba.

Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The teacher asked him:

"Do you know Spanish?"

"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"
"A little, sir."

The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son laughed at Jose’s answers.

The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the lessons of the day.

Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was tall, thin, long-necked, with sharp nose and a body slightly
bent forward, and he used to wear a sinamay shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the women of Batangas. He knew
by the heart the grammars by Nebrija and Gainza. Add to this severity that in my judgement was exaggerated and
you have a picture, perhaps vague, that I have made of him, but I remember only this."

First School BrawlIn the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having his siesta, Jose met the
bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him during his conversation with the teacher in the
morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he could easily beat the Calamba boy who
was smaller and younger.

The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their classmates. Jose, having learned the art
of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he became popular among his
classmates.

After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named Andres Salandanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling match.
They went to a sidewalk of a house and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and nearly
cracked his head on the sidewalk.

In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of Biñan. He was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran
away from a fight.

Best Student in School

In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects.

Some of his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority. They wickedly squealed to the teacher
whenever Jose had a fight outside the school, and even told lies to discredit him before the teacher’s eyes.
Consequently the teacher had to punish Jose.

Early Schooling in Biñan

Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense of observation. At the age of seven he traveled with his
father for the first time to Manila and thence to Antipolo to fulfill the promise of a pilgrimage made by his mother at
the time of his birth. They embarked in a casco, a very ponderous vessel commonly used in the Philippines. It was
the first trip on the lake that Jose could recollect. As darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig, admiring the
grandeur of the water and the stillness of the night, although he was seized with a superstitious fear when he saw a
water snake entwine itself around the bamboo beams of the katig. With what joy did he see the sun at the daybreak
as its luminous rays shone upon the glistening surface of the wide lake, producing a brilliant effect! With what joy
did he talk to his father, for he had not uttered a word during the night!

When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the sweetest emotions upon seeing the gay banks of the Pasig and
the towns of Cainta and Taytay. In Antipolo he prayed, kneeling before the image of the Virgin of Peace and Good
Voyage, of whom he would later sing in elegant verses. Then he saw Manila, the great metropolis , with its Chinese
sores and European bazaars. And visited his elder sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who was a boarding student in the
Concordia College.

When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to continue studying Latin, because his first teacher had
died. His brother Paciano took him to Biñan one Sunday, and Jose bade his parents and sisters good-bye with tears
in his eyes. Oh, how it saddened him to leave for the first time and live far from his home and his family! But he felt
ashamed to cry and had to conceal his tears and sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many beautiful and
pathetic scenes the world would witness without thee!"

They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the house of his aunt where he was to stay, and left
him after introducing him to the teacher. At night, in company with his aunt’s grandson named Leandro, Jose took a
walk around the town in the light of the moon. To him the town looked extensive and rich but sad and ugly.

His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was Justiniano Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man, lean
and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay shirt woven by the
deft hands of Batangas women. He knew by memory the grammars of Nebrija and Gainza. To this add a severity
which, in my judgement I have made of him, which is all I remember."

The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in surpassing many of his older classmates. Some of
these were so wicked that, even without reason, they accused him before the teacher, for which, in spite of his
progress, he received many whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was the day when he was not stretched on
the bench for a whipping or punished with five or six blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these
punishments was one of intense resentment in order to learn and thus carry out his father’s will.

Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a master painter. From him he took his first two sons,
two nephews, and a grandson. His way life was methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four if there was
one that early, or studied his lesson at that hour and went to mass afterwards. Returning home, he might look in the
orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he took his breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice and two dried
sardines.

After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at ten, then home again. He ate with his aunt and then
began at ten, then home again. He ate with his aunt and then began to study. At half past two he returned to class and
left at five. He might play for a short time with some cousins before returning home. He studied his lessons, drew
for a while, and then prayed and if there was a moon, his friends would invite him to play in the street in company
with other boys.

Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his eyes of his beloved father, his idolized mother, and
his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet was his town even though not so opulent as Biñan! He grew sad and thoughtful.

While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now and then. How long the road seemed to him in
going and how short in coming! When from afar he descried the roof of his house, secret joy filled his breast. How
he looked for pretexts to remain longer at home! A day more seemed to him a day spent in heaven, and how he
wept, though silently and secretly, when he saw the calesa that was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked
sad; a flower that he touched, a stone that attracted his attention he gathered, fearful that he might not see it again
upon his return. It was a sad but delicate and quite pain that possessed him.
Life and Studies at Ateneo
The Jesuits were considered the best educators of Spain, and perhaps of Europe, and so, when they were permitted
to return to the Philippines, although their power to administer parishes was restricted except in the remote regions
of Mindanao, the privilege of founding colleges, they had to apply to the City of Manila for subsidies. That is why
the college which began to function in the year 1865, was called the Ateneo Municipal.

To enter the Ateneo a candidate was subjected to an entrance examination on Christian doctrine, reading, writing,
grammar, and elementary arithmetic. Jose did not take his entrance examinations Jose did not remain in Manila but
returned first to his town to celebrate the fiesta of its patron saint; it was then that his father changed his mind and
decided to send him to the Ateneo instead.

Since Mercado, the first surname of the family, had come under suspicion of the authorities because it was the name
used by Paciano when he was studying and working with Father Burgos, in whose house he lived, Jose adopted the
second surname, Rizal.

Paciano who accompanied Jose, found him a house in Walled City, but Intramuros looked gloomy to Jose, and he
later found lodging outside, in the house of a spinster situated on Calle Carballo, district of Santa Cruz. As if chance
would furnish him data for his future campaigns, he became acquainted in that house with various mestizos,
begotten by friars.

The Jesuitical system of instruction was considered more advanced than that of other colleges in that epoch. Its
discipline was rigid and its methods less mechanical. It introduced physical culture as part of its program as well as
the cultivation of the arts, such as music, drawing, and painting. It also establishes vocational courses in agriculture,
commerce, and mechanics as a religious institute, its principal purpose was to mold the character and the will of the
boys to comply more easily with the percepts of the Church. The students heard mass before the beginning of the
class, which was opened and closed with prayers.

In the first two terms the classes were divided into groups of interns and externs: the first constituted the Roman
Empire and the second, the Carthaginian Empire. In each empire there were five dignitaries: Emperor, Tribune,
Decurion, Centurion, and Standard-Bearer. These dignities were won by means of individual competitions in which
it was necessary to catch one’s adversary in error three times. The empires considered themselves in perpetual
warfare, and when an individual of one empire was caught in error by one belonging to the enemy empire, a point
was counted in favor of the latter. At the end of each week or two, the points in favor of each were added and the
empire, which obtained more point, was declared winner.

There was a fraternity of Mary and Saint Louis Gonzaga, to which only those who distinguished themselves in the
class for their piety and diligence could belong. This fraternity met on Sundays and after mass held public programs
in which poems were recited or debates were held. With all these inducements it was only natural that should be a
spirit of emulation, a striving to surpass ones colleagues found in the Ateneo.

The first professor Jose had was Fr. Jose Bech, whom he describes as a man of high stature; lean body, bent
forward; quick gait; ascetic physiognomy, severe and inspired; small, sunken eyes; sharp Grecian nose; thin lips
forming an arch with its sides directed toward the chin." He was somewhat of a lunatic and of an uneven humor;
sometimes he was hard and little tolerant and at other times he was gay and playful as a child. Among Jose’s
classmates were Peninsulares and sons of Peninsulares; Francisco G. Oliva, very talented but not very studious;
Joaquin Garrido, endowed with a poor memory but with much talent and industry; and Gonzalo Marzano, who
occupied the throne of Emperor.

From the first days Jose learned to systematize his work; he fixed a program of what he had to do in the twenty-four
hours of the day and did not in the least deviate from it. Thus he disciplined his will and subjected it to the
commands of his reason.

As a newcomer, Jose was at first put at the tail of the class, but he was soon promoted and kept on being promoted
so that at the end of one month he had attained to the rank of Emperor. At the end of the term he obtained marks of
excellent in all the subjects and in the examinations. He had reason to feel proud of his advancement; and so when
he went home on vacation that year, he ran alone to see his mother in the prison and tell her the happy news.

He must have uttered this exclamation on learning from his mother that they had played her a mean trick. The judge,
who was a blind partisan of the friars having been a domestic of theirs, told her that if she confessed her culpability
he would release her at once. With the desire to see her children again, she pleaded guilty; but the judge, instead of
releasing her, convicted her. In a few months the judge asked her forgiveness for what he had done because
according to him his conscience hurt him, but the case had no remedy because it was already on appeal.

The second year, Jose had the same professor as in the previous year; but instead of lodging outside the City, he
resided at No. 6 Calle Magallanes. At the end of the term he obtained a medal, and upon returning to his town, he
again visited his mother in jail alone. This was three months before her release.

The rejoicing that her release produced in his spirit had much influence on the result of his studies in the third year,
for he began to win prizes in the quarterly examinations.

About that time he devoted himself to reading novels, and one of those he enjoyed most was Dumas’ (father) The
Count of Monte Cristo. The sufferings of the hero of the twelve years. He also asked his father to buy him a copy of
The Universal History by Cesar Cantanu, and according to himself he profited much from its perusal.

The family, who saw in Jose great aptitude for study, decided to place him as intern or boarding student in the
college the following year. In the corner of the dormitory facing the sea and the pier Jose passed his two years of
internship.

In the fourth year of his course he had Fr. Francisco Sanchez as professor. Jose describes him as a model of
rectitude, a solicitude, and love for the student, and his studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek, and he must have
progressed much, for at the end of the year he-obtained five medals, which pleased him immensely because with
them I could repay my father somewhat for his sacrifices.

His aptitude for poetry revealed itself early, and from that time on he did not cease to cultivate it.

An incident which demonstrates Jose’s independence of character took place at this time. Fr. Leoncio Lopez, parish
priest of the town, who was a great friend of his father, also liked Jose as a little friend. He was cultured but at the
same time timid and tender. One day Jose’s mother showed Father Lopez a poem of his young friend and that the
latter must have copied it from a book. Jose, who heard this, answered the priest violently, for which his mother
reprehended him. Afterward Father Lopez came to know from the Jesuits themselves that Jose was a pupil who
excelled in poetry; and, in spite of his age, made a trip to Manila expressly to apologize to Jose. That gesture of
Father Lopez’ won him Jose’s esteem and they became good friends again, lending each other the books they had.

In the fifth years Jose had other professors: Frs. Vilaclara and Mineves. He studied philosophy, physics, chemistry,
and natural history, but his devotion to poetry was such that his professor in philosophy advised him once to leave it,
which made him cry. But in his rest hours he continued cultivating the Muses under the direction of his old
professor, Father Sanchez. Jose had then written a short story (leyenda), which was only slightly corrected by his
professor, and a dialogue, which was enacted at the end of the course, alluding to the collegians’ farewell. However,
philosophy, just and serve, inquiring into the wherefores of things, interested him as much as poetry; physics,
drawing back the veil that divine drama of nature was enacted, natural history seemed to him somewhat
uninteresting although he much liked the shells and sometimes imagined seeing a goddess in each shell he was on
the shelf.

Jose was considered small of stature and he tried to correct this defect by applying himself regularly to gymnastics
in the college. He also engaged in other physical exercises, such as fencing. After his baccalaureate, he surprised his
family with his skill in handling the sword when he gave an exhibition bout with the best swordsman of the town.

He also devoted time to painting and sculpture. In drawing and painting he was under the guidance and direction of
the Ateneo professor, the Peninsula Don Augustin Saez, who honored him with his affection and consideration
because of his progress. In sculpture his instructor was a Filipino, Romualdo de Jesus, who felt proud in the last
years of his life of having had such an excellent pupil.

Jose Rizal’s Educational Background

Rizal’s first teachers:

1.Dona Teodora
- was his mother she was patient, conscientious and , understanding
- she discovered that her son had a talent for poetry
- she encouraged him to write poems

2. Private Tutors of Rizal

- Maestro Celestino
- Maestro Lucas
- Leon Monroy

Rizal goes to Binan,Laguna:

- June, 1869 Rizal left for Binan
- Was accompanied by Paciano his older brother
- He was taught by Maestro Justiniano
- In academic studies, Rizal beat all Binan boys
- He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects

Life and Studies in Ateneo

- Ateneo De Municipal established by the Jesuits
- Rizal entered in 1872
- He belonged to the class composed of Spaniards, mestizos and Filipinos
- His teacher was Fr. Jose Bech
- He was considered as an inferior and was placed at the buttom of the class
- By the end of the month he became the emperor and received a prize, a religious picture
- To improve his Spanish Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College
- During his 4th year in Ateneo he received 5 medals and graduated as sobresaliente
- He graduated on March 23, 1877(16 years old)
- Received the degree of bachelor of arts, with highest honors not a valedictiorian

Extra Curricular Involvement

- an emperor inside the classroom
- campus leader
- active member and became a secretary, the Marian Congregation Religious Society
- member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences
- poet
- studied painting under the famous Spanish Painter, Agustin Saez
- improved his sculpture talents under the supervision of Romualdo de Jesus
- engaged in gymnastics and fencing and continued the physical training under his sports-minded Tio
Manuel.

Medical Studies in University of Sto. Thomas (1877-1882)

- After graduating , he continued his education at UST

- He finished a year in Philosophy and Letters
- He decided to shift to a medical course
- UST was under the Dominicans , rival of the Jesuits in education
- Remained loyal to Ateneo participated in extracurricular activities in Ateneo and completed a course in
surveying
- As a Thomasian he won more literary laurels
- During his first term in 1877-1878 in UST, he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics , Theodicy and History of
Philosophy.
- It was during the school term 1878-1879 that Rizal pursued his studies in medicine

Reasons why Rizal wanted to study Medicine:

- He wanted to be a physician so that he could cure his mother’s failing eyesight

- Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Father Rector of Ateneo whom he consulted for a choice of career, finally
answered his letter , and recommended medicine

Pre- Med Course

- Curso de Ampiacion or Advanced course in Physics, Chemistry and Natural History.

- Out of the 28 young men taking Ampliacion only four including Rizal were granted the privilege of taking
simultaneously the preparatory course and the first year of medicine
- Rizal also received his four year practical training in medicine at the Hospital de San Juan de Dios in
Intramuros
- During his last year at the University, Rizal had obtained the global grade of Notable(Very Good) in all of
his subjects, and he was the second best student in a decimated class of seven who passed the medicine
course. After which, Rizal decided to study in Spain.
Academic Journey To Spain ( 1882-1885 )

- His departure for Spain was kept secret from Spanish Authorities, friars and even his parents especially
his mother because she would not allow him to go
- To avoid detection , he used the name Jose Mercado
- On May 3, 1882 he boarded on Salvadora bound for Singapore where he was the only Filipino
passenger
- On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in Universidad Central de Madrid taking up two courses: Philosophy
an Letters and Medicine
- On June 21, 1884 , he conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine
- The Following academic year , he studied and passed all subjects leading to the degree of doctor of
medicine
- Unfortunately, he was not able to submit the thesis required for graduation nor paid the corresponding
fees
- With that, he was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma
- Jose Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters with higher grades
- He was awarded the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de
Madrid June 19, 1885 with the rating of excellent.

Opthalmology studies and travels in Europe

- Jose Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology. Among all branches, he
chose this specialization because he wanted to cure his mother’s failing eyesight.
- In 1885, after studying at the Universidad Central de Madrid, Rizal, who was then 24 years old, went to
Paris to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology

Rizal friends in Europe:

- Maximo Viola
- Senor Eusebio Corominas
- Don Miguel Morayta
- Dr. Louis de Weckert

- On February 3, 1886, after gathering some experience in ophthalmology, he left Paris and went to
Heidelberg, Germany
- He worked at the University Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker, a distinguished German
ophthalmologist
- On April 22, 1886, Rizal wrote a poem entitled A Las Flores de Heidelberg (To the Flowers of
Heidelberg) because he was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the Neckar River, which was the
light blue flower called “forget-me-not”.
- On August 14, 1886, Rizal arrived in Leipzig. There, he attended some lectures at the University of
Leipzig on history and psychology

Resons Why Rizal choose to reside in germane longer:

- to gain further his studies in science and languages
- to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation
- to associate with the famous scientists and scholars
- lastly to publish his novel Noli Me Tangere

Jose Rizal earned a Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid, where he also took
courses in philosophy and literature. It was in Madrid that he began writing Noli Me Tangere. He also
attended classes in the University of Paris and, in 1887, he completed his eye specialization course at the
University of Heidelberg. It was also in that year that Rizal’s first novel was published in Berlin.

Dona teodora- his first teacher

Private tutors of rizal-Maestro Celestino,Lucas Padua,Leon Monroy

Uncles of Rizal-uncle Jose Alberto,gave wise directiopn on the studies of jose

Uncle Gregorio, instilled to mind of Jose the love for education

“Work hard and perform every task verycarefully;learn to be swift as well as thorough;be independent in
thinking ;and make visual pictures of everything”

Jose goes to Binan JUNE 1869, Rizal stayed in his aunt’s house

First day in school in Binan

Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz-he describe him as a tall ,long-necked ,sharp- nosed with a body slightly
bent forward
First brawl in school

Pedro(the teacher’s son)-wrestling

Andres Salandanan-arm wrestling

Painting lesson in Binan

Old Juancho-freely gave painting lesson

Jose Guevarra and Jose Rizal became the apprentice of old Juancho

Martyrdom of the GOMBURZA-Jose Burgos,Mariano Gomez, Jacinto Zamora

Jan.20,1872- Cavite Mutiny

Leaders of the secularization movements

Execution of the GOMBURZA-february 17,1872

The martyrdom of the three inspired Rizal to fight the evils spanish tyranny

In 1891,Rizal dedicated his second novel EL FILIBUSTIRISMO to GOMBURZA

INJUSTICE TO HEROS MOTHER

In 1872 ,Dona Teodora was arrested on a malicious charge that she aided his brother Jose Alberto in trying to
poison his wife. Jose Alberto planned to divorced his wife because of her infedility.

Jose Alberto’s wife connived w/the spanish lieutenant of the guardia civil and filed a case against his mother.

Antonio Vivencio del, Rosario- goberrnadorcillo of calamba,helped lieutenant arrest Dona Teodora

50 kilometers, his mother made to walk to the provincial prison in Sta. Cruz.

Then Rizal went to Ateneo.