Chapter 4- SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT ATENEO DE

MANILA (1872-1877)-Summary

Jose was sent to Manila four months after the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za and with Dona
Teodora still in prison. He studiedin the Ateneo Municipal,, a college under the supervision of
the Spanish Jesuits.

Ateneo Municipal

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 toAteneo Municipal by the Jesuits and later became the Ateneo de
Manila.

Rizal Enters the 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 wishedhim to study at Letran but he changed his mind and
decided to send Jose at Ateneo instead.Father Magin Ferrando, college registrar of
Ateneo Municipal, refused to admit Jose because: He was late for registration and He was sickly
and undersized for his age (11 years old).

Upon the intercession of Manuel Xeres Burgos, nephew of Father Burgos, he was admitted at
Ateneo. Jose adopted the surname Rizal at the Ateneo because their family name Mercado had
come under suspicion of the Spanish authorities. Ateneo was located in Intramuros, within the
walls of Manila. He boarded in a house on Caraballo Street, 25 min walk from the college. The
boarding house was owned by Titay, who owned Rizal family P300. Jose boarded there to
collect part of the debt.

Jesuits System of Education:

Jesuits trained the character of the student by rigid discipline, humanities and religious
instruction. They heard Mass earlyin the morning before the beginning of daily class. Classes
were opened and closed with prayers.Students were divided into two groups:1.
Roman Empire-

consisting of the internos (boarders) with red banners2.

Carthaginian Empire-

composed of the externos (non-boarders) with blue bannersEach of these empires had its rank.
Students fought for positions. With 3 mistakes, opponents position could lose hisposition.

1stbest:emperor

2nd best:tribune´

3rd best:Decurion´

4th best:centurion

5th best:Standard-bearer

Ateneo students uniform is consisted of hemp-fabric trousers and striped cotton coat. The coat
was called rayadillo

And was adopted as the uniform for Filipino troops during the days of the First Philippine
Republic.

Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo (1872-1873).

Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech.

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
become emperor´of his Empire. He was the brightest pupil in the whole class, and he
was awarded a prize, a religious prize.

Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College during noon recesses to improve his Spanish
language payingthree pesos for those extra lessons.

He placed second at the end of the year, athough all his grades were still marked ³Excellent´
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 hada widowed daughter and 4
sons, was his landlady.

Second Year in Ateneo (1873-74)

Rizal lost the class leadership. But he repented and even studied harder, once more became
emperor. He received excellent grades in all subjects and a gold medal.

Prophecy of Mothers Release

Dona Teodora told her son of her dream the previous night. Rizal, interpreting the dream, told
her that she would bereleased from prison in 3 months time. It became true.Dona Teodora
likened his son to the youthful Joseph in the Bible in his ability to interpret dreams.

Teenage Interest in Reading

The first favorite novel of Rizal was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. His
boyish imagination was stirred by the sufferings of Edmond Dantes (the hero) in prison, his
spectacular escape from the dungeon of ChateaudIf, his finding a buried treasure in the rocky
island of Monte Cristo, and his dramatic revenge on his enemies who had wronged him.Rizal
alos read non-fiction. He persuaded his father to buy a costly set of Cesar Cantus historical work
entitled UniversallHistory.He also read Travels in the Philippines by Dr. Feodor Jagor, a German
scientist-traveler who visited Phil in 1859-60.He wasimpressed by:1. Jagors keen observations of
the defects of Spanish colonization2. His prophecy that someday Spain would lose the Phil
and that Anerica would come to succeed her as colonizer.

Third Year in Ateneo (1875-76)

June 16, 1875- He became an

interno

in Ateneo.Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez, one of his professor, inspired him to study harder and
write poetry. Rizals best professor in Ateneo. Rizal described him as ³model of uprightness,
earnestness, and love for the advancement of his pupils´.He returned to Calamba with 5 medals
and excellent ratings.

Last Year in Ateneo (1876-77)

Rizal- The most brilliant Atenean of his time, and was truly ³the pride of the Jesuits´.

Graduation with Highest Honors

March 23, 1877- Rizal, 16 years old, received from his Alma Mater, Ateneo Municipal, the
degree of Bachelor of Arts, withhighest honors.The night before graduation, he could not sleep.
Early morning on the day of his graduation, he prayed to the Virgin to³commend his life and
protect him as he step into the world´.

Extra-Curricular Activities in Ateneo

He was an active member, later secretary, of

Marian Congregation

, a religious society. He was accepted becauseof his academic brilliance and devotion to
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, the college patroness.

He is also a member of the

Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences.He studied painting under
Agustin Saez, a famous painter, and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus.

He continued his physical training under his sports-minded Tio Manuel.

Sculptural Works in Ateneo

He carved an image of The Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling (Philippine hardwood) with his
pocket-knife. The Jesuits fathers were amazed.Father Lleonart requested him to carve for him an
image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He intended to take the image withhim in Spain but forgot to
do so. So the Ateneo boarders placed it on the door of their dormitory. It plays a significant part
inRizals last hours at Fort Santiago.

Anecdotes on Rizal, the Atenean

1. Felix M. Roxas- He related an incident of Rizals schooldays in the Ateneo which reveals the
heros resignation topain and forgiveness.2. Manuel Xeres Burgos- his anecdote on Rizal
illustrates his predilection to helo the helpless at the risk of his ownlife.

Poems Written in Ateneo

Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration)-first written poem of Rizal, which was dedicated
to his mother on her birthday.He wrote it when he was 14 years old.In 1875, inspired by Fr. Sanchez,
he wrote more poems, as such:1. Felicitacion (Felicitation)2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de
Magallanes ( The Departure: Hymn to Magellans Fleet)3. Y Es Espanol: Elcano, el Primero en
dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the Fist to Circumnavigatethe World)4. 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)

Rizals Poem on Education

Through Education Our Motherl and Recieves Light- education plays in the progree and welfare
of a nation

The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education- showed that µEducation without
God is not trueeducation.

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)

Dramatic Work in Ateneo

Father Sanchez requested him to write a drama based on the prose story of St. Eustace the
Martyr. He finishedthat request on June 2, 1876 entitled

San Eustacio, Martir

(St. Eustace, the Martyr).

First Romance of Rizal

He experienced his first romance with Segunda Katigbak, a pretty 14 year old Batanguena from
Lipa.One Sunday Rizal visited his maternal grandmother in Trozo, Manila with his friend
Mariano Katigbak. One of whom was anattractive girl, who mysteriously caused his heart to
palpitate with strange ecstasy was Segunda. His grand mothers guestsureged him to draw
Segundas portrait. From time to time, he reminisced, she looked at me and I blushed´Rizal came
to know Segunda more intimately during weekly visits to La Concordia College, where his sister
was boardingstudent. Olimpia and Segunda was a close friend. Their was indeed a love at first
sight´. But Segunda was already engaged to be married to Manuel Luz.