Chapter 4
SHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT ATENEO DE MANILA 1872- 1877
Ateneo de Manila 1872-1877
Four months after the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za and Doña
Teodora still in prison, Jose was sent to manila
He studied in Ateneo Municipal, a college under
supervision of Jesuits
Formerly known as Escuela Pia (school for poor boys)
A bitter rival of the dominican-owned College of San
Juan de Letran
Now known as Ateneo de
Manila
Ateneo de Manila during the spanish regime:
Rizal Enters the Ateneo
June 1872 Accompanied by Paciano, Jose went to manila
to study in ateneo
First his father wished him to study in Letran, but
changed his mind and decided to send him to Ateneo
instead.
Rizal Enters the Ateneo
Fr. Magin Fernando( Ferrando) deterred him from his
matriculation because:
He is late for registration
He appeared to be frail and sickly
But through the aid of Manuel Xerez Burgos, he was
accepted in Ateneo
Rizal Enters the Ateneo
Rizal, 11 years old, a
student at the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila
Rizal Enters the Ateneo
Jose was the first of his family to use the surname “Rizal”
To avoid any association to the martyred Fr. Jose Burgos
He first boarded in a house outside Intramuros.
Jesuit System of Education
Jesuits system of education is more advanced than
other colleges in that period
They give emphasis to: They established:
rigid disipline Physical culture
character building Humanities
religious instructions Scientific Studies
Jesuit System of Education
Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo
He heard mass on the first day of classes for success and
guidance.
The went in a class composed of peninsular
spaniards, insulars, mestizos, and natives
He placed bottom of the class
Heprogressed rapidly and at the end of the month he became
“emperor” of Carthaginians
Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo
To improve knowledge in spanish, he took private lessons
in Sta Isabel college during break time.
Paid for 3 pesos for those lessons
At the second half of his first year, rizal held back, yet he
placed second at the end of the year.
Grades remained excellent.
Summer Vacation 1873
March 1873 rizal returned to Calamba for summer vacation
He did not particularly enjoyed because his mother was still in
prison
Saturnina brought him to Tanawan to cheer him up.
It did not cure his melancholy
He secretly went to Santa cruz to visit her mother
Second Year in Ateneo (1873-74)
Jose regretted having neglected his studies
He studied harder and once more bacame “emperor”
There were new classmates among them are 3 boys from Biñan
who had been his classmate in the school of Maestro Justiniano
Prophecy of Mother’s Release
Summer vacation
He returned to Calamba March 1874 with such
scholastic honors
Rizal immediately go to Sta Cruz in order to visit her mother
The prophecy of rizal to his mother
That in 3 month’s time Doña Teodora would be
released from prison
Teenage Interest in Reading
During this year Rizal got interested in
reading romantic novels
He convinced his father to buy a whole set of
Historia Universal by Cesar Cantu
saying that it is required book for class.
His
first favorite novel was The Count of
Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Teenage Interest in Reading
Jose read
a book Travels in the philippines by Dr.
Feodor Jagor
a german scientist-traveler
A prophecy that someday Spain would lose the
philippines and that america would come to succeed her
as colonizer
Third Year in Ateneo
June 1874 Rizal returned to Ateneo
His mother is released in prison
His grades remained excelent but won only one medal in
latin
Atthe end of school year he returned in Calamba unsatisfied
with his scholastic work.
Fourth Year in Ateneo
Rizal became an interno in ateneo (June 16, 1875)
Fr.Francisco de Paula Sanchez a great educator and scholar
inspired Rizal to study harder and to write poetry
He won 5 medals in the end of the school term
Returned to Calamba for his summer vacation (March 1876)
Last Year in Ateneo
Rizal became successful in Ateneo He
got highest grade in all subjects
Philosophy
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
And Language
He was “the pride of the Jesuits”
He obtained the highest grades in all
subjects
Graduation with Highest Honors
March 23 1877 Commencement Day
Received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, with highest
honors
Prayedat the college chapel: “to the Virgin so that when I
should step into that world, which inspired me with so
much terror, she would protect me,”
Extra-Curricular Activities in Ateneo
MarianCongregation-secretary: devotion to Our lady of
Immaculate Conception
Spanish Literature
Academy of Natural Sciences (societies in Ateneo)
Father Sanchez – Literature
Father Jose Villaclara- practical studies
Agustin Saez- painting
Romualdo de Jesus- sculpting
Tio Manuel –gymnastics and fencing
Sculptural Works in Ateneo
Image of Virgin Mary –batikuling(Philippine
hardwood using a pocket knife)
FatherLleonart requested him to carve the image of
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Anecdotes on Rizal, the Atenean
Felix M. Roxas – resignation to pain and forgiveness
Mansano and Lesaca – quarreled and violently hurled
books at each other
Manuel Xeres Burgos- boarded shortly
Julio Meliza from iloilo – crying because of the kite
Poems Written in Ateneo
Mi Primera Inspiracion
(My first inspiration. Dedicated to his mother)
1875:
Felicitatacion
El Embarque: Himno a la Florta de Magallanes (The
Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
Y Es Español: Elcano, El Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And
He is spanish: Elcano, The First to circimnavigate the world
El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo ( The battle:
Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo)
Poems Written in Ateneo
1876:
El Heroismo de Colon(Heroism of Columbus)
Colon y Juan II (Columbus and John II)
Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great solace in Great
misfortune)
Un Dialogo Alusivo a la Despedida de los Colegiales (A farewell
Dialogue of the Students)
Poems Written in Ateneo
Education: “Through education our mother recieves light”
“The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good
Education”
Religion : Al nino Jesus ( To the Child Jesus)
Dramatic Works in Ateneo
FatherSanchez- Requested Rizal to write a drama based on the
purpose story of St. Eustace the Martyr
San Eustacio, Martir
First Romance of Rizal
Segunda Katigbak – 14 years old Batanguena from Lipa
Visitedhis maternal grand mother in Trozo Manila with his
friend Mario Katigbak
Segunda’s portrait
Came to know Segunda more intemately during his weekly
visits to La Concordia College
“a love at first sight “
Hopeless Segunda is engaged to Manuel Luz
First Romance of Rizal
Thursday – December 1877; Visited her at La
Concordia College to say goodbye
First Romance “ ruined by his own shyness and
reserve,”
Thank you for listening…
