rizal's sholastic triumphs at ateneo de manila 1872 1877

Chapter 4SHOLASTIC 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.


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, 11 years old, a student at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila



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: rigid disipline character building religious instructions

They established: Physical culture Humanities 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

He progressed 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

At the 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 AteneoHe 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

Prayed at 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

Marian Congregation-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)

Father Lleonart 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)


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)


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

Father Sanchez- 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

Visited his 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…