SCHOOL LIFE AT ATENEO MUNICIPAL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF STO.

TOMAS
CHAPTER III

“I owe a lot to this order (the Society of Jesuits), almost all that I am taken to be.”
- Dr. Jose Rizal -

The official The Ateneo

seal of the de Municipal
Ateneo Municipal, school building
when Jose was a during Spanish
student of the times.
school.

Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the students will be able to:

1. Summarize Jose Rizal’s education in Ateneo Municipal and University of Sto. Tomas.
2. Acknowledge the people who helped in the development of Jose Rizal’s artistic and literary skills.
3. Compare and contrast the Spanish Education System with the present Education System.
4. Remember and glorify the education memories of our hero which served an inspiration in life.
5. Interpret the award-winning poem of Jose Rizal, “To the Filipino Youth”.

Jose, accompanied by his brother, Paciano, the eleven year-old boy from Calamba went to Manila
on June 10, 1872 to take the entrance examinations and enrolled in the Ateno Municipal, a college
under the supervision of Spanish Jesuits. This college was a rival of the Dominican-owned College of
San Juan de Letran, formerly Escuela Pia (Charity School), an educational institution established by
the City Government in 1589 for poor boys in Manila. When the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in
1768 after a century of exile, the management of the Escuela Pia whose name was changed to Ateneo
Municipal, and later on become Ateneo de Manila.

Jose took the entrance examinations first at the College of San Juan de Letran. His examinations
included subjects like Christian doctrine, arithmetic, and reading and passed them all. At first, Don
Francisco wished him to study at Letran, but later, changed his mind and decided to send Jose to the
Ateneo de Municipal.

The Jesuits were considered the best educators of Spain, and perhaps of Europe. They opened
the Ateneo to everyone without any racial or financial discrimination. However, screening pf applicants
were strictly observed. Rizal reminisced in his Memorias de un Estudiante de Manila, that he was
almost denied admission because of poor health, short stature and late admission.

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.

The Jesuit 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.
The government subsidized the school from the municipal treasury. Students who belonged to the
wealthy group paid a monthly fee of Php 2.00; and those who are classified poor, paid nothing.

The curriculum includes Christian doctrine, Spanish, Latin, Greek and French; world geography
and history, the history of Spain and the Philippines; arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, mineralogy,
chemistry, physics, botany and zoology; poetry and rhetoric and philosophy.

I. Jose Rizal’s First Day and First Year in Ateneo

When the school year (1872) opened in June, Jose just like any other freshmen was full of
excitement and joy. He was dressed like the others with coat and tie. He went to the school chapel to
hear mass and prayed fervently to God for guidance. After the mass, he went to class, where he saw a
great number Spanish, mestizos and Filipino classmates and a Jesuit, his teacher.

His first teacher 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 times he was gay and playful as a child.

In Jesuit colleges, the classes were divided into groups of interns and externs: the first
(internos) constituted the Roman Empire and the second (externos), 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.

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. Because of
his excellent performance he was awarded a saint’s picture. 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.

To improve his Spanish at that time, he spent the noon recesses in Sta. Isabel College where he
spent three pesos for Spanish lessons.

II. The Next Four Years in Ateneo de Municipal (1873 – 1877)

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 and he again visited his mother in jail alone. This was three months before
her release.

The release of Doña Teodora made Jose Rizal high-spirited. This was very much manifested on
the result of his studies. In his third year, he began to win prizes in the quarterly examinations.  

About that time he devoted himself to reading novels, and one of these most was Alexander
Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. His boyish imagination stirred by the sufferings of the hero
(Edmund Dantes), who was imprisoned in the Chateau d’If for twelve years because of false accusation.
He also asked his father to buy him a copy of The Universal History by Cesar Cantu. According to
Rizal, this valuable work was of great aid to his studies and enabled him to win prizes in Ateneo.

In the fourth year of his course he had Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez as professor. Jose
describes him as a model of rectitude, a solicitude, and love for the student. For Jose, he was his favorite
teacher. He studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek, and he must have progressed much, for at the
end of the year he-obtained five medals. It pleases him immensely, he said to himself, with these
medals, 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.
With the aid of his favorite teacher, Fr. Sanchez, who was impressed of Jose Rizal’s performance, inspired
him to study more and write poetry. As a result, Jose was able to write more poems, and above all able
to topped all the subjects.

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.

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. 

In the fifth years Jose had other professors, Fr. Villaclara and Fr. Mineves. He studied philosophy,
physics, chemistry, and natural history, but his devotion to poetry was so evident, that his professor (Fr.
Villaclara) in philosophy advised him once to leave it. But in his vacant time, he still continued writing
poems. His last year in Ateneo de Municipal was very fruitful. He excelled in all his subjects and gained
recognition as the most brilliant Atenean of his time and the “pride of the Jesuits”. He graduated with
highest honor making his parents, brother and sisters were truly proud of him. He did not only fare well
in his academic studies, but at the same time he was active in his extra-curricular activities. He was an
active member of the Marian Congregation. He was also a member of the Academy of Spanish Literature
and the Academy of Natural Sciences.
 Father Leonart was impressed of Jose’s
sculptural talent, requested him to carve an image
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His intention was
to take the image when he returned back to Spain,
but because of his old age, he forgot. This image
was placed on the door of the dormitory of Ateneo
and remained there for almost twenty years.

III. “My First Inspiration”

The first poem Rizal wrote during his Ateneo days was Mi Primera Inspiracion. It was written
by Jose in 1874 when he was fourteen years old. It is an expression of good wishes which was full of
endearing filial affection for his mother’s birthday. Upon the release of his mother in 1874, his poetic
heart was awaken and started to write again. Translated from Spanish to English by Nick Joaquin.

My First Inspiration  

Why falls so rich a spray Why seems to me more endearing,

of fragrance from the bowers more fair than on other days,
of the balmy flowers the dawn's enchanting face
upon this festive day? among red clouds appearing?
   
Why from woods and vales The reason, dear mother, is
do we hear sweet measures ringing they feast your day of bloom:
that seem to be the singing the rose with its perfume,
of a choir of nightingales? the bird with its harmonies.
   
Why in the grass below And the spring that rings with
do birds start at the wind's noises, laughter
unleashing their honeyed voices upon this joyful day
as they hop from bough to bough? with its murmur seems to say:
  "Live happily ever after!"
Why should the spring that glows  
its crystalline murmur be tuning And from that spring in the grove
to the zephyr's mellow crooning now turn to hear the first note
as among the flowers it flows? that from my lute I emote
to the impulse of my love!

In 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, he wrote more poems:

1. Felicitation ( Felicitation)
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
3. Y Es Español: Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the First
Circumnavigate the World)
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo ( The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo)
In 1876, Jose wrote more poems with topics on religion, education, childhood memories and even war.

1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)

2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
Good Education)
3. Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education the Country Receives Light)
4. El Cautiverio y el Triunfo: Batalla de Lucena y Prision de Boabdil (The Captivity and the Triumph:
Battle of Lucena and the Imprisonment of Boabdil)
5. La Entrada Triunfal de los Reyes Catolicos en Granada (The Triumphal Entry of the Catholic
Monarchs into Granada)

In 1877, he wrote more poems. This was Jose’s last year in Ateneo Municipal.

1. El Heroismo de Colon (The Heroism of Columbus)

2. Colon y Juan II ( Columbus and John II)
3. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great Solace in Great Misfortune)
4. Un Dialogo Alusivo a la Despedida de los Colegiales (A Farewell Dialogue of the Students)

"La Juventud Filipino"

Ang Batang Rizal sa ATENEO Municipal de Manila

When the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in 1859, their mission was to work in Mindanao. They were
persuaded by the City of Manila to run the Escuela Municipal de Manila, a public primary school. The
school was renamed Ateneo when it began offering secondary education in 1865. Incidentally, they also
started a second school, the Escuela Normal, to train teachers for the public schools. In the beginning,
the Ateneo accepted only Filipinos (Spaniards born in the Philippines). Later they accepted also Indios.
One such was Jose Protacio Mercado. But he enrolled under the name Jose Protacio Rizal, at the advice
of his family.

I' year in Ateneo:

Emergence in the Class as Emperor

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. 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.

2nd year in Ateneo:

'The second year, Jose had the same professor as in the previous year; At first, he boarded in the
houses in Intramuros or with relatives on his mother's side. He was free to do what he wanted,
socializing etc. But he decided to enroll as a boarder, knowing what this meant. A restricted life,
regulated by bells, telling when to eat, when to rest, when to study. In the study room, he could get
free help and individual tutoring from Jesuits prefects. He learned how to concentrate, to compete
against himself, because knew how to utilize ad lib (free) time, he did not waste time. By being
bound, he became free, free of laziness, of bad habits. He became the Filipino he expected others to
be before demanding independence. He lived it. By this he became free to free others. By living a
disciplined life, he could do many things. 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.

3" year in ateneo

Sustained Brilliant Scholastic Record and Exploratory Leisure to the Reading of Novels

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 de voted 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
DV Cesar Cantanu

'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.

4th year in Ateneo:

Two Years in College

In the fourth year of his course, he had Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez as professor. Jose describes
him as a model of rectitude, a solicitude, and love for the student. With the professor's aid Rizal
studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek; 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.

5th year in Ateneo:

Completon of Bachelor of Arts

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
Dack the vell that divine drama or nature was enacted.

Jose was considered small of stature and he tried to correct this delect by applying himself regularly
to gymnastics in the college. He also engaged in other physical exercises, such as fencing. 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,
Romaldo de Jesus, who felt proud in the last years of his life of having had such an excellent pupil.
The four years in the Ateneo were a continuous pageant of brilliant scholastic triumphs, which made
José Rizal the pride of the Jesuits.