JPL's CHILDHOOD

• Jose Paciano Laurel lost his father when he was about ten or eleven years old and was raised by his mother in Tanauan, Batangas.
• The Laurels were close with the Rizal’s of Calamba thus, Jose was also named Paciano after Jose Rizal’s older brother.
• Jacoba taught her children ABCs but school bored the young Jose. Jacoba engaged Jose on tutoring but instead of studying Jose would just play either the guitar or violin. 
• JPL spent three years on fifth grade; one teacher even said “this boy won’t amount to anything. Kick my grave if he does.” 
• When he was younger he also wanted an anting-anting (amulet) that he would spend nights at the cemetery. 
• It was said that one must wait wrestle with a café to fully own the anting-anting (amulet) but Jose never got one.
• One morning, he was found by the cemetery keeper lying on a tomb, foot tied to a cross with wound on his head. He never explained what happened to him but he thought that maybe one of his friends hit him leaving him unconscious.
• When Jose was also about six or seven he slipped down the deep well in their backyard. Fortunately their cook saw him and yelled bringing his father and their driver to rescue him.