Reading 5

• Jose P. Laurel was 15 when he decided to be serious with his studies
• Effect of a necklace with a crucifix pendant given by his mother
• Jose wanted to study high school in San Juan de Letran, his father's alma mater
• Jose got good grades: 90 in History, 100 in Algebra, and 99 in Latin
• Jose faced non-admittance to the same school in his second year due to failure in one subject
• Jose decided to stop playing banduria in the Tanauan Orchestra to concentrate on studies
• Jose transferred to Manila South High School in his sophomore year
• Jose worked as a church acolyte while studying
• Jose worked as an English Teacher in La Regeneracion High School for thirty pesos monthly
• Jose was thrifty, often walking from school to home, patching up his school shoes with cardboard
• Jose was known for wearing khaki pants and a white shirt to school, earning him the nickname Scout
• Jose worked as a clerk in the Bureau of Forestry arranging specimens for 40 cents per half day
• Jose decided to go home to Tanauan during a school break when he was about 19
• Jose tried to lure a girl with a love potion and was challenged to kiss her by his friends
• Jose kissed the girl under mistletoe, leading to a Balisong duel with the girl's suitor
• Jose parried a thrust to his opponent's torso during the Balisong duel and was sued for Frustrated Murder
• Jose decided to become a lawyer during the case of Frustrated Murder
• Jose met his future wife, Paciencia Hidalgo, who was three years older than him
• Jose was allowed to study in the newly established UP College of Law during his trial
• Jose married Paciencia during his time at the UP College of Law
• Jose was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in prison one month after his marriage
• The case was reopened due to Laurel's appeal
• Manuel Hidalgo referred Jose to Atty. Clyde de Witt, known as one of the best lawyers of the time
• Jose was allowed to study in the newly established UP College of Law
• Jose married Paciencia
• Jose was found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in Prison

  One month after marriage
• The case was reopened due to Laurel’s appeal
• Manuel Hidalgo referred Jose to Atty. Clyde de Witt
• De Witt instructed Laurel to show the scar on his hands to support his claim of self-defence
• JPL was acquitted by Justice Florentino Torres on the grounds of self-defence
• De Witt presented a bill of more than 10,000 which almost cost Jacoba a fortune
• Jacoba sold their land in Tagaytay during the trial
• Jose decided to enrol in Escuela de Derecho to learn Spanish Law during the trial
• Jose looked for a better job during the trial and got one in U’s Code Committee
• Thomas Atkins Street taught Laurel to codify laws in U’s Code Committee
• Street advised Laurel to specialize in Civil Laws but Laurel insisted on studying Constitutional Law
• JPL graduated with honors from UP College of Law
• JPL got Best Thesis and 20 Volumes of Lawyers Reports Annotated
• JPL landed second place in the board exam
• Jose obtained a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Escuela de Derecho