chap 4

• Ateneo Municipal


  College under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits, rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan De Letran
• Escuela Pia (Charity School) established by the City government in Manila


  1817
• Jesuits returned to Manila and were given management of the Escuela Pia, whose name was changed to Ateneo Municipal


  1859
• Ateneo acquired prestige as an excellent college for boys under the Jesuits
• Jose Rizal accompanied by Paciano went to Manila and took entrance exams at College of San Juan de Letran


  June 10, 1872
• Rizal's father initially wished him to study at Letran but changed his mind and decided to send him to Ateneo instead
• At first, Father Magin Fernando refused to admit Rizal to Ateneo due to late registration and being sickly/undersized, but he was admitted after the intercession of Manuel Xerex Burgos
• Rizal


  First of his family to adopt this surname, as their family name "Mercado" had come under suspicion of Spanish authorities
• Rizal first boarded in a house outside Intramuros, on Caraballo Street, 25 minutes' walk from the college
• Jesuit system of education at Ateneo

  • Trained character of students through rigid discipline and religious instruction
  • Promoted physical culture, humanities, and scientific studies
  • Offered vocational courses in addition to academic courses
• Daily routine at Ateneo

  1. Heard mass before classes

  2. Classes opened and closed with prayers

  3. Students divided into "Roman Empire" (boarders) and "Carthaginian Empire" (non-boarders)

  4. Competition between the two groups for class positions and supremacy
• Ateneo students wore uniforms of hemp-fabric trousers and striped cotton coats (rayadillo), which later became the uniform for Filipino troops
• Rizal's first professor at Ateneo

  Fr. Jose Bench - tall, thin man with ascetic face and severe, inspired appearance
• As a newcomer with little Spanish, Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class and assigned to the Carthaginians
• After the first week, Rizal rapidly progressed and became "Emperor" (top student) by the end of the month, winning his first prize - a religious picture
• In the second half of his first year, Rizal did not try as hard to retain his academic supremacy due to resentment of some remarks by his professor, but still placed second with excellent grades
• During summer vacation in 1873, Rizal visited his mother in prison without telling his father
• In his second year at Ateneo, Rizal regained his class leadership by studying harder and once again became "Emperor"
• At the end of his second year, Rizal received excellent grades and a gold medal
• During summer vacation in 1874, Rizal began taking interest in reading romantic novels, starting with The Count of Monte Cristo, and also read non-fiction works like Cesar Cantu's Universal History and Feodor Jagor's Travels in the Philippines
• In his third year at Ateneo, Rizal's grades remained excellent but he only won one medal, in Latin, as his spoken Spanish was not as fluent as a Spanish classmate's
• In his fourth year, Rizal was inspired by professor Fr. Francisco De Paula Sanchez and resumed his studies with vigor, topping his class and winning five medals
• In his final year at Ateneo, Rizal excelled in all subjects and graduated at the head of his class, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors at age 16
• Rizal was active in extracurricular activities at Ateneo, including being a member of the Marian Congregation, the Academy of Spanish Literature, and the Academy of Natural Sciences
• Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of professor Fr. Sanchez, while another professor, Fr. Vilaclara, advised him to focus more on practical studies
• Rizal unsurpassed in academic triumphs, was not a mere bookworm
• Rizal was active in extra-curricular activities
• Marian Congregation


  A religious society Rizal was an active member and later secretary of
• Marian Congregation


  • Rizal was accepted as a member not only because of his academic brilliance but also because of his devotion to our lady of the Immaculate Conception, the college patroness
• Exclusive societies Rizal was a member of in Ateneo


  • Academy of Spanish literature
  • Academy of Natural Sciences
• Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of Father Sanchez
• Father Jose Vilaclara advised Rizal to stop communing with the Muses and pay more attention to more practical studies, such as philosophy and natural sciences
• Rizal did not heed Father Vilaclara's advice and continued to solicit Father Sanchez's help in improving his poetry
• Rizal's artistic skills


  • He studied painting under the famous Spanish painter Agustin Saez
  • He studied sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor
• Rizal engaged in gymnastics and fencing to develop his weak body
• Rizal carved an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling (Philippine hardwood) with his pocket knife, impressing his Jesuit professors
• Father Lleonart requested Rizal to carve an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which Rizal completed in a few days
• The image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus carved by Rizal remained on the door of the Ateneo boarding students' dormitory for many years
• Dona Teodora first discovered Rizal's poetical genius and encouraged him to write poems
• Father Sanchez inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry and improved the latter's poetical art