Rizal’s Life: Higher

Education and Life

Abroad
Week
3
Chapter 4: Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the

Propaganda Movement.

2. Appraise Rizal’s relationship with other Propagandists.

3. Analyze Rizal’s growth as a Propagandist and disavowal of

assimilation.
 INTRODUCTION
Jose was sent to Manila four months after the martyrdom of
Gom-Bur-Za and with Dona Teodora still in prison. He studied in the
Ateneo Municipal - a college under the supervision of the Spanish
Jesuits. Ateneo Municipal, a bitter rival of the Dominican-owned
College of San Juan de Letran formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School)
for poor boys in Manila established in 1817, In 1859 name was
changed to Ateneo Municipal by the Jesuits and later became the
Ateneo de Manila.
Rizal’s Higher Education
 ATENEO DE MANILA
• June 10, 1872 - Jose, accompanied by Paciano, went to Manila to take the
entrance examinations on Christian Doctrine.

• His father was the first one who wished him to study at Letran but he changed
his mind and decided to send Jose at Ateneo instead.

• Ateneo was the counterpart of Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

• Father Magin Fernando, college registrar of Ateneo Municipal, refused to

admit Jose because of two reasons:
1. He was late for registration.
2. He appeared to be sickly and undersized by his age (11 years old).

• Upon the intercession of Manuel Burgos, nephew of Father Burgos, he was

admitted at Ateneo
 ATENEO DE MANILA
• Jose adopted the surname Rizal at the Ateneo because their family
name Mercado had come under suspicion of the Spanish authorities.

• Ateneo was located in Intramuros, within the walls of Manila. He

boarded in a house on Caraballo Street, 25 min walk from the
college. The boarding house was owned by Titay, who owed Rizal
family P300, Jose boarded there to collect part of the debt.
 JESUITS SYSTEM OF
• Jesuits trained the character of the student by rigid discipline, humanities and

EDUCATION
religious instruction.

• Students were divided into two groups:

 Roman Empire- consisting of the internos (boarders)
 Carthaginian Empire- composed of the externos (non-boarders)

• Students fought for positions. With 3 mistakes, opponent‘s position could lose
his position.

• The best student: Emperor

• The second best student: Tribune
• The third best student: Decurion
• The fourth best student: Centurion
• The fifth best student: Standard Bearer
 RIZAL’S FIRST YEAR
• Rizal‘s first professor in Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech. Rizal was placed at the
bottom of the class since he was a newcomer and knows little Spanish.

• He was an externo (Carthaginians), occupying the end of the line. But at the
end of the month, he becomes emperor of his Empire.

• Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College during noon recesses to
improve his Spanish language paying three pesos for those extra lessons.

• He placed second at the end of the year, although all his grades
were still marked Excellent .
 RIZAL’S SUMMER
VACATION
• Rizal didn‘t enjoy his summer because his mother was in prison so
Neneng (Saturnina) brought him to Tanauan. But without telling
his father, he went to Santa Cruz to visit her mother in prison. He
told her of his brilliant grades. After summer, he returned to
Manila.
 RIZAL’S THIRD & FOURTH
YEAR
• June 16, 1875 - He became an Interno in Ateneo. Fr. Francisco de
Paula Sanchez, one of his professors, inspired him to study harder
and write poetry. Rizal‘s best professor in Ateneo. Rizal described him
as model of uprightness, earnestness, and love for the advancement
of his pupils.

• March 23, 1877 - Rizal, 16 years old, received from his Alma Mater,
Ateneo Municipal, the degree of Bachelor of Arts, with highest
honors. Rizal was the highest in all subjects and won five medals at
the end of the school term. He excelled in all his subjects and was the
most brilliant Atenean, he was truly “the pride of the Jesuits”.
 EXTRA-CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES IN ATENEO
• He was an active member, later secretary of Marian Congregation - a
religious society. He was accepted because of his academic brilliance
and devotion to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, the college
patroness. He is also a member of the Academy of Spanish Literature
and the Academy of Natural Sciences. He studied painting under
Agustin Saez, a famous painter, and sculpture under Romualdo de
Jesus. He continued his physical training under hi sports-minded Tio
Manuel.
 RIZAL’S POEM ON
•
EDUCATION
Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light - education plays
in the progress and welfare of a nation.

• Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) - Which was dedicated

to his mother on her birthday. He wrote it when he was 14 years old.

• In Memory of my Town – A tender poem in honor of Calamba.

• The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education – It

shows the important of religion in education

• A Farewell dialogue of the students – The last poem written by Rizal

in Ateneo.
ATENEO MUNICIPAL
 MOTHER’S OPPOSITION
TO HIGHER EDUCATION
• Both Don Francisco and Paciano wanted Jose to pursue higher
learning in the university. But Doña Teodora who is a woman of
education and culture objects to Rizal desire for University
education. She knew what happened to the Gom-Bur-ZA, and told
her husband “ Don’t send him to Manila again, he knows enough. If
he gets to know more the Spaniards will cut off his head”.
 THE UNIVERSITY OF STO.
Rizal enrolled in these TOMAS
• Rizal took the course on Philosophy and Letters. Two reasons why
course: His father like it; and He was still
uncertain as to what career to pursue.

• He tried to seek guidance from Fr. Pablo Ramon but since he was in
Mindanao.

• For his term, Rizal studied at the Philosophy program and the
following term he decided to shift to medicine.

• His decision was prompted by his desire to:

 Cure his mother’s failing eyesight.
 Fr. Ramon wrote back advising Rizal to take up medicine.
 Highly in demand course.
• Rizal entered a different world in UST as a Student.

• Rizal spent his time studying. He returned to Ateneo to take up a

land surveying course which was then a vocational course.

• Rizal took the vocational course leading to the title of “perito

agrimensor” (expert surveyor). He passed the final examination in
the surveying course on November 25, 1881. He remained loyal to
Ateneo.
- Rizal could not practice the surveyor’s profession since at that
time he was under age (17 years old).
 EXPERIENCE THE SPANISH
•
BRUTALITY
Rizal experienced his first taste of brutality during his first year of
medical studies at UST.

- One night while he was walking alone in a dark street, Rizal failed
to recognize the Spanish civil guard passing his side, thus he did not
bow, salute or greet the official. At a striking distance, the civil guard
whipped Rizal mercilessly at the back with a stingray tail (buntot
pagi).
 LITERARY WORKS OF RIZAL
IN UST
• Liceo-Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila, a
society of literary men and artists, held a literary contest.

 1879 - A La Juventud Filipino (to the Filipino youth) - a poem

written by Rizal, it was the first prize winner.

“The youth is the fair hope of our fatherland”

 El Consejo De Los Dioses - The Council of The Gods An allegorical

drama written by Rizal which he entered in the literary contest of
Artistic - Literary Lyceum in 1880 to commemorate the fourth
centennial of the death of Miguel Cervantes.
 UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST
• Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Tomas
suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was unhappy at this Dominican
institution of higher learning because:
 the Dominican professors were hostile to him.
 the Filipino students were racially discriminated by the
Spaniards.
 the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive.
• After completing his four years in medical school, Rizal decided to
leave for Europe.
• Rizal’s decision to leave for Spain had the blessings of his brother
Paciano and his uncle Antonio Rivera.
• He decided not to seek his parent’s blessing knowing that they will
never approve his plan.
Rizal’s Life Abroad
 THE TRAVELS OF
• May 1, 1882RIZAL
Travel For spain
– Rizal began writing farewell letters to his friends
and family

• Paciano gave him money for his allowance

• Saturnina gave him a diamond ring

• May 3,1882 – Rizal left on board the Spanish steamer Salvadora

bound for Singapore

• After 5 days of sailing, the Salvadora reached Singapore

• He registered at hotel dela paz
• His two-days stop over were spent in visiting historic places
From Singapore to Colombo, Sri-
Lanka
• May 11,1882 – From Singapore, he bounded to Djemnah,
a French steamer bound for Europe

• May 17, 1882 – Djemnah made its stop over at the Point
Galle
• Rizal noted, “point Galle, a seacoast town which is
picturesque but lonely, quiet and sad

• May 18,1882- Djemnah docked at Colombo

• Rizal said, “ Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant

than Singapore, point Galle and Manila
 Trip through Suez Canal
• The Djemnah continued to voyage crossing the Indian Ocean to
the cape of Guardaful – for Rizal, this was an inhospitable land
but famous

• The next stopover was in Aden – this was the first time Rizal
stepped in African soil and saw real camels.

• From Aden, the Djemnah arrived at the port Said in the City of
Suez

• From port Said, the ship arrived at Napoli(Italy)

• After the brief stop at Napoli, the ship proceeded to Marseilles
• Rizal left Marseilles and they finally reached Barcelona- the
second largest city of Spain and the greatest city of Cataluna

• While in Barcelona, Rizal wrote a nationalistic essay entitled, Love

of country (Amor Patrio) - this was his first article written in
Spain’s soil under the pen name LAONG LAAN

• He send this to his friend Basilio Teodoro Moran – the publisher

of Diariong Tagalog

• Diariong Tagalog – the first Manila newspaper that published

both Spanish and Tagalog

• The amor patrio was published on August 20,1882 in two texts.

• Marcelo H. del Pilar – he made the translation of Amor Patrio in
Tagalog text.

• Rizal in his essay (Amor Patrio):

 He urged the Filipinos to love the Philippines
 He wanted them to be free, people with dignity and honor
according to God’s plan and not slaves.

• Los Viajes (travels) – second article of Diariong Tagalog

• Revista De Madrid (Review of Madrid) – third article of Diariong
Tagalog, it was returned to Rizal and stopped the publication
because of lack of funds
 In Madrid, Spain
• November 3, 1882 – Rizal left Barcelona and he enrolled at the
central University of Madrid (Universidad Central de Madrid) for
the Licentiate in Medicine and Philosophy and letters

• He also took up lessons in painting and sculpture at the Academia

de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (Academy of fine Art of san
Pedro) As well as lessons in French, German and English
• He was a voracious reader and with many books he read, two
books left a deep impression on him: The Uncle Tom’s cabin by
Harriet Beecher Stowe and The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue
• Aside from his studies, Rizal had the chance to meet Consuelo
Ortiga y Perez

• Rizal fell inlove with Consuelo but because of Eduardo de late,

Rizal did not pursue his feelings but instead he made a peom for
Consuelo

• Rizal joined the Hispano – Philippine Circle (Circulo Hispano-

Filipino) – a society of Spaniards and Filipinos

• He wrote a poem entitled, They Ask Me For Verses (me piden

Verses) upon the request of his co-members.
• Rizal came and contact with the Spanish liberals and
republicans who were mostly masons.

• He discovered the political possibilities of becoming a

Mason, so he joined the Masonic Lodge called Acacia in
Madrid with the Masonic name DIMASALANG.

• While in Madrid, the Filipinos including Rizal were having

financial problems however, they were inspired by the victory
of Juan Lunas painting “ Spolarium” And Resurrecion hidalgo’s
painting “Cristian Virgins Exposed to the Populace”
 Rizal’s education in
• Spain
Rizal completed his medical course and was conferred the degree
of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid
on June 21,1884.

• The next academic year , he studied and passed all the subjects
leading to the degree of doctor of Medicine but was not awarded
his Doctor’s Diploma

• He was also awarded the degree of licentiate in Philosophy and

letters on June 19, 1885 with the rating of “Sobresaliente”
 Rizal in Paris and
• Berlin
With rizal’s relentless search for relevant education and
advance studies, he went to Paris, france and Berlin
(Germany) to specialize in Ophthalmology

• Maximo viola – A friend of Rizal and a medical student who

belonged to a rich family in San Miguel, Bulacan
• Don Miguel Morayta- the owner of la Publicidad.
Rizal in Historic Heidelberg,
Germany
• February 3, 1886 – Rizal reached Heidelberg – a history city in
Germany famous for its old university

• He worked at the university Eye Hospital under the supervision

of Dr. Otto Becker

• During his stay in heidelberge, he lived with a Protestant pastor

Dr. Karl Ullmen, who became his good friend

• “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” – this was written during his stay

in the city of heidelberge
First letter to Professor Ferdinand
Blumentritt
• Rizal wrote a German letter to Professor Ferdinand
Blumentrtt on July 31, 186 because he knew that
Blumentritt was interested in Philippine language

• Rizal sent a book entitled Arithmetica to Blumentritt

• Blumentritt became the best friend of Rizal

From Geneva, Switzerland to
•Italy
June 19 in Geneva, Switzerland celebrated his 26 birthday
th

• After two weeks, then he toured the Italy

• Rome – “ Eternal City” And “ city of Caesars”

• Vatican –”Seat of Authority”of the Roman Catholic church
and “City of Popes”
THANK YOU!!