Pepe. | The Life, Works and Writings of Jose Rizal [ENGLISH]

Jose Rizal in Ateneo de Manila

Ateneo was known to be the most prestigious college for boys because of its great teachings. From 1872-1877, under the supervision of the Jesuit priests Rizal studied in Ateneo de Manila. Rizal went to Ateneo Municipal, formerly known as Escuela Pia (Charity School) before the World War II in 1817. The school's management was then entrusted to the Spanish Jesuits in 1859.

Presently, it is known to be one of the country's most prestigious institutions of learning.

In search for Rizal's formal knowledge as a high school student, his father wanted to send Rizal to Letran but decided to have him enrolled at the latter instead. He was sent 4 months after the execution of three martyr priest: GOMBURZA and Donya Teodora imprisoned.

Rizal took first the entrance examination at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on June 10, 1872. His brother, Paciano, accompanied him when he took the exam. The exams for incoming freshmen in the different colleges for boys were administered or held at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran since the Dominicans exercised the power of inspection and regulation over Ateneo that time. After passing the exam, Rizal was admitted at the Ateneo Municipal. He boarded in Caraballo Street outside of Intramuros with Aling Titay as her landlady.

Although Rizal qualified in the entrance examination, Father Magin Ferrand, who was then the College Registrar, refused Rizal's admission in the institution for two reasons:

1. Rizal was a late registrant

2. Rizal was very pale, thin and undersized for an 11-year-old.

But, with the help of Manuel Burgos he was accepted in the institution. Jose was not able to use Mercado as his surname when he enrolled at Ateneo.

He was registered as Jose Rizal because his real surname had rung a bell to the ears of the authorities — this was because of Paciano's relation with one of the leaders of the secularization movement, Father Burgos. At that time, Ateneo was offering a six- year program that gives students the academic title of Bachiller en Artes. This program exposed students to five subjects:

1. Christian doctrine;

2. Languages of Spanish, Latin, Greek and French;

3. History and Geography (World History and Geography and History of Spain and the Philippines;

4. Mathematics and Sciences (geometry, trigonometry, mineralogy, chemistry, physics, botany and zoology);

5. Classic disciplines (poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy).

Ateneo, as a prestigious school, offered the best secondary education for boys that enhances the character of their students through strict religious instruction and discipline. Before the classes start, the students must first hear masses and end with prayers.

To encourage the spirit of competition among students in academics, with the help of Atenean teachers, the school proposed a program of dividing the class into two competing groups (empires): The Roman Empire composed of boarding students at Ateneo and the Carthaginian Empire composed of non-boarding students. Both groups have ranks and classifications and they competed through question and answers.

When banners are raised, it means victory for the group; there is defeat if banners are lowered.

Rizal's first professor was Father Jose Bech. At first, Rizal was left behind among his classmates but he knew the severity of his studies, so he organized and seriously observed himself a timetable to manage his studies. He excelled as the emperor in his class, a title given to the most intelligent in the class.