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Four months after the martyrdom of Gom-BurZa, with Doa Teodora still in prison, Jose was sent to Manila. He studied in the Ateneo Municipal, a college under Spanish Jesuits. Ateneo Municipal was a bitter rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan de Letran.
It was formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School), a school for poor boys in Manila which was established by the city government in 1817. The Jesuits had been expelled from the Philippines in 1768 and returned to Manila in 1859. Jesuits were given the management of the Escuela Pia, whose name was changed to Ateneo Municipal and later became the Ateneo de Manila.
Father
Magin Ferrando, the college registrar of Ateneo Municipal, refused to admit him for two reasons. (1) He was late for registration. (2) He was sickly and undersized for his age. Upon the intercession of Manuel Xerez Burgos, nephew of Fr. Burgos, he was reluctantly admitted at the Ateneo.
Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname Rizal. Ateneo was located in Intramuros, within the walls of Manila. He first boarded on Caraballo Street, 25 minutes walk from college. It was owned by Titay, who owed the Rizal family 300 pesos.
The Ateneo students in Rizals time wore a uniform which consisted of hemp-fabric trousers and striped cotton coat. The coat was called rayadilla, which later became famous.
1872, first day of class, he prayed at the chapel for guidance and success. Rizals first professor in the Ateneo was Fr. Jose Bech. He was placed at the bottom of the class. He was an externo, hence he was assigned to the Catthaginians.
At the end of the month, he became emperor. He was the brightest in the whole class. He was awarded a prize, a religious picture. He took private lessons in Santa Isabel College to improve his Spanish and paid three pesos for it. He placed second at the end of the year, although all his grades were still marked excellent.
He persuaded his father to buy him a costly set of Cesar Cantus historical work entitled Universal History. Later Rizal read Travels in the Philippines by Dr. Feodor Jagor, German scientist-traveler who had visited Philippines. What impressed him in the book was: (1) Jagors keen observations of the defects of Spanish colonization (2) His prophecy that someday Spain would lose the Philippines and that America would come to succeed as colonizer.
14, 1875, he became an internee in the Ateneo. Fr. Francisco Sanchez, one of his professors. A great educator and scholar. He topped all his classmates in all subjects. He won five medals at the end of the school term.
He devoted his spare time in fine arts. He studied painting under the famous Spanish painter, Agustin Saez. He also studied the sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor. Rizal engaged in gymnastics and fencing, under his sports-minded Uncle Manuel.
At the age of 16, Rizal experienced his first romance. Segunda Katigbak, a pretty 14 year old Batanguena from Lipa. Mairano Katigbak, friend of Rizal and the brother of Segunda. Olimpia, sister of Rizal and a close friend of Segunda. Manuel Luz, townmate of Segunda.