At the University of Santo Tomas

“O Youth, illumined by the arts and letters, Stride forth into the arena, break down the heavy fetters that bind your genius down, for in These topic regions were untutored darkness Once held sway, the wise and kindly Spanish Hand bestows today a splendid crown Upon the native of this Eastern land.” --- Jose Rizal

Fortunately, Rizal’s tragic first romance, with its bitter disillusionment, did not adversely affect his studies in the University of Santo Tomas. His love for higher education proved to be greater than his love for a pretty girl.

In April, 1877, Rizal, who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas, taking Philosophy and Letters. He enrolled in this course for two reasons: 1. His father liked it and 2. He was still “Uncertain as to what career to follow.” He had written to the Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student days in that college, asking for advice on the choice of career. Unfortunately, the Father Rector was in the Mindanao and during those days it took several months foe a letter to travel between Manila and Mindanao. Consequently, during his first year term (1877-79) in the UST, he studied Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy.

                It was during the following school term (1878-1879) that Rizal took up medicine, enrolling simultaneously in the preparatory medical course and the regular first year medical course. The reasons why he studied medicine were: (1) he wanted to be a physician so that he might cure his mother’s failing eyesight and (2) the Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, whom he consulted for a choice of career, finally answered his letter, recommending medicine.

Romances with Other Girls

                Notwithstanding his academic studies in the University of Santo Tomas and extracurricular activities in the Ateneo, Rizal had ample time for love. He was a romantic dreamer who liked to sip the “nectar of love.” His sad experience with his first love had made him wiser in the ways of romance.

                Shortly after losing Segunda Katigbak, he paid court to a young woman in Calamba. In his memoirs, he called her simply Miss L, describing her as “fair with seductive and attractive eyes.” After visiting her in her house several times, he suddenly stopped his wooing, and the romance died a natural death.

                Several months later, during his sophomore year at the University of Santo Tomas, he boarded in the house of Doña Concha Leyva in Intramuros. The next door neighbors of Doña Concha were Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela, parents of a charming girl named Leonor. Rizal, the medical student from Calamba, was a welcomed visitor in the Valenzuela home, where he was the life of the social parties because of his clever sleight-of-hand tricks. He courted Leonor Valenzuela, who was a tall girl, “almost as tall as Jose himself,” and had a regal bearing. He sent her over love notes written in invisible ink. This ink consisted of common table salt and water. It left no trace on the paper. Rizal, who knew his chemistry, taught Orang(pet name of Leonor Valenzuela) the secret of reading any note written in the invisible ink by heating it over a candle or lamp so that the lettering may appear. But as with Segunda, he stopped short of proposing marriage to Orang.

                Rizal’s next romance was with another Leonor- Leonor Rivera- his cousin from Camiling. In 1879, the start of his junior year at the University, he lived in “Casa Tomasina,” a boarding house managed by his Uncle, Antonio Rivera, at No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas, Intramuros. His landlord-uncle had a pretty daughter, Leonor, a student at La Concordia College, where Soledad(Rizal’s younger sister) was then studying. Leonor, born in Camiling, Tarlac, on April 11, 1876, was a frail, beautiful, “tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes.” Between Jose and Leonor sprang a tenderly beautiful romance. They became engaged. In her letters to Rizal, Leonor signed her name as “Taimis,” in order to hide their intimate relationship from their parents and friends.

Victim of Spanish Officer’s Brutality

                When Rizal was a freshman medical student at the University of Santo Tomas, he got his first taste of Spanish brutality. One dark night in Calamba, during his summer vacation in 1880, he was walking in the street. He dimly perceived the figure of a man while passing him. Not knowing the person due to darkness, he did not salute or say a courteous “Good Evening.” The vague figure was a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. With a snarl, he turned upon Rizal, whipped out a sword and brutally slashed the later on the back.

                The wound was not serious, but it was painful. When he recovered, Rizal reported the incident to General Primo de Rivera, the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines at that time. But nothing came out of his complaint, because he was an indio, and the abusive lieutenant was a Spaniard. In a letter to Blumentritt, dated March 21, 1887, he related: “I went to the Captain-General but I could not obtain any Justice; my wound lasted two weeks.

TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH (1879)

-Literary contest by Artistico-Literario (Artisitic- Literary Lyceum)

- Rizal, 18 years old, submitted his poem entitled A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)

- The first prize, a feather shaped, gold ribbon decorated silver pen was given to Rizal

- In the poem, Rizal beseeched the Filipino to rise from  lethargy, to let their genius fly swifter than the wind  and descend with art science to break the chains that                 have long bound the spirit of the people.

- The poem is a classic. Two reasons:

ØIt was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary                 authorities

ØIt expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos and not the foreigners were the “fair hope of the Fatherland.”

THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS (1880)

     Another literary contest by the Artistic-Literary Lyceum to commemorate the fourth centennial of the death of Cervantes, Spanish and author of Don Quixote.

Manuel De Cervantes – Spain’s glorified man of letter

- Rizal submitted an allegorical drama, El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods)

- The allegory was based on Greek classics

-  Rizal was aided by Father Rector of the Ateneo in securing the needed reference materials

-  The contest was participated by priest, laymen, professors of UST, newspapermen and scholars.

- Rizal won the first price; he received a gold ring engraved with bust of Cervantes.

 - D.N. Del Puzo – a Spanish writer won the 2^nd price

OTHER LITERARY WORKS

1879: Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma

                A poem, declaimed by an Atenean, manuel Fernandez on December 8, 1879 in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness

 1880: Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)

                A zarzuela, staged  by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880 on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo. Rizal wrote it as President of the Academy of Spanish Literature

1880: A Filipinas

                A sonnet, for the album of the Society of Sculptors .Rizal urged all Filipino artist to glorify the Philippines

1881: Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon

                A poem, an expression of affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo rector

RIZAL’S VISIT TO PAKIL AND PAGSANJAN

May 1881 - Jose, along with his sisters Saturnina, Maria, and Trinidad and female friends went on a pilgrimate to Pakil, famous shrine of the Birhen Maria de los Dolores.

-  They boarded a casco (a flat-bottom sailing vessel) from Calamba to Pakil, Laguna

- They stayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Regalado, parents of Nicolas, Rizal’s friend in Manila

-  The company witnessed the famous turumba, the people dancing in honor of the miraculous Birhen Maria de los Dolores

-  Rizal was infatuated by Vicenta Ybardolaza . She was skillful in playing the harp at the Regalado              home

-  Rizal and his party then went to Pagsanjan for two reasons

Ø  It was the native town of Leonor Valenzuela

Ø  To see the world famed Pagsanjan Falls

CHAMPION OF FILIPINO STUDENTS

- There were frequent student brawls between the Filipinos and the Spaniards

-  1880: Rizal founded Companerismo     (Comradeship), a secret society of Filipino UST students. The members were called “Companions of Jehu”.

- He was the chief of the society.

- His cousin, Galicano Apacible was the secretary.

-  In one of the skirmishes, Rizal was wounded on the head. His friends brought him to Casa        Tomasina where Leonor Rivera took care of him.

UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

                Rizal was unhappy in the Dominican institution because:

Ø  The Dominican professors were hostile to him

Ø  The Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards

Ø  The method of instruction was obsolete and      repressive.

                He failed to win high scholastic honors due to the attitude of his professors.

DECISION TO STUDY ABROAD

          Rizal decided to study in Spain after finishing the fourth year of his medical course.

      The people who approved this are the following:

Ø  His older brother Paciano

Ø  His sisters Saturnina (Neneng) and Lucia

Ø  Uncle Antonio Rivera

Ø  The Valenzuela family

Ø  Some friends

          The people who did not know of his decision are the following:

Ø  Rizal’s parents

Ø  Leonor Rivera

Ø  Spanish authorities