MY FIRST INSPIRATION

This was the first poem Rizal probably wrote during his days at Ateneo. Its Spanish title is Mi Primera Inspiration. It was dedicated to Dona Teodora Alonso on her bday. Rizal composed no poems before 1874 because of his mothers imprisonment. His mother was released in 1874 and this poem (which was written around 1874) reflects the joy and relief of Jose Rizal. In this poem, Jose congratulates his mother on her bday expressing his filial affection in deep verses. This shows that Jose Rizal, even at young age, was already a poetical genius.

INTIMATE ALLIANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND GOOD EDUCATION

The poem was originally written in Spanish with this tittle: Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Education It is one of several poems of Rizal which were found in a notebook that he used at the Ateneo. In this poem, Rizal expresses his belief that religion is important in education. Religion serves as guide, as nourishment, as an inspiration to good education. Through this poem, Rizal believed that education (combined with the values of religion) has an important role in the growth and development of the country. According to Rizal, education without God is not true education.

RIZAL AS A DRAMA WRITER

Father Sanchez, who was Rizals favorite teacher in Ateneo, encouraged him to write a theatrical piece (Drama) based on the prose story of St. Eustace, the Martyr. * Who was St. Eustace, the Martyr? Also known as Placidus or Eustahius. He is remembers every 20th of September for the Western Churc and every 2nd of November for the Eastern Church. He served as the Roman general in the army of Emperor Trajan. He was also a pagan following his conversion to Christianity when he saw a shining cross between the horns of a stag.

RIZAL AS A DRAMA WRITER

Rizal spent his summer vacation (1876) writing and conceptualizing the poetic verses of the prose story. The piece was completed on June 2, 1876. The dramas manuscript was entitled San Eustachio, Martyr. The priest was delighted when Rizal finished and submitted the work on time.

LANDMARKS THAT SERVE AS A PART OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY

Arch of the Centuries this was the original entrance to the university when the campus was still in intramuros from 1611 to 1941. Benavides Monument This stands in front of the main building entrance of the university; the bronze statue was originally unveiled in Intramuros in 1891; ; the statue was made in Paris in 1889.

Mian Building - this was designed by Friar Fr. Roque Ruano, O.P, who once served as Dean of the Faculty of engineering; this was the first structures on the Sampaloc campus.
Status Atop the Main Building these were created by the Italian expatriate sculptor Ricardo Francesco Monti, who once taught at the UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts in the early 1950s, the statues were installed between 1949 and 1953

MEDICAL STUDIES
Don Francisco Mecado Rizal was the one who influenced Jose to pursue his studies in college. However, Dona Teodora resisted the idea because of fear that Joses life could be in danger if he will be given too much education. She knew her son very well. - She was quoted saying, Dont send him to manila again; he knows enough. If he gets to know more, he Spaniards will cut off his head. Despite Dona Teodora Alonsos reluctance to let Jose pursue his college educatio, Paciano accompanied him to enroll at the UST. - Ateneo since then is a school run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) while Universidad de Santo Tomas is a university in Asia) run by the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).

MEDICAL STUDIES
Rizal enrolled at the UST in April, 1887 and took up Philosophy and Letters as advised by Don Francisco Mercado Rizal.

- Jose Rizal wanted to take up a more challenging course. He was not able to decide on what course to take so he asked for Father Pablo Ramons advice who was at that time the rector of Ateneo Municipal.
- He received father Ramons reply and advised him to take up Medicine.

During his first yr in UST, Rizal also took a surveying cuorse at the Ateneo (1877 1878). This was to console and make his mother proud.
- During Rizals time, students from Manila were offered to take up any course in agriculture, mechanics, surveying, and commerce.

- he was 17 years old when he passed the final examination in the surveying course. However, he was not granted the title of a perito agrimensor (expert surveyor) because he was not of legal age. The title was awraded to him when he reached 20 years of age.

MEDICAL STUDIES
According to historians, here are two reasons why Rizal shifted from philosophy and letters to Medicine:

1. because it was suggested by Father Ramon

2. because of his mothers deteriorating eye sight Rizal was a freshman medical student when he experienced, for the first time, Spanish brutality. - he was walking on a street in Calamba when he failed to salute or say a courteous Good evening to a man who happened to be a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. - w/o a warning, the lieutenenant attacked Rizal, slashing him through his sword. He obtained a wound from that event. Days after his recuperation, he immediately reported the incident to Governor-General Primo de Rivera.

MEDICAL STUDIES
- The governor-general only ignored the incident because he was an Indio and the lieutenant was a Spaniards. Rizals performance at the UST was not as impressive when he was studying at the Ateneo. This was brought about by three reasons: - the Dominican friars were not as friendly as the Jesuits, - he was dissatisfied with the Dominicans method of instruction ( obsolete and repressive), and - racial discrimination against Filipino students.

LITERARY WORKS WRITTEN AT THE UST

Manner of writing the poem Rizal beautifully incorporated the essential elements of poetry; he also equipped at with alliteration and metaphor making the poem more emotional, appealing, deep, and colorful; the words are perfectly rhymed.

Message of the poem promotes the nationalistic spirit that should be embodied to the Filipino youth
Sincerity of the poem a work from the heart and straight to the point; it also displayed Rizal bravery because it possesses an anti-Spain theme

TO THE YOUTH FILIPINO

Rizal was only 18 when he wrote this poem in Spanish ( A La Juventud Filipina) --- one of the poems that immortalized his name in history. This poem became famous because of this line: Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan ( This day, Youth of my native strand! Your abounding talents show resplendidly and grand, fair hope of my Motherland! ) The poem was his entry to the literary contest organized by Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila.

- the contest was categorized into two: the first was intended for the Filipino natives and the other one was for the spanish mestizos.
Rizal won the prize in the said contest. He received a feather-shaped silver pen ornamented with a golden ribbon. His Jesuit friends were very proud of him upon learning the news that his literary entry won in the contest.

TO THE YOUTH FILIPINO

The poem was chosen to be the best among the literary entries in the Filipino natives category because it was perfectly written in Spanish by an Indio and it expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were the fair hope of the Motherland.

THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS

In 1880, the Liceo Artistic0-Literario de Manila organized another literary competition which was in honor of the fourth centennial of the death of Miguel de Cervantes. He was a Spanish author who penned Don Quixote. Many writers joined the competition and one of them was Rizal. His literary entry was entitled El Consejo de los Dioses or The Council of the Gods. After a long and critical evaluation of the entries, the board of judges awarded the major prize to Rizals piece because of its literary dominance over the others. The Spanish community questioned the decision of the board of judges, which was composed of the Spaniards. According to them, an indio has no right to win such a prestigious award. Despite the protest, a gold ring on which was engraved the bust of cervantes was awarded to Rizal as his contest prize.. - A Spanish writer named D.N Puzo won the second prize.

THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS

The winning allegory of Rizal was a literary masterpiece based on the Greek classics. The father Rector of the Ateneo assisted rizal in securing the references he needed to complete the literary work. Summary of the poem: the allegory established a parallel among Homer, Virgil, and Cervantes. The gods discuss the comparative merits these great writers and finally decided to give the trumpet to Homer, the lyre to Virgil, and the laurel to Cervantes. The allegory gloriously closes with the naiads, nymphs, satyrs, and other mythological characters dancing and gathering laurels for Cervantes.

TWO AWARD-WINNING POEMS OF RIZAL

Junto Al Pasig staged by Ateneans in 1880 on the occasion of Immaculate Conceptions feast day. A Filipinas a sonnet for the album of the Society of Sculptors; Rizal encouraged the Filipinos to glorify their Fatherland. Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma a poem which was declaimed by Manuel Fernandez (an Atenean ) on December 8, 1879 in honor of Immaculate Conception ( Ateneos patroness) Al M.R.P Pablo Ramon a poem that expresses Jose Rizals gratitude to Father Pablo Ramon.

PILGRIMAGE TO PAKIL AND PAGSANJAN

PAKIL - During the Pre-Spanish era, the town of Pakil was composed of Malayan race from Borneo. - The town was then a part of Paete, Laguna. - Turumba is the musical contribution of Pakil in honor of the miraculous Virgin Mary of Dolores. PAGSANJAN - it was only a barrio of Lumban. For 170 years, Pagsanjan was the capital of Laguna ( from 1668-1858 ). - this town has a rich collection of legends such as: The Legend of Pagsanjan Falls, Our lady of Guadalupe and the Bandits, The Legend of San Isidro Hill, The Legend of Dona Pascuala Cave, The Burried Bell Of Kawa-kawa, the Legend of the Golden Cow and Why the Lanzones are sweet.

RIZALS SUMMER VACATION IN PAKIL

Rizal was accompanied by his sisters Saturnina, Maria and Trinidad when he went to Pakil and Pagsanjan. Aside from the Turumba dance ( which he mentioned I the fourth chapter of the Noli ), Rizal was fascinated with the sophisticated and pretty women of Pkil like Vicente Ybardolaza. She was a harp player.

Rizal went to Pagsanjan because he wanted to see Leonor Valenzuelas hometown (Rizals girlfriend) and witness the wonder of Pagsanjan falls.
- The falls was mentioned in his travel diary in the United States where he mentioned that, Niagara falls was the greatest cascade I ever say but not so beautiful nor fine as the falls of Pagsanjan.

RIZALS COMPANERISMO
The Filipino camp tagged its rivals as Kastila, bagus while their Spanish counterpart taunted the other camp as Indio, chongo. Rizal used his skills in fencing and wrestling as he participated in the occasional brawls between the two camps. He founded Companerismo in 1880, whose members were called Companions of Jehu.
- Rizal was the chief of this organization while Galicano Apacible served as his secretary

Rizal already had the potential to organize a progressive group that could empower, promote, and protect the rights of the Fiipino people.