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CHAPTER 5

Medical Studies at the University of Santo Tomas (1877 - 1882) * April 1877 * Rizal was 16 years old, matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas, taking the course on Philosophy and Letters.

* 1877 – 1878 * During his first year term in the University of Santo Tomas , Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,
Theodicy and History of Philosophy. * 1878 – 1879 * It was during the following term that Rizal that having received the Ateneo Rectors advice to study
Medicine, took up the medical course. * Another reason why he chose medicine for a career was to be able to cure his mother’s growing blindness. * 1878 * Finishes Surveying Course in Ateneo. * He took the vocational course leading to the title of Perito Agrimensor (Expert Surveyor). * He was victim of Spanish Brutality. * Age of 17 * He passed the Final Examination in the Surveying course, but he could not be granted the title as Surveyor because he was below age. * The title was issued to him on November 25, 1881. * Rizal was President of the Academy of Spanish literature and Secretary of the Academy of Natural Sciences. * He also continued his membership in Marian Congregation, of which he was the Secretary. * Segunda Katigbak * Was his first love. * Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela * From Pagsanjan, Laguna, Parents of Leonor Valenzuela. * The next door of neighbor of Donya Concha.

* Leonor Valenzuela * Daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. * Leonor Rivera * Rizal next woman. * His cousin from camiling. * Antonio Rivera * His Landlord – uncle, and had a pretty daughter Leonor a student at La Concordia College where Soledad (Rizal’s youngest sister) was then studying. * April 11, 1867 * Leonor born in Camiling Tarlac, was a frail, pretty girl “Tender as a budding Flower with kindly eyes”. They became engaged. * In her letters to Rizal, Leonor signed her name as “Taimis” in order to camouflage their intimate relationship from their parents and friends. * 1879 * At the start of his junior year at the University, He lived in “Casatomasina” at No.16 calle Santo Tomas Intramuros. * Rizal, who was then 18 years old, submitted his poem in titled A La Juventud Filipina (To My Filipino Youth). * March 21, 1887 * He went to the Captain – General but I could not obtain justice , my wound lasted two weeks.

* This poem of Rizal is a classic in Philippine literature for two reason: * First, it was the first great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino, whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities, and * Second, it Expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos, and not the Foreigners, were the “fair hope of the Fatherland”. * 1880 (“The Council of the Gods”) * The Artistic – Literary Lyceum opened another literary contest to commemorate the fourth centennial of the death of Cervantes, Spain’s glorified man-of-letters and famous

Author of Don Quixote. This time the contest was opened to both Filipino and Spaniards. * Zarzuela * Was Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig), which was staged by Atenians on * December 8, 1880 * On the occasion of the annual celebration of the feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo. He wrote it as President of the Academy of Spanish Literature in the Ateneo. * In the same year(1880), he wrote a sonnet entitled A Filipinas for the album of the society of sculptures. In this sonnet, he urged all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines. * The year before, in 1879, he composed a poem entitled Abdl –el-Azis y Mahoma, which was declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez, on the night of December 8, 1879 in honor of Ateneo Patroness. * 1881 * He composed a poem entitled Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon. He wrote this poem as an expression of affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo Rector, who had been so kind and helpful to him. * In 1880 * He founded a secret society of Filipino Students in the University of Santo Tomas called Companyarismo (Comradeship), whose members were called Companions of Jehu) after the valiant Hebrew general who fought the Armeans and ruled the kingdom of Israel for 28 years. * In his novel El Filibusterismo, he described how the Filipino students were humiliated and insulted by their Dominican professors and how backward the method of instruction was, especially in the teaching of the natural sciences.