Rizal In Ust Vs. Ateneo

Sazon, Rhodel I.

August 17, 2009

2LM2 Q4. The comparison of Rizal’s performance in Ateneo de Municipal and Santo Tomas is not viable because both institutions differ in many respects. First, the superiority of Santo Tomas as a University is way unrivalled to that of a secondary school like Ateneo. It is impossible to compare Santo Tomas because it exhilarated its university charter bestowed by Pope Innocent X in 1645, 34 years after its establishment as compared to Ateneo that was only elevated to its university charter in 1959, 100 years after its establishment in 1859. Being stringent, Santo Tomas being a university is 314 years older than Ateneo (University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University-Wikipedia, 2009, para. 1) (History-UST website, 2009, para. 2 and 4) (History-ADMU website, 2006, para. 1 and 14), so how could we compare an unmatched excellence of a university to a newly established institution? Second, the Dominicans implement in Santo Tomas a Europeanized Educational System wherein every student is expected to be matured and responsible in using their time compared to the Regulated-Regimented System the Jesuits utilize where students’ time is hardly grasped by the administrators (Villaroel, 1984). Thirdly, they say that Rizal had a miserable life in Santo Tomas than in Ateneo because he received better grades there but even a single document that would prove and suffice the argument that Rizal had a despondent life in Santo Tomas is never presented. Lastly, college life is extremely different from the secondary and elementary. The University was a different world altogether. It was in the nature of a university to be different. There was more freedom and very little control on one’s private and scholastic conduct (Villaroel, 1984). Therefore, the comparison made between the University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo de Municipal will never be feasible and expedient even up to the present time.

Q5. I believe that it was Rizal’s family that had the greatest impact on him because his education and profession was also influenced by them. For example, Rizal genuinely wanted to pursue with Law since he had a preparatory course for it and he performed well in the Humanities based on his grades but instead, he took up Medicine. Even though he has not left us a clear clue as to the reasons for this choice, it has always been written and said that the falling sight of his mother Doña Teodora was a determining factor for choosing the medical profession (Villaroel, 1984). Rizal's family, particularly his mother, is his main influence in matters of faith and education (Rizal’s Early Childhood-Filipiniana, 2009, para. 1). Rizal had said before that he thought of treating his mother’s eyes when he gets home from his study of Ophthalmology in Madrid (Capino, 1971). Again from here, even his decision to go abroad to complete his studies is still associated to his family particularly to his mother. From a letter that Rizal wrote to his family in June 20, 1892, he said on the last paragraph of the letter that until the last moment of his life, he will think of his family and wish for all kinds of happiness (Ancheta, 1977). We can see that even up to the last days of Rizal’s life, he would still think of his family and their goodness because his family meant so much for him. Therefore, of all the triumphs in his education and in his profession, his family have always been part of this and even his patriotic activity has been inveigled by his family also, making them the greatest impact on Rizal’s principles and ideas for the nation.

Bibliography Ancheta, C. (1977). Jose Rizal’s Life and His Complete Works (Rev. Ed.). Navotas: Navotas Press, p. 27.

www.admu.edu.ph/index www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateneo_de_manila_university Capino, D. (1971). Jose Rizal’s Character Teachings and Examples. Quezon City: Manlapaz Publishing Company, p.69. www.filipiniana.net/ArtifactView www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Santo_Tomas www.ust.edu.ph/index Villaroel, F. (1984). Jose Rizal and the University of Santo Tomas: Chapter 5: Rizal’s Good Grades in Medicine. Manila: UST Press, pp. 80-117.