Rizal's Academic Achievements at Ateneo

The Rizal Law

• Rizal Law, also known as Republic Act 1425, was signed on June 12, 1956, by President Ramon Magsaysay.
• The law was authored by Senator Claro M. Recto and co-authored by Senator Jose P. Laurel.
• The law made it compulsory for college and university students to study the life and works of Rizal.

The Story of Rizal Law

• Senator Claro M. Recto filed the original Rizal Bill in 1956.
• The bill was met with opposition from the Catholic Church, who claimed it would violate freedom of conscience and religion.
• A compromise was inserted by Senator Jose P. Laurel, allowing college students to read unexpurgated versions of Rizal's novels.

Early Life and Education of Rizal

• Jose Rizal's mother, Doña Teodora, was released from prison after a girl named Soledad wished for her mother's return.
• Rizal returned to Ateneo for his junior year, but was dissatisfied with his grades, failing to earn a medal in Spanish.
• He was inspired by his professor, Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez, to study harder and write poetry.
• Rizal topped in all his subjects and won five medals at the end of the school term.

Academic and Extra-Curricular Activities

• Rizal graduated from Ateneo on March 23, 1877, at the age of 16, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts with highest honors.
• His professors, Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez and Padre Jose Vilaclara, were influential in his life and studies.
• Rizal was active in school and curious about joining extra-curricular activities.

Works in Germany

• Rizal befriended Prof. Friedrich Ratzel, a German historian and psychologist at the University of Leipzig.
• He translated "William Tell" and the Tales of Christian Andersen into Tagalog.
• Rizal worked at the clinic of Dr. R. Schulzer, a German ophthalmologist.
• He wrote a scholarly paper entitled "Tagalische Verskunst" and lectured to the anthropological society.

Missions in Berlin, Germany

• Rizal's reasons for staying in Berlin were to finish writing and publish his first novel "Noli Me Tangere", promote the existence of the Filipinos, and expose their plight under Spanish rule.

Leitmeritz, Austria

• Rizal met Dr. Adolf B. Meyer, director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum in Dresden.
• He visited Leitmeritz, Austria, and was introduced to Blumentritt's wife and children.
• Rizal was impressed by the Bohemian beer and the German language.

Test your knowledge on Jose Rizal's academic accomplishments during his last year at Ateneo. Explore his excellence in various subjects and his standing among his peers.