Five years at the University of Santo Tomás, from 1877 to 1882, gave to José Rizal a mental discipline and training that enabled him to lead the movement for the Philippine Revolution and Independence. Yet no biographic study has yet examined in depth the relationship between the hero and his Alma Mater. Most of those who have tackled the subject have done it superficially and times biasly.
The picture of Rizal at the U.S.T. has frequently come out of focus: discriminated against by the University, unfairly treated, recipient of poor grades, dissatisfied with the teaching methods, suffocated by Thomistic philosophy, forced to leave the University to upgrade his medical studies.... None of these current opinions, carelessly repeated in textbooks and biographies and easily digested by the students, has foundation in real history.
With original academic records on hand, this book retraces Rizal's student years step by step, year by year, and finds Rizal a normal and satisfied student, not discriminated against but in favour, as successful a medical student as the best of his classmates. other interesting insights into the philosophy of life and educational vitality of the University and into Rizal's later criticism of his Alma Mater make the various chapters of the book highly original and illuminating. LEONOR VALENZUELA: PRIVATE LETTERS
When Rizal was a sophomore at the University of Santo Tomas and was boarding in the house of Dona Concha Leyva in Intramuros he met Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela, his next-door neighbor and daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. She was a tall girl who carried herself with grace and elegance.
Exchanging Love Notes
Rizal was always welcome at the Valenzuela home. He eventually courted Leonor by sending her love notes, which he wrote in invisible ink made from a mixture of water and table salt. He taught Leonor how to read his letters by heating them over a lamp or