Early Formal Education (Biñan)

Rizal accompanied by Paciano left Calamba for Binan in June 1869 – With his poker face Paciano gave Rizal a cue on how a man should behave during partings and sentimental occasions. Stayed in his Aunt Tomasa Mercado.Tomasa had an unmarried daughter Margarita and a widower son Gabriel. Rizal’s young kinsfolk were Leandro (mischievous), Florentina (vulgar type) and Arcadia (hot headed, simple and honest) who became his friend.

Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz – tall, thin and stooped with a large neck and sharp nose, he believed in “not sparing the rod”. Rizal complained that rare was the day when he did not suffer five or six “palmetazos” on his hands or his behind even though he surpassed all of his classmates in Spanish, Latin and other subjects.

Pedro teased Rizal uttering “un poco Senor” 2x who became so vexed, he challenged Pedro to a fight whom he defeated, Rizal having been taught the art of wrestling by his Tio Manuel.

Old Juancho – gave and taught Rizal lessons in painting and drawing.

His bitterness against these barbarous methods of instruction never left him. In the Noli, the first thing Ibarra proposes when he came home was to build a house in San Diego where “the primer would not be a black book bathed in children’s tears but a friendly guide to marvelous secrets”. “Not a torture-chamber but a playground of the mind”.

Other Binan memories:Playing in the streets in the evening under the moolight, remembered his beloved father, idolized mother and loving sisters.

Rizal was shoved by his naughty nephew Leandro into the river where he nearly drowned if not caught by someone on his feet.