Rizal received his early education from his mother and private tutors at home in Calamba. When tutor Leon Monroy passed away, Rizal's parents sent him to study at a private school in Binan under Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. On his first day, Rizal defeated the school bully Pedro in a fight but later lost an arm wrestling match. While in Binan, Rizal also took painting lessons from Juancho, improving his art skills.

1. Chapter 3:Early
Education in
Calamba and Binan
The Life and
Works of Rizal
The Life and
Works of Rizal
Reporter: John Vincent
L.Barra
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2. The Heroes First Teacher
 THE FIRST TEACHER OF RIZAL WAS HIS
MOTHER, WHO WAS A REMARKABLE WOMAN OF
GOOD CHARACTER AND FINE LECTURE.
He learned at the age of three the alphabet and the prayers.
As a tutor, Donya Tedora was patient, conscientious, and
understanding. It was she who first discovered that her son
had a talent for poetry.
As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to
give him lessons at home.
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3. Private Tutor of Rizal
The first was Maestro Celestino and the second,
Maestro Lucas Padua.
Leon Monroy, who’s a former classmate of Rizal’s
father, became the boys tutor.
He was the one instructed Rizal in Spanish and
Latin. Unfortunately, he did not live long. He died
five months later.
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4. Jose Goes to Binan
After Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send
their gifted son to a private school in Binan.
When Jose was tearful parting from his sisters, he was
accompanied by Paciano, who acted as his second father.
The two brothers rode in a carromata, reaching their
destination after one and one-half hours’ drive.
They Proceeded to their aunt’s house,where Jose was lodge.
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5. First Day in school in Binan
At the first day of Rizal in Binan School,
Paciano brought his younger brother to the
school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
The school was in the house of the teacher,
which was a small nipa hut about 30 meters
from the home of Jose’s aunt.
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6. First School Brawl
Jose met the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him during
his conversation with the teacher in the morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he could
easily beat the Calamba boy who was smaller and younger.
Jose, learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, and successfully
defeated the biggEr boy. For this feat, he became popular among his classmates.
A classmate named Andres Salandanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling match.
Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.
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7. Painting Lessons in Binan
There was a painter named, Juancho, who was a father-in-
law of the school teacher. Jose, lured by his love of painting,
spent many leisure hours at the painter’s studio.
Old Juancho freely gave him lessons in drawing and painting.
He was impressed by the artistic talent of the Calamba lad.
Jose and his classmate, Jose Guevarra, who also loved
painting, became apprentices of the old painter. They improved
their art, so that in due time they became “the favorite paints
of the class”.
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