Miguel Bernad, S.J., recalls the short but magnificent time Zobel taught at the Ateneo: “Zobel's first question was: ‘How much do you pay?' This was a disconcerting question coming from Fernando Zobel. The dean said: ‘Thirty pesos an hour, sixty for the two-hour period.' Zobel replied: ‘That is respectable.' But at the end of each term, he would take this cheque, endorse it, give it back and say: ‘Use this money to buy reproductions of famous paintings. Have them framed and charge the cost of the framing to me.'” In 1962, in recognition of his contribution both as teacher and as patron of the arts, the university conferred upon Zobel an honorary doctorate and appointed him honorary director of the Ateneo Art Gallery.