Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1994. [Vol. 2.] Eger Journal of American Studies. (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 22)
STUDIES - Lehel Vadon: László Országh, the Founder of American Studies in Hungary.
Nov-Anglorum Rectore, 1688. It is the first Hungarian publication solely devoted to America and the first Hungarian translation of an American author's work. Országh fully reconstructed the seriously damaged title page of Mather's work whose sole surviving Hungarian version provided abundant information about the author, the book's content and other valuable bibliographical data. This work is kept at the Calvinist College in Debrecen. Országh provided a letter-perfect rendition of Mather's letter, and the short preface on the back of the title page written by the Hungarian translator to inform the public about the historic background of the colonization and conversion process. His evidence showing how he proved the identity of the translator is reasonable and scientifically sound. In his study Literature in the Foxhole. What the American Soldiers Read, Országh reviewed the type of books disseminated among American soldiers during World War II and demonstrated the author's interest in the sociological aspects of literature. Országh's outstanding character and vast knowledge virtually predestined him for a life of a scholar-teacher where teaching, learning, and research always complemented each other. Following his 1947 appointment to head the Department of English at Kossuth University in Debrecen —a short politically compelled interruption notwithstanding —he served in that capacity until his retirement in 1968. During his tenure, he not only reorganized but consciously built the department. In an age when even British-oriented subjects were treated with suspicion, Országh's chalenge of contemporary political constraints broke new scholarly ground by introducing courses in American Studies, primarily with a literary focus. In order to promote the success of American Studies in Debrecen he acquired numerous literary classics and reference books for the departmental library. In addition to writing textbooks and compiling readers 1 8 he established a scholarly periodical, Hungarian Studies in English. He edited this publication for the next ten years with the express purpose of promoting the 1 o , , , . „ , László Országh, ed., An American Reader (Budapest Felsőoktatási Jegyzetellátó Vállalat, 1960) 452 pp. — László Országh, ed., Second American Reader (Budapest: Tankönyvkiadó, 1963) 394 pp. — László Országh, A Sketch of the History of American Literature (Budapest: Tankönyvkiadó, 1968) 124 pp. 150
