Magyar News, 2006. január-május (17. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
2006-04-01 / 4. szám
SIXHUNDRED ON THE MARK Scholarships donated by previous students of Sárospatak Let me invite you, when you receive the April issue of Magyar News, to locate on a map of Hungary a very important town: SÁROSPATAK. Some of you may have been there and tourists from the West should put Sárospatak on their itinerary. Here in this beautiful town in Hegyalja is the oldest gimnázium (high school) in Hungary established in 1531. The school, Sárospataki Református Kollégium Gimnáziuma, is also among the best in preparing students for the university phase of their studies. In America we would call the gimnázium a private institution owned and operated by the Reformed Church from 1531 to 1952 when the Communist government confiscated it. But thirty seven years later, in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Communism, the school has been returned to the Reformed Church. This is where my heart warming story begins. There are former students (Pataki diákok) practically all over the world. At the invitation of a few of us former students we wanted to see our Alma Mater and our classmates. We wanted to walk in the garden of the school, hear just one more time the arrival of spring or the crackling of autumn leaves. And after many letters and phone calls the öreg diákok (old students, the Alumni) met at the Kossuth statue across from the school's entrance. We searched each other's faces, recognition came hesitatingly. -We exchanged embraces and went to the Borostyán Restaurant for a friendship meal, for story telling and singing. I'm quoting from the report of Ambassador Jock Shirley, who himself was a student from America at this school. "But, we asked shouldn't we take it beyond just another sentimental meeting of old The famous Református Kollégium Gimnáziuma in Sárospatak friends, didn't we have a responsibility to do more then just meet from time to time and relive old memories? Shouldn't we step forward and extend our hands in friendship to today's students?" And on the day of our gathering, fifteen years ago the “1941 1/A Osztály (class ) Scholarship Foundation” was bom. Criteria for awarding our scholarships are straightforward: the student's academic record, and financial need. It was emphasized that from all religious backgrounds students are welcome to apply. During the following fifteen years we have remained faithful to these principles. The overwhelming proportion of the scholarship funds were donated by caring friends from all directions of the globe, thirty of the sponsors from the United states, April 6 to 9, 2006, we will award the 600th scholarship to young students, have an opportunity to thank a great number of donors, and simultaneously encourage all recipients to carry on until their heads are as gray as ours. M. T. Sárospatak is located in Borsod- Abauj-Zemplén county at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, along the Bodrog river. It covers 65 square miles with a population of 18,000. The Protestant Church established several outstanding schools. The town has a very active cultural life. This was the birthplace of Saint Elizabeth. Kossuth Internátus, the English language boarding School. A view of the old Kollégium Page 2
