Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)
FLOURISHING AND SCATTERING THE REFORMED COLLEGE IN THE 17TH CENTURY - The educational reform in 1629 and its consequences
of the curriculum because they did not see the point in it. The educational reform was not associated with any appealing goal that could have motivated the students. To be a clerk or do financial management in any market town, moderate or good knowledge of Latin was sufficient and that level could be achieved in any good secondary school in many market towns. Similarly, nothing more was needed to be the leader of a small school in any village. In order to become a pastor, students had to complete further theological studies but this did not require more than a proper brush up on their previous studies. The theological students who had no visions of chasing after higher intellectual goals were of the opinion that physics, metaphysics, even a more profound knowledge of Greek and Hebrew were unnecessary burdens. Although it was still necessary to attain the same high standards that one could achieve in foreign universities if one wanted to become a teacher in an important secondary school or be a professor in a college, this was sought by few because the potential salary was no greater than that provided by the small town parishes. Consequently, most students had the intention of limiting their teaching careers to three years and subsequently applying for such parish positions. György Rákóczi was aware that in order to raise the educational standards excellent teachers were needed, so, next to the existing two teaching positions open to university graduates, he created a third position. He also initiated the practice in Patak whereby one teacher taught philosophy, the second one theology and the third one assumed the instruction of the biblical languages, Greek and Hebrew. The patron lord regularly sent talented students to Western universities on the condition that, in return for the financial support provided, they would teach in Sárospatak for at least three years after their return. The second point of the reform advanced the expectation that the children of the Upper- Hungarian nobility should all be educated in Sárospatak in an organized and standardized manner. The Jesuits had well-established schools in Homonna and Lelesz whose doors were not closed to children issuing from the Protestant nobility but, on the contrary, were specifically exploring methods to attract them and win them over. The prefect Tamás Debreczeni mentions this in his letter in 1638: “truly do they attract many students with flattery, promises and flurries of beautiful words; financially they are well-heeled and make good colleges and provide free management’’. Rákóczi made a clear assessment of the possible consequences. Patak had always had students from noble families but they did not receive any special treatment within the College. In fact, most certainly, upon the patron’s urging and according to the new regulations, the students of noble stock also had to participate in open debates. The reforms of 1629 clearly indicated an added emphasis on educating the children of nobles. From this year onwards, members of noble families had to sign the school regulations separately and, in certain cases, they had their own study groups. They even received some benefits, something which caused the students from other social strata to view them with mistrust. “You do not have to make special arrangements in the interests of the other students to ensure that there always be children from noble families in our school; that would be too expensive and much investment. God gave you enough wisdom, you can decide for yourself: what is to be expected if these children of nobles do not become patrons of the church?” - as Rákóczi (who, in the meantime, became Prince of Transylvania) wrote to István Tolnai, the senior pastor in Patak. The 33 The signature of György Rákóczi I
