Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)
FLOURISHING AND SCATTERING THE REFORMED COLLEGE IN THE 17TH CENTURY - Comenius in Sárospatak between 1650 and 1654
Comenius delivered his introductory address entitled De cultura ingeniorum oratio (The fine-tuning of talents) on 24 November 1650 in the school’s large auditorium. His address consisted of a description of the characteristics of a cultured people and outlined the path by which Hungarians can reach this status. The Reformed Church school in Patak can serve as an important tool towards this end. Four days later, he delivered a lecture entitled On books, as the main instrument of intellectual education. The presentation was actually a methodical analysis of regular reading habits and of learning by reading. Just before Christmas, the plans for the pánszofikus iskola (pan-sophist school) were ready. From this, three language classes materialized. It was printed on 18 January 1651 with the title De reperta ad authores latinos prompte legendos (detailed draft for three classes for Latin education), in which he detailed the curriculum for the first three years of the seven year system. He cited the names of János Tolnai, János Szőlősi and István Szilágyi Benjámin as having assisted in the preparation of the Hungarian sections of the Patak textbook. Admission to the Latin school was to be granted to those students who had completed their elementary levels in their native tongue and were able to read and write. In the first year (vestibularis) of this program, they begin to learn the Latin language and basic conjugations. They study and learn the main doctrines of their faith in Latin; in mathematics they learn how to create and edit the dot and the line; in music they learn the basics of solmization; drawing and penmanship are complementary, yet essential activities. Equally important are sports and theater, these also having integral roles. In the second grade (janualis), they are to learn the entirety of grammar; in religion, they study the texts of the Catechism and those which deal with the practice of piety; in measurements (mathematics), they learn about addition, subtraction, shapes and forms; in music, they continue with solmization. At this point, the students are now studying history. In writing, it is here important to learn to write sentence patterns. Physical education and theatre are included here, too. In the third year (atrialis), the students are to master fluently-spoken Latin; in religion, they learn about the Bible, memorize psalms and prayers; in mathematics, they do multiplication and division and learn the geometric shapes in three-dimensional form; in writing class, they practice sophisticated Latin forms; in history, the main topics are the “holy story”, the Bible and church history; music is taught at a higher level; in physical education, they learn more games and, in theatre, the comedy as form is studied. Paired to each grade’s program is a separate, summarizing textbook: Vestibulum, Janua and Atrium (Hall, Gate and Auditorium). Vestibulum, as such, was created for beginners and Comenius dedicated it to the teacher István Tolnai (praeceptor). The book includes references to and explanations of the most common things in everyday life, these presented in ten chapters and five hundred points. With this, a basic vocabulary in Hungarian and in Latin is provided. Basic Latin spelling is explained in twelve chapters and one hundred forty points. The curriculum material here can be completed in nine months and two weeks. The preface of Jauna provides instructions for the teacher Pál Kaposi. The vocabulary to be learned is at the beginning of the book, this followed by grammar and the different texts themselves. This can be completed in ten months. The preface in Atrium is addressed to János Ecsedi, also a praecep39 A teacher and a child From the edition of Comenius’ Orbis Pictus in Lőcse in 1685 ii Puer, e Sápért--, ■ d hue efi Sapere ? >»;** nectjjd fi* c Intel!.gere, c tigere, • C Lortvi. fine hoc decebit -t- ,> cum DEO, ■ . górnod:: ?Jii cimdS. cam tc per omnia» fteu.liimtibi omnia tómínAn tibi OS. En acLum, due mc_, in nomine ÖEl 1 s. An re omniL debes nifeerc-. iimpKces fonos., ex ovibus conii at Sermo humánus f i o. qvos Animalia .femne formarer ' cua I.ingva.., feil iinican : Sxtua Manus potefi pináért.'> Extract from the Orbis Pictus’ (Painted World) version in Sárospatak T<DJMIT1/E WBOTtjrM SC HOL ASTICO \UM IN ILLUSTRI PATAKINO GYMNASIO, cAefti'Ji lUufirifimi aePrttelf! DMi SIGIS M VN DI RAKOCI CELSISSIMORUM TRANSYLVANIA ■pRINCIPUM PvAKOCIORUM NEPOTIS, fILII, FRATRIS, DutJiii Munkjocnfis itc.&c. Inmajtu transformtn cAimu J»/. DC L &M DC LI Comenius’ three speeches
