Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)
FLOURISHING AND SCATTERING THE REFORMED COLLEGE IN THE 17TH CENTURY - The “most popular seminary of the Calvinist plague ”(1655-1671)
The restructuring in 1648 and later Comenius’ reforms both aimed at creating a firmer and more transparent educational structure. Relative to the former system, the goal of the reforms was to create separate, yet better-defined, curriculum-determined grade-levels which would build upon the curriculum of other levels. Usually three or four well-educated teachers, who had studied at European universities, taught logic, philosophy, theology and Biblical languages at the academic levels. Zsuzsanna Lorántffy and the board members of the College managed to persuade the teachers that they should view their jobs as instructors of the academy in Patak as a calling for their entire lifetime. Menyhért Baczoni Baló and Mihály Buzinkai joined the school in 1656, while János Pósaházi joined in 1657. All three of them stayed at the school until their dying days. The upper secondary classes were taught by senior-level students. Six were thus selected to be publicus praeceptor and to teach according to the sections denoted as rudimen- tista, etymologista, syntaxista, poeta, rhetor (et orator) and logicus’. It would seem that the Comenius idea of creating seven different classes was implemented with the small difference that the discipline of rhetoric was further divided into an orator and a rhetor group. There are also examples - and perhaps it can be assumed to not be coincidental - of praeceptors teaching their study groups for more than one year, much like what Comenius had suggested. István Pataki Tóth, for instance, became the teacher of the class of ‘poets’ in 1660 and continued with them through the next two years. A few years later Pál Lisznyai Kovács did the same. The salary provided to permanent teachers came close to equalling that of pastors in market towns. In addition, they were granted the use of an apartment and received between two hundred fifty and three hundred forints a year, eighteen köböl of grain (l köböl was approximately 64 litres), between five and seven barrels of wine and three slabs of bacon. (To help approximate the value involved: a cow could be purchased for six to eight forints). Teachers who were committed to a lifetime of teaching began to write and publish their own textbooks, thus facilitating study for their students. Mihály Buzinkai signed the student contract in 1648; he was a senior (1651-1652) during Comenius’ time. He studied in Utrecht between 1652 and 1654. Being of the Ramus persuasion, his rhetorical and logical compendiums with their academic thoroughness offer indisputable evidence that the level of education provided at the Sárospatak school was very high. Buzinkai was said to be the era’s most thoroughly prepared author with the highest standards. János Pósaházi had roots in Patak in that he was born in the town when his father was a pastor here. He signed the student contract in 1650 and studied at the academic levels in the Comenius period. He excelled in his studies and was well-respected among the students; he was elected senior in 1653. In the same year, he went to the Netherlands (Utrecht, Franeker) to study there. In Utrecht, he was accorded the Doctor of Philosophy status (some say it was, in fact, the Magister status). He was a strict adherent of Calvinism. In his textbook entitled (Pneumatologia), he explains the concept and the characteristics of God. The influence of Aristotle, Descartes and Comenius are evident in his work but he did not just unquestioningly cling to them as a loyal disciple, he often took issue with their views. His other book, Philosophia Naturalis (Philosophy of Nature), was decidedly modern for its time and the inclusion of references to forty-five other 43-5 Í Mihály Buzinkai’s work in domain of rhetoric IGAZSaG ISTAPJA. jfTJfr eSr ! CATECHÍSMUSI TANIT/S. ; ! Mollybcn a’ Kcrcfzttén %efbrnuH,i j Vallástöven meB-HUgyarálttJik, h a*j j dien mftkodótbnclyoj PatvufcxMiokcUcoJ (leiei&e 11 a'mellyekei i n«T r.UtiOi könyv hellycl-hcHyejcid ilUtot) élulmntatik : UMthn m Kntfisnfnth'i »■*<«* blit ' <OS-PA TAKOW, János Pósaházi’s dogmatics
