Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)

János Ugrai: „THE PERIOD OF NATIONAL ADVANCEMENT” 1777-1849 - The College and its environment - the manor farming of the College

The rights and responsibilities pertaining to the inner operation of the school were shared between the professors and the student government. The head of the teaching staff was the school director, the rector-professor. Elected on a yearly basis, the rector-professor, in addition to his teaching duties, was responsible for executing the decisions of the church district, of the bishop or chief lay officer. In addition to teaching, professors retained the right to submit proposals, opinions and provide advice. Student officers and usually the student government, entitled to a wide range of rights, played an indispensable role in the life of the school and in financial management, this to be explained in detail further on.

This assignment of roles and responsibilities occasionally lead to serious conflicts and functional disturbances. Below will be examined the tenure and activity of chief lay officer József Vay, who, through his dedication and otherwise inherent authority, became an unappealable arbiter of the school for a given period. Examples can be cited, however, where the rector-professor, in practice, was able to claim broader authority for himself than the original scope of his rights prescribed. It is especially interesting to note how efficient the student government, led by the senior, and the teaching staff, led by the rector- professor, could be in the resolving of certain problems merely through the use of delay tactics. The modus operandi typical of the church district and within the superintendent administration was one which was considerably drawn out and somewhat diffuse. Perhaps the most eloquent proof of this was the delayed proceedings in the establishing of responsibility for the student disruptions of 1794.

THE COLLEGE AND ITS ENVIRONMENT - THE MANOR FARMING OF THE COLLEGE

For the longest time, it was commonly believed that the operation of the College in Sárospatak was ensured by donations. This, however, is, at most, only partly true. At this time, the school depended as much on the ad hoc smaller or larger contributions and final bequests as on organized fund-raising initiatives. But because the magnitude and frequency of these sources were so variable, it would have been impossible to maintain the operation of such an institution based solely on these. There was a need, therefore, to establish and organize a multifaceted economic structure to ensure operations, which would consequently effect a fundamental change in the income structure of the College and perhaps also in its profile.

The voluntary, occasional donations of the faithful and the final bequests served primarily for building up the base capital of the college. Not only the number but also the size of these gifts varied unpredictably. On occasion, a former grateful student or parent, or maybe some church officer would bequeath fifty to hundred forints to the school while there would be others who enriched the institution with a contribution of several thousand forints. Some of the donors specifically stipulated the purpose their donations were to serve. The collecting of the periodic donations required the involvement and

Good deeds were important but they did prove sufficient forall expenses