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

SPIRIT AND MOOD - Organized Student life

ment was the opening of the English Residential School. The loss of a treasure of a century in duration, that is, the loss of the Academy of Law and the fact of the College finding itself at the periphery of the country threatened the existence of the school. The theology school began to lose its popularity among young students, something which posed a threat to the existence of the secondary school, too. A new breakthrough had to be found which could at least partially compensate for the losses, and through which the College of Patak could regain its ability to attract students once again. To carry on with and make appropriate use of the intellectual and spiritual reserves which had accumulated over the centuries, there was a need to expand the educational functions of the College.

This local need was accompanied by the ‘cultured nation’ concept of the Minister of Culture, Kunó Klebelsberg, who offered numerous new initiatives for new schools. Given that Sárospatak had a distinguished past history and was in the endangered zone, they could certainly count on governmental aids. The fact that both the governor and the prime minister of Hungary were of the Reformed denomination was most helpful. Klebelsberg’s declared goal was to reduce Hungary’s German orientation through means of education policy and cultural diplomacy. Encouraging an opening towards the English culture and towards the English political and social elite was the key. The easiest way to establish relationships through English cultural diplomacy was to build on the already existing centuries-long relationships of the Hungarian Reformed people with their fellow English counterparts. Thus the local need of the College was elevated to a higher, national level.

Of course, this did not mean that all the obstacles to start the new program immediately melted away. It took time and concerted effort to get governmental officials to shift from simply feeling sorry for them to actually cooperate and do something. The preparations and cautious negotiations dragged on for years. High-ranking visitors became a regular sight in Patak. In addition to the Governor, Kunó Klebelsberg also visited the town several times, as did the English Ambassador, but other American and British delegations came often, too. Once the foundations were laid, even more visitors came. Upon the invitation of the Sárospatak Revision League, the British member of parliament, Adam Henry Procter visited Patak. In 1938, Lord Rothermere, British media mogul came, who was, for the Hungarian revisionists, perhaps the most important player.

The Minister of Culture mentioned the idea of an English Residential School first in 1928. His concept specifically targeted members of the social elite and was modelled on the principles of the education systems of Cambridge. This idea in this context, however, was somewhat contrary to the traditions and social mission of those in Patak. In the planning of the proposed residential school, the people in Patak attributed a major role to the social aspects of the undertaking. The “school for the poor” had operated for centuries and as such could not afford to have the newest addition admittedly satisfy the needs of the highest social circles only. A balance had to be found and conflicting interests and ideas had to be harmonized. Once this obstacle had been overcome, the new challenge presented itself in the form of an increasingly difficult financial situation: the national budget accorded to expenditures for cultural purposes had been drastically reduced. Furthermore, both the people of Patak and the members of the Cistibiscan Reformed church district expressed a certain aversion to the

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Lord Rothermere giving a presentation in Sárospatak.

Upon the invitation of Lord Rothermere, who was a supporter of Hungary’s revisionist claims, a group of fifteen students under the leadership of Gyula Szabó, the director of the English Residential School, visited Great Britain in 1939.