Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)
SPIRIT AND MOOD - On a Roller Coaster-the institution in the 1940s
218 THE STRUGGLE AGAINST MARGINALIZATION A professor of theology and versatile scholar, Sándor Koncz (1913-1983) was educated at the College of Sárospatak between the two World Wars. He was one of the leading exponents in the reorganization of the College after 1945 groups led by József Bakos served the same purpose: they organized and performed folk dance and folk tale presentations in the region. As an important change, the Ministry of National Education and Religion (MNER) handed over the Rákóczi castle to the College in order to create therein a cultural centre which would serve the purposes of public education. According to the plans, the ‘people’s college’, a ‘people’s university’, a place for writers and artists and a museum of history were to be housed here. The MNER was to retain ownership of the castle. For the Ministry, the organization of the so-called ‘people’s university’ would have been the most important, which would have regrouped an ethnographic institution and an academy for free education. As part of the regional centre concept, the church district wished to establish a scholarly and art society in Patak and part of their plan was to relocate the Andás Fáy Society from Szerencs to Patak, - a proposal which the MNER supported. While the College’s printing press functioned practically continuously throughout the decades, the Antiques and Coin Collections and the Archives survived the war only by going into hiding. As a result, the proper use of these collections had to be newly organized. After the war, within a few months, thanks to the effective work of the Patak students, the College was able to establish a relationship with Hope College in the state of Michigan (U.S.A.). Over the space of the following years, this relationship deepened through frequent correspondence and mutual visits. The British Embassy also paid close attention to the evolution of events in the life of the College. In 1946, the Embassy made a contribution of several hundred books and fourteen thousand forints to support part of the rebuilding process. English guests often travelled to Patak; the Embassy never overlooked sending representatives for the end of school year celebrations. In addition to the British ambassador, the school welcomed the ambassadors of Switzerland and Turkey in the 1946-47 school year. High profile guests arrived not only from abroad, but from Hungary, as well. For example, in July 1947, the College hosted a meeting of the four Reformed Church bishops from the four church districts in Hungary. The Lutheran and Roman Catholic bishops visited the town, and so did Mike Jámbor, director of the abbey in Pannonhalma,. The following year, the Minister of Culture, Gyula Ortutay and the Minister of Agriculture - and future Prime Minister - István Dobi visited the school. Renown artists were invited to and welcomed at the Rákóczi castle. Jenő Józsi Tersánszky, for example, was one of the guests of a ‘reading night’ program. In order to have more purpose-oriented and cost-effective operations, the school’s board of directors was reorganized with an independent ‘director of public education’ position created. In addition to keeping the main librarian, another permanent and paid position was created at the Library. A new committee was set up to administer all the in-kind donations and other materials. Due to an increasing number of students, a Residential School for girls was opened. In 1946, more than four hundred fifty students lived in residential lodging or dormitories. The intense growth was especially noticeable with respect to girls and the secondary school and the Teacher Training Schools were quickly populated by females. The increase in numbers, unfortunately, posed a serious social problem. The school leadership was quick to indicate that it has never been as true as it is in these years that the College in Sárospatak is indeed a
