Dénes Dienes: History of the Reformed Church Collég in Sárospatak (Sárospatak, 2013)
THE SCHOOL IN ITS “OLD NEST” AGAIN HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE BETWEEN1703 AND 1777 - Laying the foundations for growth
72 The library collection increased constantly and, by 1785, it had more than four thousand books on its shelves. The inventory of 1774 has entries for one hundred four instruments for the teaching of physics and astronomy. In an entry from 1778, there is mention of During the first part of the 17th century - once Sárospatak was under the authority of the Rákóczi family - the College entered a period marked by dynamic development, this becoming evident in the increased number and quality of its buildings. Renovations were undertaken and new additions were completed, all enriching the College. The first of these was the “Cigány-sor” (Gypsy Row) from around 1626 and then the “Schola Maior” followed shortly after that. By the second half of the 17th century, the school complex presented an organized and closed arangement. However, after the death of Zsuzsanna Lorántffy, the momentum of renovations, expansion and construction was interrupted and, in 1671, everything came to a standstill. The College buildings thereafter did not function as a school for over three decades. Students and teachers were forced to flee. When life resumed in 1703, the returning students and teachers moved into school buildings which were in a rather dilapidated state. Over time, once repairs and renovations were completed, new buildings were also built. In 1751, the newly-completed “Katona sor” (Soldier’s row) enriched the College; in 1758-59, the “Paradicsom sor” (Paradise row) was added and then, shortly after its completion, the so-called “Csengettyű sor" (Bell Row) joined the other buildings of the College. The oldest blueprint of the College dates from the building phase of the “Paradicsom sor”. After the launching of the rebuilding and construction phase, there were several instances of Jesuits reporting the school to the authorities and filing complaints, thus hindering its plans for expansion and threatening its mere existence. The complaints prompted an investigation whose recorded procedures provide, as a fortutious offshoot, an authentic blueprint-type layout of the College’s courtyard and buildings. Within the courtyard of the College is found the sole ‘legacy’ of the 18th century, this being the so-called “Bema sor” (Berna row) which was built in 1771-1772. According to folk traditions, it was given this name in honour of the city of Bem which had supported the building process with a substantial donation. Factual, written documents, however, do not support this assumption. It is more likely that the name refers to a student who was the senior at the time of its construction and went to Bern to study after his mandate in Patak lapsed. There was an urgency in completing the “Berna sor”. The number of students had increased greatly and there was a need to provide accommodation for the new and incoming professor of physics. There was also a desire to ensure better, safer and more professional storage areas for the equipment and instmments used in the teaching of the natural sciences. The final consideration for needing a new building was the cellar beneath it which would provide a site in close proximity and suitable for the storage of the College’s wine. The completion of the “Bema sor” proved to be the solution to all of the above matters. The building was designed and built to reflect a baroque - or provincial baroque - style. Thomas Lieb, a mason from Sáros county, is known to have been the contractor. Fourteen months were needed to complete construction, after which the building was quickly pressed into function. Student accommodations were on the ground floor; the front room on the upper floor was designated to be the “Physicum Museum” while the other rooms on the upper level served as an apartment for the professor of physics. A significant portion of the school’s wine supplies were moved to the cellar beneath the ground floor. Over time, the function of the building and its various levels was changed as needed. HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE BETWEEN 1703 AND 1777 a coin collection with one hundred forty-eight pieces, these being mostly items from the Roman period. When examining the College from the perspective of the curriculum, it is to be noted that former students of an earlier time who later became famous and
