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

SPIRIT AND MOOD - The curriculum and its changes

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FROM THE ENLIGHTEMENT TO THE END OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

The outstanding liberal poet László Palóczy (1783-1861) was born in Miskolc and studied in Patak

‘My homeland is offended. And to whom should she pour out all her sorrows?

Is there a Lord who hears the suffering of the nations? ‘There is no one on earth who helps: but there is in heaven’- said Palóczy,

And he took our complaints himself to the Highest.’ (Epitaph by Mór Jókai, 1861)

of the book was found not only in its presenting of the external and internal characteristics of animals but also in its describing the diseases and illnesses most common to domestic animals, the mode of caring for and making best use of them. The first volume, appearing in 1809, was followed two years later by the second volume written by Joseph Vadnay, who, in a less extensive way, described plants and the best practices for their cultivation in two hundred eight pages. In the same year of 1811, issuing from the pen of Joseph Gelei, the third volume appeared, it discussing organic and inorganic minerals, their characteristics and possible usage. Further progress in the teaching of the natural sciences would have been greatly assisted by the establishment of botanical gardens but this tentative project had to be postponed due to lack of sufficient available property.

The study of geography had enjoyed esteemed recognition in Sárospatak as a consequence of the work of Comenius and János Csécsi. It was only from 1786 on, in grades one to seven, and from 1804 on, in grades one to nine, that it was taught as a separate subject on a regular basis. Greater emphasis was placed on a more thorough study of Hungary and Europe and students in the final year learned to discuss issues of economic geography. The textbooks, however, were not the most recent. Commenius’ Orbis Pictus, written one hundred fifty years earlier, Tomka-Szászky’s book on geography, which had already served several generations, and Hármás Kis Tükör (Triple Little Mirror) formed the backbone of available books. Despite the challenges, the education provided in geography in Patak retained a comparatively prominent standing among Protestant and Catholic schools, exceeding the level offered in Debrecen or in the Reformed Church schools of Transylvania.

As mentioned previously, from 1797 on, the College in Patak had an art teacher in the person of István Nyiry but he was only able to begin actively teaching this subject at the beginning of the 19th century due to lack of space and materials, a situation which had forced him to spend years writing and submitting petitions. His efforts brought only partial success. From 1804 on, art became compulsory for grade five students, but, by 1810, it was removed from the curriculum. A few years later it was reinstated but its practical realization faced many financial difficulties. In 1832, Lajos Pólya, Nyiry’s successor, pleaded for an increased subsidy as he found the art school to be in terrible condition when he took it over: worm-eaten frames, ill-suited tables and crumpled and tattered design patterns.

Beginning in the mid 18th century, there were several attempts to introduce German language as a subject. Despite its growing importance in geographical, economic and political terms, hardly anyone along the banks of the Bodrog River spoke it. Due to financial difficulties language teachers worked only for short periods of time at the school and, according to Kazinczy, students who spoke German were often mocked and ridiculed by their peers. According to records, only two dozen students took German classes at the turn of the century. The curriculum in 1804 limited German language instruction to three years at the secondary school level, to students in grades seven to nine who studied rhetoric, poetics and logic. In 1810, the curriculum reverted to an earlier unsuccessful system of the mandatory teaching of German from grade three to eight. During the Reform Era, only older students could be found to serve as teachers and they taught only the basics. The teaching of the French language found itself in a