„Education- the Fastest Nation-Builder” - Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje 1920-1941 Cover Image

„Просвета - најбржи творац нације“: Филозофски факултет у Скопљу 1920-1941.
„Education- the Fastest Nation-Builder” - Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje 1920-1941

Author(s): Vladan Z. Jovanović
Subject(s): History
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje; the Yugoslav Kingdom; Macedonian question; national policy

Summary/Abstract: The Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje was founded in 1920 to educate the teach ing staff for secondary schools and was, in a way, “the hub of educational mission in the South.“ However, the selective policy of enrollment and courses made this institution an educationally ambitious and nationally active one, whereas the social and ethnic makeup of the students indicated the probable goal of the founding of the Faculty - education of the offspring of the local clerks. There we re few students from Macedonia at the Faculty, and 75% were made up of the Serbs from Kosovo, Prizren, Sandjak, Montenegro and Serbia, which was considered a favorable circumstance for strengthening of “healthy national feeling“ and “ equalization of mentality“. The students who declared themselves Macedonians or Bulgarians were prevented from attending the Faculty by high fees imposed by the government: if “suspect“ students would eke out the necessary money, they would be accused of being financially aided by the IMRO and in that way discouraged from enrolling. The ambitious beginning of the Faculty’s operation (11 scholarly departments, top scholarly and educational staff, well equipped library) was the fruit of personal devotion and zeal of two professors - Tihomir Ostojic and Radoslav Grujic who launched several important institutions: The Skopje Scholarly Association, the Museum of South Serbia, the People’s University etc.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 23-41
  • Page Count: 19
  • Language: Serbian