University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

This book, The Cradle of Shkodra’s Knowledge, is about the 100-year history of the first public school in Shkodra, Albania. By focusing on this school, one of the earliest to open its doors in Albania after the declaration of independence in 1912, this monograph reflects the history of pedagogy and education in Albania between 1913 and 2013. It shows how teachers adapted to new pedagogical advancements and numerous outside pressures coming from many political regimes that Albania has undergone, including invasions during the First and Second World Wars. It compiles most of the successes that its students and teachers have had at national and international levels. Many of these students turned out to be among the leading scientists, doctors, artists, and sportsmen of Albania.

This book has a special meaning to me for two reasons: 1. My father, Fiqiret Hoxha, a teacher for 44 years, spent about four years collecting data, conducting interviews, screening archives (according to an archive administrator, he has consulted more than 20000 authentic documents in the National Archives alone) to come up with this unique study of Albanian education. As a passionate teacher with an admirable devotion and professionalism, he dedicated himself and all of his energies to the education of thousands students for decades. However, he wanted to work on this project before his retirement to leave a tangible contribution to the history of education in Albania. He worked tirelessly and selflessly, day and night, even during family vacations, and continued to be an example for me with his passion for education. 2. This is the school where I took the first steps of my lifetime journey in the quest for knowledge. As the title states, this school has been my personal cradle of knowledge.