Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1948, Page 121

ÞINGTIÐINDI
103
It is my conviction, after attending numer-
°us meetings and interviewing numbers of
wdividuals, that people of Icelandic extraction
l'ave a strong desire to create something of
'alue and significance. In 1944 while Presi-
dent of the University of Manitoba, Dr. Sidnev
■Smith stated that Icelandic Literature con-
tatns unusually rich material in poetry and
P'ose and that the study of this Literature
"ould open an field of investigation in com-
paiative Philology, particularly in old English
a"d old German. Dr. Smith added that the
I niversity of Manitoba has the best collection
°f Icelandic books of any Canadian University
and that with the single exception of Reykja-
' ík, Winnipeg has the largest Icelandic popula-
hon of any city and therefore is strategically
s'tuated to readily become the leading institu-
tlon °I higher learning in Canada for the
s'udy of Icelandic.
The time has now come when definite de-
utsions must be made, policies established and
uction taken if the Chair is to become a
uality. it ís 0j fjjg utmost importance that the
cnient of uncertainty and possible disappoint-
1110111 should be eliminated at the start.
°r lSomc months past, representatives of
arious Icelandic organizations have been meet-
g to1 'hc purpose of consolidating plans
1101 'v°uld ensure the success of such an
'otaking. A final meeting of this temporary
cotnmittee was held on June the 6th last. It
s unanimously agreed that immediate steps
u be taken to organize a campaign to
ask ^ ^Un<^s to “'ahlish the Chair and I was
a to acccpt the responsibility of setting up
permanent committee to be constituted of
men anri
su ° women "’h° are now prepared to
PPort the project with financial contribu-
tlons of $1000.00 or more.
n'lte you to become a charter member of
coi'dc l"11"1*1106 wblcb "id be known and re-
laiKp^ 3S ^1C* toun<Icrs °£ the Chair in Ice-
'ersiC LangUag° and Litcraturc at the Uni-
bc sny of Manitoba. The first $100,000.00 is to
oh' °nated by Ihe Founders. To reach that
°ujective ú ■
Ifom ’ 1 ls necessary that contributions
uiade °nC t0 tGn lbousand doliars or more be
has b n°W WhCU thÍS obíective o£ $100,000.00
F0U0(|en leacbed> or exceeded if possible, the
Cts "ld tuake such arrangements as are
deemed necessary and proper to invite public
subscriptions to the end that the fund would
eventually reach at least $150,000.00.
You will be interested to know that at this
time there is already on deposit with the Uni-
versity of Manitoba, bonds or cash to the
value of $65,000.00. This money has been
donated or placed in the fund with the explicit
understanding that if the sum reaches $100,-
000.00 on or before January lOth, 1949, it will
be available for the purpose of establishing
the said Chair, otherwise it is to be returned to
the donors, or disposed of as they may direct.
I have received a letter from Dr. A. W. True-
man, President of the University of Manitoba,
in which he assures me that he will recommend
to the Board of Governors, the establishment
of the Chair as soon as adequate financial sup-
port is assured.
Our hope is that before the end of the year
the Founders will be able to announce that
the first objective lias been reached.
We would consider it an honor if you would
associate yourself with the Founders. Kindly
notify me of your decision at the earliest pos-
sible date.
Yours sincerely,
1>. H. T. Thorlakson, M.D.
Rakti dr. sögu málsins og tilgreindi ýmsar
mótbárur og gaf svar við þeim.
Lagði ritari til að skýrsla dr. Thorlákssonar,
sem er formaður milliþinganefndarinnar í
málinu, sé viðtekin, stutt af mörgum og sam-
þykl.
Bar þá dr. Beck í fráföllum próf Tryggva
Olesons, formanns nefndarinnar í háskólamál-
inu fram skýrslu þingnefndarinnar í því máli.
Skýrsla þingnefndar í háskólamálinu
1 samræmi við grundvallar atriði stefnuskrár
sinnar um varðveislu íslenskra menningarerfða
og útbreiðslu þekkingar á þeim, hefir Þjóð-
ræknisfélagið frá því snemma á starfstíð sinni
litið svo á, að stofnun kennaraembættis í ís-
lensktim fræðum við Manitoba-háskóla væri
eitt hið mesta framtak, sem Islendingar gætu
innt af hendi í þessari álfu; og hefir sú stefna
haldist óbreytt. Stofnun slíks kennaraembættis
yrði einstætt afrek meðal Islendinga erlendis.