Lögberg-Heimskringla - 31.01.1963, Blaðsíða 4

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LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 31. JANÚAR 1963
Lögberg-Heimskringla
Published every Th'ursday by
NORTH AMERICAN PUBLISHING CO. LT.D.
• Printed by
WALLINGFORD PRESS LTD.
303 Kennédy Street, Winnipeg 2, Man.
Editor: INGIBJÖRG JÓNSSON
EDITORIAL BOARD
Winnipeg: Dr. P. H. T. Thorlakson, chairman, Próf. Haraldur
Bessason, vice-chairman, Mrs. Ingibjörg Jónsson, sec’y, Dr.
Valdimar J. Eylands, Miss Caroline Gunnarsson, Prof. Thor-
valdur Johnson, Prof. Tryggvi J. Oleson, Rev. Philip M. Péturs-
son. Vancouver: Dr. S. E. Björnsson. Monlreal: Próf. Áskell
Löve. Minneapolis: Mr. Valdimar Björnson. Grand Forks: Dr.
Richard Beck. Reykjavík: Birgir Thorlacius ráðuneytisstjóri.
Akureyri: Steindór Steindórsson yfirkennari.
Subscription $6.00 per year—payable in advance.
TELEPHONE WH. 3-9931
Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa.
and for payment of postage in cash.
Afmælisblaðið
Blöðin okkar vestan hafs hafa ávalt leitast við að verja
okkur gegn helstæðum gleymskunnar, sem í önnum og um-
svifum hversdagslífsins, sækja á að vefjast um svo margt,
sem okkur er í raun og veru óumræðilega kært — „það allt,
sem merkir mig í anda frá mönnum allra þjóða og landa.“ —
Þessi útgáfa Lögbergs-Heimskringlu kemur út í tilefni
sjötíu og fimm ára afmælis Lögbergs. Við minnumst aðallega
sögu okkar í þessari álfu, þó erum við ekki óminnug á upp-
runa okkar. Við erum rík; við eigum ekki aðeins Vínland
hið góða, við eigum ættland okkar svo lengi sem við gleym-
um ekki tungu, sögu og bókmenntum þess. Sá Vestur-íslend-
ingur, sem heimsækjir ísland, finnur hve frændsemisböndin
eru sterk — hve mikill Islendingur er í honum; hann er
gripinn fögnuði þegar hann sér þetta einkennilega fagra land
í fyrsta sinn og heyrir börnin mæla á íslenzku og hann skilur
tilfinningar þeirra, sem flutt hafa af íslandi og koma „heim“
eftir margra ára fjarveru. —
Ritstjórinn hefði ekki komið út þessu minningarblaði, ef
hann hefði ekki notið drengilegrar og náinnar samvinnu
ritnefndarinnar, ekki sízt formanns hennar, Dr. P. H. T.
Thorlakson, að ógleymdri útgáfunefndinni, einkanlega gjald-
keranum, K. W. (Bill) Johannson. Þessi útgáfa L.-H. er okkar
allra og það ber hún með sér. Við leyfðum okkur að taka 1
lið með okkur nokkur af skáldum okkar, því þau kunna að
klæða hugsanir okkar og tilfinningar í fegurri búning en
okkur hinum er auðið. — Okkur þykir fyrir að við höfðum
ekki við hendina myndir af öllum fyrri ritstjórum Lögbergs
né öllum útgefendum, er lögðu á sig mikið og óeigingjarnt
starf í þágu Lögbergs, en þeir gleymast ekki.
Við þökkum allar hinar hlýju kveðjur og vinsamlegu bréf
sem blaðinu hafa borist í tilefni af afmælinu, við hefðum
gjarnan viljað birta kafla úr mörgum bréfanna því í þeim er
margt vel sagt, en vegna rúmleysis var engin vegur til þess.
Margir vinir blaðsins sendu því afmælisgjafir, er gerðu okkur
kleypt að vanda til útgáfunnar og hafa hana stærri en venju-
lega; þökk sé þeim og einnig þeim, er pöntuðu mörg auka-
eintök af blaðinu til að senda vinum sínum og reyna þannig
að auka útbreiðslu L.-H.
Vænt þætti okkur um að fá fleiri fréttabréf úr byggðum
íslendinga, ekkert er lesendum kærkomnara. Aukið vinsældir
blaðsins með því að senda því fréttabréf og úrklippur úr blöð-
um, er Islendinga varða sérstaklega.
„Áfram svo í aldaráfangann."
Dr. P. H. T. Thorlakson:
Prospects For The Future
The future prospects of an
Icelandic language newspaper
in North America is a matter
of concern to many people. It
is, indeed, a question of some
urgency. The issues involved
are, in fact, fundamental to
the survival of an effective
co-hesive force among peoples
of Icelandic descent.
On the basis of past ex-
perience what are some of the
specific problems that con-
front an Icelandic newspaper
in North America?
Twenty-five years’ ago a
re-organization became neces-
sary to assure the continued
publication of Lögberg. It was
obvious at that date that the
competition between two Ice-
landic weekly papers in the
same city for news, special
articles and advertising was
unwarranted. It was com-
monly predicted in the late
nineteen thirties that the life
expectancy of the papers was
about ten to fifteen years.
Negotiations were started then
to bring about an amalgama-
tion. Twenty years’ later, this
union was effected.
Admittedly, the publica-
tions have been generously
subsidized by grants from Ice-
land and by donation from
public-minded citizens. We
have carried on with this type
nf deficit financing for over
25 years. The fact that sub-
scriptipn inqpme . and adver-
tising revepiie' combined do
not fully support a paper is
not sufficient reason for dis-
continuing its publication.
Many cultural and news
media on this continent have
their regular incomes aug-
mented by private financial
support. Financial aid is
necessary but assistance in
obtaining news and special
articles is equally vital to the
success of the paper.
We need more readers who
support the paper with their
annual subscriptions. We must
devise ways and means to in-
erease the number of paid
subscribers. In this connection
the “Friends of Lögberg-
Heimskringla” can be of the
greatest assistance.
In considering the prospects
for the future, we should try
to answer two questions: Does
an Icelandic paper supply a
need? What would be the ef-
fects on the groups served by
the paper should its publica-
tion cease?
The Editorial Board of Lög-
berg-Heimskringla has at-
tempted to reach a wider
circle of readers by introduc-
ing special sections. Last year
a series of Easy Lessons in
Icelandic was begun. To in-
terest another group there
have been occasional articles
in English. A Women’s Section
,has been an interesting
feature for many years. The
section on “Looking Back-
wards” has received favorable
comments from many readers.
The section dealing with
recent news from Iceland is
extremely important.
For those of us who can
speak, read and understand
Icelandic but who hesitate to
write in Icelandic, the paper
does serve to sustain an
interest in the language. We
are greatly indebted to those
gifted people who continue to
write in the Icelandic lang-
uage. For the older people who
look forward to reading some
of the news in Icelandic, its
discontinuance would repre-
sent a great loss. The paper
also serves as an essential
link with our relatives and
friends in Iceland. For these
and other reasons, the con-
tinued support of the paper is
justified.
What are the possible con-
sequences should the Ice-
landic paper no longer be
printed and circulated to
readers on the North Amer-
ican continent and in Iceland?
Icelandic organizations on this
continent would probably
cease to exist in their present
form. Even the organizations
that conduct their meetings in
English will change when the
senior members who now
speak and read Icelandic are
no longer active. It is the
enthusiasm of the senior
.members that maintains the
interest of the younger group
in the organization. It-could
.become increasingly difficult.
to maintain close and effective
liaison with Iceland, its insti-
tutions and its people.
The student interested in
the history of the Icelandic
communi.ties on this continent
will... aíways iind important
source material in the col-
umns of the Icelandic papers
that have been published for
over 75 years. This “Cele-
bration Issue” itself represents
a valuable historical record.
The Editorial Board is work-
ing on a project that will en-
courage the publication of
articles of historical signi-
ficance and which will be of
great interest to our readers.
The paper is now being sent
to people living in over 100
communities in North Am-
erica as well as to Iceland.
This serves to indicate its
potential role in maintaining
a bond of union between
people of Icelandic descent.
All the foregoing mentioned
factors combined represent
the measure of the need for
,the paper and the extent of
its continuing responsibility.
It is stated that the Ice-
landic people of Canada and
the United States will gradu-
ally merge completely into
the life stream of a new
nation and thereby lose their
identity. This blending pro-
cess has, however, only begun.
We should not pretend that
it has been completed. Neither
should we say that because
it will ultimately happen that
we should now “pull in our
oars” and make no further
effort.
Some prominent profes-
sional educators are now advo-
cating a more positive ap-
proach to the conservation of
the “language power poten-
tial” possessed by many of the
pupils entering public school.
Efforts are being made in
some places to encourage and
assist the pupil to retain an
interest in his or her other
language. These are hopeful
signs. If this had been the
attitude forty or fifty years’
ago, what a difference it could
have made for many of us. In
addition to the two or some-
times three languages spoken
in our homes, we studied
Latin and French or German.
There was little incentive in
school or University to study
Icelandic or any other lan-
guages than those proscribed
in the curriculum. This, I am
sure, will change with time.
The danger, of course, is that
it may already be too late!
The present clamor in the
Province of Quebec for a
greater recognition of the
bicultural and bilingual status
in Canada will, it is hoped,
bring public attention to the
fact that Canada is, in reality,
a multi-cultural nation and
that this third important in-
fluence should not be ignored.
A Royal Commission will
likely be appointed in the near
future to study. the problem
and bring in recommend-
ations. It would be surprising
if a broader approach to lan-
guage studies would not
evolve. When that happens,
Icelandic (Old Norse) will
then be acknowledged by our
educational authorities as the
classic language of Northern
Europe and basic to the study
of English. Those of us who
have studied Old English in
College, recognize the ad-
vantage of having had some
basic knowledge of Icelandic.
This experience emphasizes
the close kinship between
Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse
or Icelandic.
The perpetual insistence on
English and French only pro-
vokes antagonisms and re-
awakens old enmities. This
is, of course, unreasonable
but unfortunately true among
a small vocal section af Can-
adians. We should rather
place emphasis on the im-
portance of learning and
speaking at least two lan-
guages — any two languages.
Over 75% of interested people
would learn English and
French and in time this
feeling of antipathy would
disappear. Give the min-
ority groups some free-
dom of choice. What is
fair and reasonable for one
group of Canadians should be
equally so for others. We must
recognize the present diff-
erences in our population —
that is good — but to make
an issue of these differences
and to exclude in this national
debate consideration of all
languages except English and
French, can only do harm to
national unity and national
progress.
In the final analysis, the
greatest promise for the
future lies in our individual
and collective efforts to be
loyal to the best in our
traditions, cognizant of the
needs and aspirations of
others in our group, tolerant
and understanding in our
judgments, steadfast in our
purpose and worthy of the
trust that may from time to
time and under ever-changing
circumstances be placed upon
us.
In celebrating the 75th
anniversary of Lögberg and
having recently (1961) cele-
brated the 75th anniversary of
Heimskringla, we should,
without delay, make plans to
assure that a North American
Icelandic publication will con-
tinue. The form and contents
may change with the passage
of time but with proper
direction and energetic plann-
ing, Lögberg-Heimskringla,
will, we hope, celebrate its
“joint centennial” in ap-
proximately 25 years.