Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.04.1976, Page 2

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 1. APRIL 1976
Högberg-J|etmökrmsla ©rlla it itt Enulirili
GOVERNOR SKULI
by GRIMUR THOMSEN
Translation Bjorn Jonsson
Colossal waves he brings to the boil
the savage Icelandic springstorm.
The knorr embraces and drowns in its coil
the treacherous Midgard Sea Orm.
The crests of the rollers are cleft by the keel
so broken they groan and crumble,
and hardfisted Aegir brings to heel
the barques, as they moan and grumble.
The raging daughters of Aegir’s deep
in whitecrested dance are swirling,
and everything loose off the deck they sweep
with their skirts, in the abyss hurling.
Sails are shattered and rigging rent,
with splintered masts it wallows,
as over the ship the foam is sent
and some of the crew it swallows.
The others to pray at the bulkhead retreat,
though at prayers they were not astounding.
The captain despairs as the billowing sheet
berserk on the hull goes pounding.
On board was old Skuli, a governor brave,
in seafaring voyages seasoned,
he ventured out on the whitecapped wave
for the fourteenth time, it is reasoned.
Skuli kept cool though the ship caromed,
appraising the situation.
In full regalia, finely groomed,
he appeared the man of station.
Stout in bearing and stout in mind,
with stately jewels beaming,
splendidly shone the gold on his hand,
his eyes like fire gleaming.
Now Skuli did the crew thus scold:
“How long will you whine and snivel?
Though here it be cold, it is hot, I am told,
in Hell, so quit your drivel!
“You shan’t be spared the taste of the swell,
as sunk in your bunks you cower,
nor will you be late for bed in Hell
though you fight till you sap your power!”
Chorus: Cool winds and stiff from the Esja still blow.
The men from the outpörts don’t shy from it though.
This sermon rekindled their courage, and now
they bailed and the rigging tightened,
and Skuli to windward pointed the prow
and kept the ship steady and rightened.
The tempest abated and winds now fair
in Oslo gave them safe landing,
Where Skuli addressed them: “In your despair
you saw me in splendour standing
afore you, in the foundering scow,
the elements vainly flaunting,
but so did the waves that broke on the bow,
their reckless grandeur vaunting! •
I could do no less, my lads, and then,
had f‘lost at sea” read our synopsis,
it would have been seen that we were men,
and ours were not dogs’ corpses!”
ANNUAL SPRING DINNER AND DANCE
Each year the Icelandic-
Canadian community in Win
nipeg welcomes spring by
holding a banquet and dance
normally sponsored by the
Icelandic Canadian Club.
This year the affair will be
an event of cooperation be-
tween members of the Ice-
landic Canadian Glub an$
Eric Lorne Stefanson, for-
merly of Gimli, was one of
the 53 graduates at the re-
cent Convocation Exercises
of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Manitoba.
The President of the Insti-
tute of Chartered Account-
ants of Manitoba, Charles
Curtis, F. C. A., announced
the results of the 1975 Uni-
form Final Examination and
said that Manitoba candi-
dates achieved a pass per-
centage mark of 82.4 per
cent, the highest percentage
pass achieved by a provin-
cial institute in Canada since
the introduction of the Uni-
form Final Examination in
1939. This year’s results com-
pare to a national average
pass percentage of 55.5 per
cent.
Eric was born in Gimli
and received his elementary
and secondary education at
Gimli. During his final year
he was president of the stu-
dent council and gave the
valedictory address. T h i s
was in 1968. In the fall of
1968, Eric enrolled at the
University of Manitoba and
received his B.A. degree in
1971. Then he enrolled in
post graduate studies and
took his first year of Pre
Masters in Political Science.
In 1972 he enrolled in chart-
ered accountancy and ar-
ticled with Stefanson & Co.,
chartered accountants.
Eric has three' brothers: Tom
C.A., who owns the firm
of Stefanson & Co., Charter-
ed Accountants; Dennis, B.A.
and B.Ed., principal of St.
James Collegiate; and Kris,
B.A., L.L.B., a crown prose-
cutor with the Attorney
General’s department. In
1972, Eric married Myrna
Graham, daughtér of Mr.
and Mrs. Alf Graham, for-
merly of Beaver and now of
Portage la Prairie. Eric and
Myrna have two children.
During his high school
years and university days
Eric was very active in
sports, particularly in hock-
ey. In minor hockey he was
on three Gimli M.A.H.A.
Frón Chapter of the Iceland-
ic National League of North
America.
Guest speaker will be Nor
man Bergman, who is well
known in the Icelandic com-
munity, recognized as a civic
leader and administrator in
Winnipeg and Brandon. His
theme will be “Looking Bac-
chamoionship teams, Ban-
tam B.B.’s in 1964-65 and on
two champion juvenile
teams, in 1967-68 and 1968-
69. Subsequently he played
for the Selkirk Steelers in
the major junior Íeague. Fol-
lowing this he played for the
Gimli Wolves, who won
their league championship
on two or three occasions.
He was president of the
Gimli Youth Club, which
raised money towards the
artificial ice plant for the
arena. The club also hosted
a high school class from
Quebec.
Eric is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Eric Stefanson of Gim-
li, Manitoba. His father is a
former member of parlia-
ment for Selkirk and at
present is the general man-
ager of the Interlake Devel-
opment Corporation Inc.
ward Into the Future.” Greg
Nordman and Linda Egerer
will provide a musical coda
to the talk. They are both
well known to Winnipeggers
who have seen them perform
at Folklorama events.
This will be the first form-
al gathering of our people
under the auspices of the
newly effected amalgamat-
ion of the Icelandic Canad-
ian Club and Frón Chapter
of the Icelandic National
League. The new organizat-
ion needs your support, and
at the banquet, the reasons
for the amalgamation will be
outlined — the need for
bringing together the diversi
fied resources of the com-
munity, if a viable ethnic un-
it is to be maintained.
The dinner and dance tak-
es place at the Fort Garry
Hotel, Saturday evening,
April 10, with cocktails at
6.30, dinner at 7.00 and danc-
ing to start at 9:00. Tickets
are $8.50 per person and are
available from:
Viking Printers,
868 Arlington Street.
Or, the following phone
numbers:
Mr. Dori Stefansson
338-7197
Mr. William Helgason,
889-7372
Mrs. Iris Torfason,
889-9982
BANQUET and DANCE
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN CLUB
with cooperation of
FRÓN CHAPTER I. N. L.
SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1976
HOTEL FORT GARRY — MAIN FLOOR
REFRESHMENTS 6.30 p.m. — DINNER 7.00 p.m.
PROGRAM:
Toast to the Queen
Toast to the President of Iceland
Grace, Pastor John Arvidson
DINNER
Chairman’s Remarks — Dóri Stefansson and
Iris Torfason, President Frón
Vocal selection — Linda Egerer and Greg Nordman
accompanied by Judy Turner
Address — Norman Bergman —
“Looking Backwards Into the Future”
Vocal Solo — Greg Nordman
God Save the Queen
Eldgamla ísafold
DANCE
Directed by Ted Arnason, H. Rafferty Music Man.
Admission to Dinner and Dance $8.50 per person
Graduates from Institute of Chartered
Accountants