Lögberg-Heimskringla - 19.12.1986, Blaðsíða 8

8-ALDARAFMÆLISÁR, FÖSTUDAGUR 19. DESEMBER 1986
Jólakveðja:
Jólasvísa eftir Stephan G.
Stephansson
Senn styttist nú húmið og
haustnóttin löng
Og hækkar á loftinu sólin —
En hvi skyldi ég vera að syngja ykkur
söng
Sem sjálf hafið kvæðin um jólin?
Þið vitið, eg á ekkert andríkis flug
Og er ekki á kórsöngva laginn.
Og lagið sem ómar mér efst upp í hug
A illa við hátíða-braginn.
Hver almennings gleðifrétt eru mín
jól,
Sem ákveða ei timinn né höfin.
Hver mannkynsins ljósrönd míin
langdegis sól,
Eins ljúf er mér vaggan og gröfin —
Svo rétt mér út hátíðar-hugann þinn
fjær,
Og hjartað eins langt, í ið skemsta,
Sem lýður þinn byggir, sem landið
þitt nær,
Sem ljóð þitt er kveðið ið fremsta.
Og barnið í jötunni, Messias minn
Er manngöfgið það sem við höfum.
Og englarnir mínir er hópurinn hinn
Með hörpurnar, mannval í gröfum.
Og sá sem að glatast til heljar, er hann
Sem harðýðgin þjáir og beygir,
Sem á hvorki málstað né
árnaðarmann,
Sem átroðning líður og þegir.
Og við þykjumst all-flestir upprofið
sjá
Og árbrún af fegurri tíðum —
En vökuna stytta til morgunverks má
Á meðan við þraugum og bíðum.
Svo tak þú hans málstað, er segir þér
satt
Og svikin og ranglætið hatar.
Og sendu þar jólakvöld góðvilja-glatt
Sem guðspakka-skinið ei ratar.
Og halt uppi virðing hvers
verðleika-manns,
Ef vanþökk tróð gröf hans í eyði
Þá græddu þó meið yfir moldinni
hans
Til minja, og hiúðu að því leiði.
Og lát ei þá grunsemd þig fæla því frá
Hvort faðir þinn réði því svona —
Að bæta úr flónsku sem feðrum varð
á
Er fremdarverk ættgóðra sona.
Til hans væri — gleymt livort hann
árvakur er! —
Ei óskylt að nú væri munað,
Sem settist við kveldlampann kyrlátt
hjá þér
Og kveikti þar fegurð og unað —
En lágt stígur hún, þessi hátiðasól,
í hávetrar rökkvaða geiminn.
Og stundleg þau verða og stutt þessi
jól,
Og staðlaus, því við erum gleymin.
Það jólar að ári, það helzt við í heirn',
Þó helgidags boðskapnum linni.
Og kannske við glöggvum þá
hátíðahreim
I hálfkveðnu vísunni minni.
Og ef til vill hugsast oss hátturinn sá,
Að hátíðir fylgist með sólum,
Svo við höldum, góði minn, þríheilagt
þá
Og þrettándann teljum með jólum.
Interview with Dr. George Johnson —
Manitoba's new Lieutenant-Governor
Dr. George Johnson was made honorary member of the Icelandic
National League Feb. 28, 1968. Here he is seen with the late Jóhann
Hafstein from Iceland.
Dr. George Johnson was appointed
lieutenant-governor in Manitoba
November 14. Four days later he
celebrated his 66th birthday and that
same day he agreed to answer a few
questions. Never before has an editor
of Lögberg-Heimskringla, in 100
years, had the opportunity of meeting
a lieutenant-governor of Icelandic
descent. The appointment of Dr.
George Johnson to that position
marks history for Icelanders in North
America, as he is the first Icelander
ever to be appointed.
Although Dr. George Johnson is
well-known in the Icelandic com-
munity, it is quite fitting to give a
brief genealogical account; after all,
such is the Icelandic tradition. His
father was Jónas George Jónsson
(Jack Jónas' parents were Halldór
Jónsson, born at Hólar in Hjaltadal
August 14, 1865 (died in Winnipeg
June 11, 1930), and Sigurlaug Sæunn
Jóhannsdóttir, born February 4, 1854
(died August 21, 1933). Dr. Johnson's
mother was Laufey Benediktsdóttir,
born October 1898. She was the
daughter of Benedikt Jónsson and
Kristín Baldvinsdóttir.
Dr. George Johnson is married to
Doris Blöndal. Her parents were
Ágúst Theodore Blöndal, born July 8,
1889, doctor in Winnipeg (died
January 6, 1948). His wife was
Guðrún Stefánsdóttir, born August 5,
1894. Dr. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson
have six children: Janis Guðrún, Jen-
nifer Ann, Daniel George, Jón
Blöndal, Joanne Margret and Gillian
Kristín.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
I had never met Dr. George
Johnson or his wife Doris so I did not
know what to expect as I knocked on
the door at their house on 299
Waverley St., Tuesday, November 18
at 8:30 p.m. I knew it was Dr.
Johnson's 66th birthday and that he
had just been appointed Manitoba's
next lieutenant-governor. To me that
seemed reason enough to postpone
our meeting, but he insisted I visit.
His daughter Janis greeted me at the
door and before I knew it, I had been
introduced to family members
attending his birthday party by Mrs.
Johnson and, of course, Dr. Johnson.
It isn't hard to describe the warmth
I immediately felt. I felt at home,
welcome, greeted by a truly Icelan-
dic family. Young children played,
adults chatted; it seemed as if nothing
particular had happened. Dr.
Johnson led me to his study and I
fired away, "Where were you born?"
"I was born on Lipton Street. As
you know, this was the heart of the
Icelandic community in Winnipeg. I
recall going to Sunday School; the
LJnitarian Church was on the corner
of Banning and Sargent, and the First
Lutheran Church on Victor. 1 went
to the First Lutheran Church partly
because my father did, but also
because they had the best hockey
team. We had a good team. We used
to compete in a league of 20-25 teams
and often came oUt on top. We
played our games at the corner of
Home and Sargent. My father was
very active in sports and assisted us
boys. Our teachers or coaches were
the old Falcons and my heroes were
Konni Johannesson, Frank Fred-
rikson and Mike Goodman. Konni
lived down the street. He and the
others were friends of my father's.
Oh, we were all very proud of the
Falcons.”
Question: Hockey has never been
a very popular sport in Iceland. Why
did the Icelanders in Canada take
such interest?
Answer: "Well, I think there wag
very little else to do. Take Mike
Goodman for example. He lived next
to the arena. There was no television
or anything like that, so they took up
skating. The two Goodman girls —
Mike's two sisters — I saw them play
hockey and believe me, they were
fantastic hockey players . . . better
than most men. Mike, of course,
became a champion speed-skater but
always enjoyed his hockey. You
heard about when he was in Belgium
at the Olympics? When the fellow
wanted to buy his skates? Well, the
poor man was convinced Mike had
motors in them and offered good
money. Icelanders were excellent
skaters. There is another story: Once
the Falcons had to play in Toronto —
it was a final game. They won the
game 9-5, but their biggest problem
on the Toronto team was an
Icelander from Winnipeg who was
studving dentistry at the University
of Toronto.”
Question: Was there ever any
competition between the Interlake
Icelanders and the Winnipeg
Icelanders?
Answer: "No. I think hockey did
not develop in the Interlake as it did
in Winnipeg; mainly because they
did not have the same competition.
Some outstanding hockey players
have come out of the Interlake, but
back then they did not have the com-
petition."
As Dr. Johnson reminisced about
Continued on Page 9.
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