Lögberg-Heimskringla - 20.03.1992, Blaðsíða 7

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 20. ma/s-1992 • 7
Young Reader’s Corner:
Where are the lcelanders?
A Hundred Years Ago
Heritage Not Forgotten
Lögberg, miövikudaginn
16. marz 1892
Lögberg, Wednesday,
March 16,1892
Canada
Multiculturalism and Multiculturalisme et
Citizenship Canada Citoyennete Canada
by Frank Sigurdson
The Icelanders were always mak-
*ng plans to improve the settlement.
They believed that getting a good
education would lead to success.
They also knew that they had to
learn English in order to do well in
Canada. A school was one of the
first services set up to help the peo-
Ple. Caroline, John Taylor’s niece,
taught English to those who could
attend, John Taylor provided reli-
gious services for the people, and
there was even a hand-written news-
Paper published.
A meeting was called to talk about
buying a printing press. As a result,
they formed a company called “The
New Iceland Printing Company”
and sold shares for ten dollars each.
A printing press was bought in
Minneapolis and the first issue of a
Paper called Fram/arj (Progress) was
ready on September 10, 1877. In
the first issue, it was pointed out
that a separate district and an Ice-
landic newspaper were needed to
Preserve the Icelandic heritage.
A highlight in the events of the
new settlement was a visit on Sep-
tember 14, 1877, by Lord Dufferin,
^be Governor General of Canada.
J^e was the one who had helped the
tcelanders to get to New Iceland.
Lord Dufferin was full of praise and
told them again about the high opin-
ion he had of them. He also told
them to keep their confidence in
the future and to adapt to their new
land, but at the same time preserve
their ancient cultural heritage.
In an article for the Icelandic
Canadian in 1961, P.H.T.
Thorlakson quoted the following
from Lord Dufferin’s speech:
Ihave not entered a singlehut or
cottage in the settlemtn which did
notcontain, no matterhow bare the
walls, or scanty the furniture, a li-
brary of twenty to thirty volumes;
and I am informed that there is
scarcely a child amongst you who
cannot read or write.
Lord Dufferin’s words must have
made the Icelandic settlers happy,
because they have always been
proud of their books.
The author, a retired school prin-
cipal, is the son of Jón and Sigrún
Sigurðsson from Vidir, Manitoba. Jón
came to New Iceland with his parents
in 1883 and settled in the Hnausa area.
Later, he took a homestead in Vidir.
There he had the post office and be-
came councillor and later reeve of the
Municipality of Bifrost.
Nýtt tilboö
viövikjandi Lögbergi
Nýir kaupendur sem senda oss
einn dollar og fimmtíu cent, fyrir
blað vort, fá það frá byrjun þessa
árgangs og auk þess það sem út var
komið við byrjun árgangsins af
sögunni Allan Quatermain. Þeir sem
senda og 25<J. í viðbót fá fyrir þau
hverja sem þeir vilja af þessum
sögum: Hedri Myrtur í vagni og
Umhverfis jörðina á 80 dögum, svo
lengi sem upplagið hrekkur.
Lögberg Print. & Publ. Co.
A new offer
regarding Lögberg
New buyers who send us one
dollar and fifty cents for our paper
will receive it from the beginning
of this year, and also what has
already come out of the story Allan
Quatermain. Those who send
an additional 25 <L will get any
of these stories: Hedri Murdered
in a Coach and Around the World
in 80 Days, as long as the issues
last.
Lögberg Print. & Publ. Co
IMN* iiipii
1111 F p e ::p| %0 or n te r
VIOLETS
by Bragi Magnússon
God created violets
On a dark and dreary day
It was like an afterthought
As He heard the meadows say
It gets mighty tedious
To be useful in every way
We need something beautiful
For this we humbly pray
Something bright and precious
Like children lost in play
*• People mav be dífferenl on the outside.
but ihev are no different on the inside.“
— Jnsminr Bunlain, Afoll
Our children are called the future. They come
into our world full of innocence and hope until
they are taught to distrust and, sometimes, even
to hate. Racists are made, not born.
Parents can teach their children to understand
the value of compassion, respect and
understanding of others. Or, they can sow the
seeds of intolerance, bigotry and cruelty - the
things that divide a society and keep us apart.
Racism exists in many forms and can be
found everywhere in Canada. March 21 is the
International Day for the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination. And it is Canada’s Anti-Racism
Day, a time for us all to join ihe fight against
inequality.
Let’s work together with our families and
friends to break down the barriers that divide
us. Let’s set an example for our children and
help create a world free of prejudice and
discrimination.
Let’s bring back the hope of a better tomorrow
and make it real because...
Kac'n
»uho will?
Something strikingly delicate
To smile at — if we may.
TRANSLATION OF THE
ICELANDIC POEM
“Vögguljóö”
CRADLE SONG
Sleep my dear one, sweetly slumber;
May angels hover over thee.
Thy soul all sorrows cease to remem-
ber;
Sleep my precious, sleep for me.
Sleep, sleep - sleep soundly, sweetly;
Be thy being imbued with ecstacy.
Angels on wings thy spirit winging
Into the sunny haven of dreams.
When on my pillow I was peacefully
sleeping,
With feathered comfort, in slumber se-
rene;
My saddened heart was no longer weep-
ing,
Oblivious to the unveiling scene.
And in my dream I could hear bells
ringing,
My heart seeming lighter with every
peal;
And hear the strains of sweet angels
singing,
Their blessed, beatific rapture reveal.
As in sweet repose my spirit was drift-
ing
Into the Mystic far-a-way lands;
A halo of blooms a cherub was
outfitting,
To entwine ‘round my head with her
hallowed hands.
And for my delight - angels were sing-
ing!
The heavens were bathed with beams
of light!
Then a renewed hope in my mind
started ringing
The portals of heaven had come in
sight.
By Sigrun S. Palsson