Tímarit Þjóðræknisfélags Íslendinga - 01.01.1966, Page 66

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TÍMARIT ÞJÓÐRÆKNISFÉLAGS ÍSLENDINGA
To enliven proceedings, the Society
Bards wrote a verse or limerick
about each contestant — this was
sung by the student body as each
contestant took the platform. I use
the term singing, but you can judge
how much singing there was —
there was at any rate boisterous
noise. In 1909, Johannes Palsson
wrote a student song to be sung at
the oratorical contest. This was the
song “Ó, hlustið nú á sögu vora” —
it was sung by soloist and chorus —
Gordon Paulson was the soloist. The
following year, Joe Johannsson
wrote a new song, “Vér allir dýrk-
um dísir tvær”. These concerts were
very popular — the public evidently
enjoyed the high boisterous spirits
of the young people.
The students’ paper “Aurora” was
begun in the fall of 1909, I believe.
It contained social gossip, humorous
skits, and more pretentious literary
articles. This paper was never print-
ed, but was read at meetings — this
paper was well received and met
with considerable success.
The Society presented the play,
“Hún iðrast” in 1910. This was an
original play by J. P. Palsson — this
was very well received — it seems
to me it was presented three times
— first two evenings in succesion
and then again about a month later.
What plays were presented the fol-
lowing years, I do not remember.
The principal roles in this play were
taken by Gordon Paulson and
Magnea Bergmann (Mrs. Paulson).
One of the chief aims in presenting
a play was to raise money to loan to
needy students. I believe consider-
able money was raised and loans
were made to students. It seems to
me that the original intention was
that no one student should receive
more than $50 — at least not more
than $50 in any one year. The ori-
ginal intention was that the reci-
pients should pay back these loans,
after graduation. I was never ac-
quainted with the particulars of
these loans. It was my impression
that several students received loans
— whether any of them were ever
paid back, I have no idea.
During the years I was there, Re-
verend Jon Bjarnason was honorary
president of the society. After the
split in the Icelandic Synod an at-
tempt was made to make Reverend
F. J. Bergmann honorary president
— this was ill-conceived, and ill-
planned and met with failure — the
subject was not broached at the
meeting till Reverend Jon Bjarna-
son’s name had been placed in no-
mination. But there was quick and
heated reaction to this second no-
mination and the Reverend Jon was
elected with a very large majority.
I mention this to illustrate that there
were often differences of opinion and
heated arguments, as befitted Ice-
landers who took politics seriously
in those days.
The Society provided a social
meeting place for students, parti-
cularly for those from out of town,
who knew few people in town. It
also provided a medium where stu-
dents could gain practice and ex-
perience in appearing in public. It
was much easier for students to
appear there than on the larger stage
of the Literary Society at Wesley
College for example. I for one, look