65° - 01.09.1967, Qupperneq 26

38. The ideal wife should be a) a good house-
wife b) sexually pleasing c) a good mother d)
a good cook e) have similar interests.
39. Although most Reykjavikans feel publicly
engaged couples should not cohabit constantly
before marriage, most of them have actually lived
together.
40. Most Reykjavikans feel that young people
should not have sexual relations before engage-
ment. Most of them have, however, copulated be-
fore becoming engaged and also before they met
their marriage partners.
41. Since there is no stigma against unwed
mothers and a girl can always rely on her mother
to take care of her child, Icelandic girls do not
“need” to worry about contraceptives. (The re-
searcher visited several families where the mother
had little children of her own but joyfully took
care of her daughter’s child also and said she
would be happy to care for any further illegi-
timate children of her daughter.)
42. A child is nearly always welcome no matter
what the surroundings into which it is born.
43. Although the engaged couple are viewed
as one irrevocable unit, e.g. they usually receive
common gifts for their future home even when
they are engaged, and although most Reykjavik-
ans have been publicly engaged, the majority of
them view engagement as an unnecessary institu-
tion.
44. Extensive alcoholism, insanity and repeated
adultery are the only things considered uncondi-
tional divorce grounds by those interviewed. Most
people feel that one adulterous side-step is natural
and forgiveable.
45. Most men and women feel that the woman
has too many rights in all aspects of divorce, in-
cluding declaration of divorce and division of
property.
46. Most Reykjavikans feel it doesn’t matter
whether the future spouse has similar education
or comes from a similar economic or family
background. They feel it ideal enough to have
known each other for quite a while and have
similar intelligence, but feel it necessary that
their outlook on life be similar.
47. Most feel 3—4 children would be the ideal
number.
48. Someone who has been mentally ill but has
been cured has very little chance of finding a
spouse since most people feel that mental illness
would be inherited. This is in direct proportion
Continued on page 34.
TO GO OR NOT TO GO-
THAT’S THE QUESTION
by AMALIA LINDAL
It is a stormy morning with high winds and sheets
of rain hurling past the windows.
It is seven in the morning as housewife Inga
starts breakfast and wonders whether she ought
to trust her small children, ages seven and nine,
to school. The eleven year old has to walk a long
distance, but she is sturdy. However, even she will
be soaking when she arrives and will have to spend
the four hours in school in damp clothes. That
means sniffles the next day and then a cold. What
shall she do?
Her husband sets off for work as usual, for
wind and weather stop no man who has a job.
But there remains the children.
She can take them to school herself, one at a
time, but her mornings are precious because the
shopping must be done and dinner prepared by
twelve. The weather bureau recording says high
winds, but she can see that from her window.
Furthermore the wind in midtown might be quite
different from the howling witch she hears here
in the suburbs. She wants advice. If she doesn’t
send the children, will they be marked absent?
In any case it means a phone call to the principal
either to ask permission for absence or explain
why they are not coming today. But education
is important. She doesn’t want them to miss the
time. Should she call her neighbors to ask what
they will do? How bad is the weather, really?
She feels a little guilty staying at home when even
the young ones must go out.
Then there are the children themselves. The
youngest is doing fine and loves school. He hates
to break his record of steady attendance. He can-
not, should not be persuaded to stay home. He
is already fastening his jacket with scared deter-
mination.
The next youngest doesn’t want to go anyway.
He skimmed over his homework, he doesn’t like
his teacher and feels learning is so boring. There-
fore he is coughing hopefully to indicate he is
not feeling as well he looks. Still, she knows that
if he is allowed to break the pattern of going to
school, his problem will become worse.
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