The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1945, Qupperneq 35

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
33
Icelandic Canadian Evening School
A large and enthusiastic audience
enjoyed the closing program of the Ice-
landic Canadian Evening School held
in the First Lutheran church, May 14th.
The final lecture of the season’s series,
“Icelandic literature of the 19th cen-
tury,” was given by Prof. Skuli Johnson.
Musical numbers consisted of vocal so-
los by Mrs. R. Penton and accordion
duets by two youthful performers, Joyce
Thordarson and Kenneth Clark. Recita-
tions were given in Icelandic by Mrs. E.
Richardson and Mrs. G. Bergvinson, and
an address by Mr. Murray Pippy.
Rev. V. J. Eylands spoke briefly and
congratulated the sponsors of the school
on the success of this educational ven-
ture. The fact that two of the non-Ice-
landic students of the school, Mrs. Berg-
vinson and Mr. Pippy, took part in the
program using the Icelandic language
so correctly proved, he said, what valu-
able work had already been accom-
plished.
Mrs. HolmfriSur Danielson, president
of the Icelandic Canadian club, who has
been in charge of the school, presided,
and gave a report on the season’s work,
showing that 12 lectures on the history
and literature of Iceland have been
given, and 16 periods of language study,
making a total of 28 study periods;
1600 lesson sheets for the study of the
Icelandic language have been mimeo-
graphed and distributed. Fifty students
registered for the language classes and
°f these 33 attended regularly; 8 in the
junior class, taught by Mrs. Danielson;
9 in the intermediate class, taught by
Miss Lilja Guttormson, and 15 in the
senior class, taught by Miss Salome
Halldorson.
We are proud of the brilliant per-
formance of the junior class, she said,
because most of them are not of Ice-
landic extraction and because they have
showed such a remarkable aptitude and
enthusiasm for the work, which should
serve as an incentive to the rest of us.
But, she added, let us not overlook the
really excellent work done by the stu-
dents in the other classes, who applied
themselves seriously to the study of
Icelandic grammar and literature, and
did some outstanding translations. Mrs.
Richardson who is in the intermediate
class did a prose translation of G.
J. Guttormsson’s poem ‘Sandy Bar’,
which had been studied in class during
one of the periods devoted to literature.
Miss Grace Reykdal, a member of the
senior class, completed, in verse, a trans-
lation of a long poem from the Icelandic
Reader. Adhering carefully to the sub-
ject matter, she succeeded in keeping
the structure well balanced, and creat-
ing a smooth flow of language, as this
sample of her verses will prove:
Asa steps in rythm true,
Radiant mist her dresses;
On her head a cap of blue
Brightly shine her tresses.
Wavelets play together on the yel-
low sands;
Sweetly sing the birds in green
woodlands.
The students entered whole heartedly
into their work and are so keen on
further study that they have decided to
hold classes during the summer months,
with the aid of their teachers.
The School will be re-opened next
fall and another series of lectures given.
i
I
THE
VIKING
PRESS
Limited
PRINTERS & PUBLISHERS
853 Sargent Ave.
Phone 24 185