The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Blaðsíða 5

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
3
a chair is not new. In fact discussions
were initiated about the obvious need
of doing something in that direction as
soon as “Vestur Islendingar” got their
cultural bearings here. The writer first
heard it discussed when he entered
Wesley College in the fall of 1905.
The past reveals successes that are
encouraging, failures that are dis-
appointing.
The most marked success was the est-
ablishment of a professorship in Ice-
landic at Wesley College, now United
College. The man selected, the late Rev.
Fridrik J. Bergmann, combined a spir-
itual and cultural leadership with a
masterly command of the language he
taught. He attracted students from the
Icelandic settlements far and near, was
to them not only an instructor in Ice-
landic but an advisor and a source of
inspiration. “Non scholae sed vitae dise-
imus”; we do not learn for a school, but
for life. Those who received instruction
from Rev. Bergmann became so enthus-
iastic about what was being transmitt-
ed, or rather what was being brought
out in themselves, that it became a
vital influencing force for the rest of
their lives. After that, mastery of lang-
uage and the niceties of grammar and
syntax became of very secondary im-
ortance.
Eventually the teaching of Icelandic
at the college and indeed at the univers-
ity was dropped. True, Icelandic is still
on the university curriculum, but for all
practical purposes it has disappeared.
Nothing is gained now in pointing out
that this was a retrograde step and one
to be deplored. We must accept facts
as they are.
Later the Jon Bjarnason Academy
was established. Opinion was divided
as to the wisdom of the move. Some
clung to the existing scheme of things
and wanted the teaching of Icelandic
continued at Wesley College. By that
time the university proper was in its
initial stages of expansion. Faint voices
were heard suggesting that there be a
Chair in Nordic languages at the univer-
sity.
The Jon Bjarnason Academy flourish-
ed for a number of years and then dis-
appeared. Excellent work was done but
the fact remains that it is no more. No
useful purpose is served in setting forth
arguments for or against the teaching
of Icelandic in institutions on the High
School level, or in attempting to analyze
the causes of the ultimate collapse of
the Jon Bjarnason Academy.
In the spring of 1932 Dr. Sigur&ur
Nordal visited Winnipeg. Through his
scholarship and learning, based upon
extensive studies at home and abroad,
his strong and engaging personality,
his qualities of mind which can best be
described in the Icelandic words “dreng-
ur goSur”, Dr. Nordal captivated all with
whom he came in contact. In everything
he said and urged one could feel what
was closest to his heart — islenzk
menning og varSveizla hennar — the
old Norse conception of life and its
preservation in the Icelandic language
and in the sagas and modern literature
— in short the Icelandic way of life.
The response to his plea was immed-
iate and startling. It is doubtful whether
at any time, before of after, opinion has
been so unanimous behind the project
as at the time Dr. Nordal was here. A
movement was started of an exploratory
nature to ascertain ways and means of
raising the money required to place the
proposed department on a sound fin-
ancial basis.
This movement was given a certain
amount of publicity and received gen-
eral support. Wills were made in which
bequests to the proposed chair were in-
cluded. One of those who made such a
will died in 1937 and a gift became
available of three thousand dollars, less
succession duties of a little over five
hundred dollars. Other wills of a similar
nature have been made. Some recent
events have revealed to what an amaz-
ing extent plans for attaining the de-
sired objective began to crystallize
shortly after Dr. Nordal was here.
Centuries after the event, Lord Byron
cried for three to make another Therm-
opylae to restore Greece to its ancient