The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Side 6

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Winter 1946
splendor. May we be granted but one —
Dr. Nordal himself, or someone else who
can once more inspire us and create the
driving force necessary to accomplish
what has been a cherished hope for so
many years.
At the time this exploratory move-
ment was under way a suggestion was
made which to the writer’s mind, is one
of the most constructive to emerge dur-
ing the two score years of discussion
of this project. The suggestion was that
a number of Icelanders should each
undertake to contribute the sum of one
hundred dollars a year for ten success-
ive years. Exemptions from present
heavy income taxes have added strength
to arguments supporting this method
of obtaining donations. There, of course,
is no reason why such a plan could not
be carried out in conjunction with other
methods such as large immediate sub-
scriptions. The time might well be re-
duced to five years.
The movement which started in 1932
failed. Again nothing is gained in
enumerating the reasons for its failure.
In 1944 the second contribution to the
fund was made.— the only one already
handed over to the university author-
ities. It was in the sum of five thousand
dollars. And in the summer of 1945 an
announcement was made that the magn-
animous sum of fifty thousand dollars
had been placed in trust towards the
establishment of the chair, to become
available on conditions related, no
doubt, to reasonable prospects, through
donations and public support, that the
undertaking would succeed.
★
Such are the successes and the fail-
ures up to the present time. The origin-
al objective was one hundred thousand
dollars. With the lowering of interest
rates and the value of the dollar that
amount will probably have to be doubl-
ed. A good start has been made but
there has to be a united effort if the
objective is to be reached.
The failures and the delays of the
past have been disappointing and dis-
couraging. They need not be a deterr-
ent but should rather be an urge to
more concerted effort.
There are two things we must never
forget: that which we seek to preserve
is of timeless value; the abode in which
we seek to house it will endure. For that
reason delays and temporary setbacks
are but of the moment.
A home for Icelandic culture must be
erected in the West.
W, J, Lindal
T)he Siemotial Zbay Service
It is very fitting and appropriate that
on Memorial Day, November 11, a serv-
ice should be held at which we can let
our minds wander back to The Fallen
of the two world wars and the sacrifices
they made for us.
The Jon SigurSson Chapter of the
I. O. D. E. has for many years sponsored
such a service. This year it was held in
the First Lutheran Church and as on
previous occasions the formal parts of
the service were conducted by the min-
isters of the two churches, Rev. V. J.
Eylands and Rev. Philip Petursson.
Music was supplied by a joint choir
from the two congregations. Solos were
sung by Kerr Wilson.
On this occasion the man selected to
deliver the address of Tribute to the
Fallen was Major N. S. Bergman, who
only recently returned from overseas
where he had served with some of those
to whom he was paying the tribute.
Norman very appropriately pointed
out that on such an occasion we must
not let our thoughts fill us with a feel-