The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1955, Page 30

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Spring 1955
with financial aid from the Mutual
Security Agency. At Akranes a cement
factory is under construction, the
special sand needed being pumped
from the bottom of the fjord in the
vicinity. In that fashion the Icelandic
people are in various ways making
fuller use of its natural resources.
.Naturally, the Icelanders, in com-
mon with the rest of the world, have
their problems, one of greatest of
which is an inflation threatening the
economy of the country. Withal, they
face the future courageously. A thor-
oughly modern nation, they stand
firmly on their historical foundation,
ready to co-operate with other nations,
as far as circumstances permit, yet
maintain their close ties, culturally
and otherwise, with the sister nations
of the North.
The national character of the Ice
landic people and the spirit in which
it faces the turbulent present and the
unknown future are well and cor-
rectly evaluated in the following para-
graph from Mrs. Rothery’s book,
previously referred to in this article:
“But man is still more important
than even his greatest inventions, and
Icelandic history is the account of a
nation of men—not many, and enact-
ing their drama on a small stage—.but
men with a passion for learning and
willingness to sacrifice to obtain it;
with a passion for freedom and the
ability to win it and to handle it after
it is won.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — The foregoing is the
first of two articles by Dr. Beck based on the
recent visit of Dr. and Mrs. Beck to the
Scandinavian countries. The second article,
dealing mostly with the Norwegian phase of
their pilgrimage will appear in the Summer
Issue of THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN.
Archibald Charles Orr
Archibald Charles Orr graduated
from the University of British
Columbia, in May 1954, in Engineer-
ing Physics, and secured the B.Sc.
degree. While in high school he was
an outstanding student, and was
awarded the Lions’ Cup for scholar-
ship as well as an honor award for
contributing to school life and welfare,
and a gold “K“ pin for school service.
Archie is the son of Archibald and
Thorgjorg (Sigurdson) Orr, of Van-
couver.
Dorothy Merle Kristjanson was elect-
ed Lady Stick for her class at the
University of Manitoba last fall. She
graduated in Arts in the spring of
1953 and secured the degree of B.A..
After teaching for one year she ent-
ered the University of Manitoba to
study for a degree in Education. She
is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.
Kristjanson, at 499 Camden Place,
Winnipeg.
★
Donald Kenneth Johnson, won the
$200.00 Manitoba Hotelmen’s and
Brewers’ Scholarship for the second
time in 1954. He is the son of Fjola,
and her late husband, Paul Johnson
formerly of Lundar, Man.