The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1955, Side 42

40
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Spring 1955
%Vin3 (Playwtiting, Contest
Miss Lauga Geir
Miss Lauga Geir of Edinburg, N.
Dakota was awarded the prize of
$50.00 in the play-writing contest
sponsored by the Jon Sigurdson
Chapter I.O.D.E. last year (the Jon
Sigurdson chapter is one of the 950
chapters of the Nationally well-known
Imperial Order Daughters of the
Empire, and works at the projects of
that organization in the patriotic, ed-
ucational and welfare field. In add-
ition, the chapter, which is composed
of women of Icelandic descent, has
made worthy contributions in the field
of Icelandic culture in its community
and in the wider sphere.)
Participation in the play-writing
competition was open to anyone
except members of the Jon Sigurdson
chapter, the play to be in three acts,
in English, and based on the life of
the Icelandic pioneers in America.
Four entries were received by -the
committee in charge of the contest,
which was convened by Mrs. E. A. Is-
feld.
Judges were Prof. G. L. Brodersen
and Prof. Skuli Johnson both of the
University of Manitoba, and Mrs.
John Craig, well known in Winnipeg
drama circles. Chairman of the com-
mittee, Prof. Brodersen commended
Miss Geir’s entry, which is entitled,
“In the Wake of the Storm”, and said
it was well constructed and interest-
ing.
Lauga Geir, who at one time taught
at the Jon Bjarnason Acadamy in Win-
nipeg, is a 1923 graduate of the
University of North Dakota, and
received her Master of Arts degree in
1938 from the same institution. Major
subjects for her M.A. were literature
and drama. Since then she has taught
in various high schools in N. Dakota,
and at most of these she has been in
charge of the dramatic activity of the
students.
Miss Geir has also made a consider-
able contribution to the cultural ef-
forts of her own community. She has
prepared and composed short skits and
pageants for special occasions in the
Icelandic community of Mountain-
Gardar and in 1941 she wrote and
produced a pageant, “Manifestations
of Icelandic Heritage in Pembina
County”, for a county meeting of the
Pioneer Daughters.
On the occasion of the 75 th an-
niversary of the Icelandic settlement
in North Dakota in the summer of
1953, Miss Geir again produced this
pageant which proved most effective
and enhanced the cultural atmosphere
of the -celebration.
Lauga has written articles for -mag-