The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1968, Blaðsíða 44

42
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Autumn 1968
BRAGI MAGNUSSON
by VERA JOHANNSSON YOUNGER
Bragi Magnusson was 'born in Ice-
land in 1922, and lived there until
1943. Upon graduation from junior
college he was named the best all-
round athlete of the school and award-
ed two simultaneous scholarships for
study at the University of Minnesota.
One of these was awarded by ithe Ice-
landic Government, the other by a na-
tional committee on physical educ-
ation. Bragi received a B.S. degree,
cum l'aude, in 1946 and a Master of
Education degree, the same year, from
the U. of Minnesota. He worked in
the field of social work and education
for a period of ten years and was super-
intendent of a state school, in Iceland,
for delinquent and emotionally dist-
urbed boys for five years. While in Ice-
land he travelled to Europe to conduct
a special study for the State Depart-
ment of Education, with main emphas-
is on the Scandinavian countries.
He was instrumental in projects to
promote good will and better under-
standing of America in Iceland and
served as secretary of the Icelandic-
American Society for many years.
Bragi came to America as an im-
migrant in 1955 and went to work for
Paul S. Amidon & Associates, Inc.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Amidon
Company is unique, in this country,
The Icelandic Canadian is doubly pleased
to receive this news item from Mrs. Robert
Younger. The reporter, Vera, is a daughter of
Mr. Johann G. Johannsson, retired High
School teacher of Winnipeg. The item comes
from Minneapolis where there is a wide-awake
Icelandic Womens’ organization, the Hekla
Club, which has been in existence for many
years. —Editor
lor its specialized educational consult-
ation service to business and industry.
They have developed educational pro-
grams for General Mills, Minnesota
and The Continental Can Company,
The Northern States Power Company
and the Minnesota Bankers, among
others.
Bragi became vice-president, stock-
holder and a member of the board of
directors of the company in 1958, a
position he still holds.
On May 24, last spring, /the Hekla
Club held one of its regular meetings,
attended by about 150 people. The
main item on an enjoyable program
was an address by Bragi Magnusson on
“Heredity and Heritage”. The follow-
ing is a part of his talk:
I am sure you are aware of the risk
involved in putting an Icelander into
any kind of a pulpit. However, this
evening, I just want to share with you
a few thoughts that seem appropriate.
Although I have not given much
thought to Iceland for some time I be-
came quite involved in this intriguing
subject of heredity and heritage. Once
it woke me up in 'the middle of the
night and these thoughts came to me:
Nu er eins og landiS litla
lyftist upp i annaS veldi
sviftar sjonir hugi bylta
og svifa heim i arnar feldi.
Ekkert stoSvar strauminn jsunga
salarrotum undan moSu,
bernsku leikir og landsins tunga
lyfta gorSum er arin hloSu.