The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-11-06

They are peculiarly hardy and ex-
ceedingly intelligent. In fact, educa-
ton is with them Of such Importance
that where distances make 1t impOs-
sible for children to attend school the
'mountain is brought to Mohammed;;"
In other words, the school, or rather
the itinerant teacher, comes to them.
Almost every parish, II 1t is any dis
tance from the coast towns, has trav-
cling pedagogue, who, as a rule, simply
directs the educational work in each
household, lays out the course Of study
and leaves the actual work of hearing
lessons and Of calculating problems to
the parents.
It is C ---e treat to go into the home
of one of these Iceland farmer families
and during the long winter evening
watch the educational work as it pro-
crosses. The parish priest-Icelanders
have been Lutherans since 154O-may
perhaps be on his monthly visit, and
this means not alone consolation for
the soul but rigid examination of the
younger ones in their studies. At the
age Of fourteen comes the final exami-
nation, and no child can be confirmed
until this has been passed.
Education for the farming classes
ends at this point; but for the ambi-
tious there are the high schools in va
rious parts Of the country, the school
Of philosophy and languages at Reyk-
javik, and for many there is the uni
versity at Copenhagen, for no incon-
siderable proportion Of the high school
pupils end up their curriculum of stud
les in the Danish capital.
When they return they become the
leaders in the political contests which
are always stirring up this liberty
loving nation. Nominally Iceland is q
dependency of Denmark, but since
1874, when their constitution was re-
stored to them, they have been enjoy
ing almost absolute freedom of polit-
zeal action. The Althing, or Iceland
parliament, meets every other year,
and of the entire membership Of thirty
six, only six are named by the king.
These six comprise just one-half Of the
upper house, while the twenty-fOur
| members of the lower house are elect
ed directly by the people. The land
shedding, or governor, is named for
life by the king OF Denmark, but only
upon the recommendation Of the al
thing. His power does not extend to
the veto, for majority vote Of both
houses makes a measure law, unless,
of course, it be a matter involving q
change in the constitution, when the
kings veto is effective.
But, in it's literary life Iceland in
many respects even surpasses its So
called mother country. It's scholars
have transplanted the classics of all
nations into their own vernacular.
Magazines and daily and weekly news
papers have excellent calculations, AMI
Iceland's libraries are becoming ex-
ceedingly massive.
To the student of American history
the great library building at Reykja-
yik forms an invaluable aid. In fact,
Iceland was colonized by a people for
whom education took the place Of mil
itary life. Wars were unknown to
them, and their peaceful inclinations
were early accentuated by an isolation
from the great European world, which
was essentially conducive to literary
labor. So it is that almost all the an
Gent Scandinavian manuscripts are
Icelandic. Icelandic archaeologists re-
covered for us the great sages of the
North, the Eddas, the Helms Kringla,
the Sturlungasaga, the Njalssaga, the
yOluspa and others as interesting.
But, as above stated, it is to the stu
dent Of American history that the lit
erary labors of Icelanders are especial
" important. There is the story Of the
visit Of Columbus to Reykjavik, where
he learned of the strange adventure Of
one of Lief Ericsson, and then travelled
back again to Bristol, thence to Mad
rid, and few years later to America.
TO the eye Of the traveller Iceland
presents many features Of interest.
While It borders on the Arabic circle,
the Gulf stream gives it's coast q mild
temperature, but in the interior there
is little possibility for varied industry.
The low growing grass makes the rails
ing Of ponies and sheep re aaa
In fact Iceland exports 5000 head Of