The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-18
N0RWEG|ANS REVIEW
) PATR|0T|SMS OF
:
E|DSvOLD
National Patriotism Of Grand
Forks Norwegians Shown
in Song and Speech.

Forks Norwegians Shown
in Song and Speech.
ia. vi elsker dette landet," the
opening words Of that o SO dear to
.he hearts of all loyal Norwegians,
marked the opening Of the Seven.
carried out at the Metropolitan thea.
ter in Grand Forks last evening, and
at which about 600 sons and daughters
OF the land Of the north were in at.
tendance.
T h program that had been arrang.
ed Tor the observance Of the day was
particularly strong. and the several
plumbers instilled in the hearts Of
present eve a greater love for
country. a patriotism that made itself
quite evident at various points during
the evening by the hearty manner in
which the speakers and the other par.
Elephants on the program were receive
Prof. Gisle Bothne Of the University
o. Minnesota, Rev. A. ]. Hulteng and
Ferdinand Lilo of Grand Forks, were
the speakers. Consul II. Bendeke Of
Norway. introduced Prof. Bothne.
The musical numbers were unusu.
O"S 6oO0. 3D. VI Llk0E OSLCd Lam
det." by H. Nordraak. was given by
the Narde chorus as the opening num-
Der. while Norge. Norge" by wend.
eloorg." was h closing number, and
both were thoroughly appreciated.
Miss Jennie Anderson In two vocal
numbers, "irmelin Rose" by Berserm.
unusually pleasing: Miss Louise stav-
ems In a reading. "Norsk og Unorsk,"
presented a number that was extreme.
~ difficult. but 1t was a finished work
In her hands. while Miss Lillian Paul.
son. who played two movements from
the Peer Gynt Suite. made the pro.
desired so far as the musical features
were concerned. The several numbers
were literally a%pplauded.
onsul Bendeke introduced Prof.
Bothne. paying him high compliment
for his work at the University Of MIN
nesota. In opening his address, the
speaker took occasion to thank the
consul for his words.
The longer Norwegians live in
America. said the speaker, the more
they observe the 18th Of May. and
they become more patriotic with each
passing year. The day was not for
N~orwegians in Norway alone. but for
. N~orwegians in America as we'll. In
Rprmer times. the sons of Norge did
NM come together in as great numbers
as SNey do now in observing the day.,
because Americans sometimes looked
down upon them. But now they ere
becoming more proud Of their father
winning for themselves the respect to
which they are justly entitled.
Norwegian history was touched up
on by the speaker, and he showed that
E~orwegians had done their part we'll
by America. pointing to the work of
the famous Norsemen who sailed the
the north coast of America and were
the first to come here. A day, he
suggested, should he set aside for the
discovery of America by the Norwe-
gians. and he believed the 18th of May
was the right time.
Then ne spoke Of several Of the
great Norwegians, incluring Ibsen,
Amundson. Vergeland and Bjornson.
He said that 1t would have been bet
ter had Biorsnon beer elected King Of
Norway in 1905. because he under
stood the people. knew their language
and their ways. Vergeland, he de-
clared, was the man who had impress.
ed upon the people of the nation his
plan of democracy.
Patriotism to America, he declared,
was essential. and it was growing
yearly among the Norwegians. Bothne
also believed that they should remem-
Der the fatherland. and love thir own
flag.
The 18th of May celebrations, he
said. were bringing the people togeth-
el' in America, and were having a ten
dency to continue Norwegian charac-
teristics. retaining to the people of the
cation their good traits. and preserv-
ling the race. Study of the Norwe-
gian language was also urged.
Address by Lilo.
G.. Ferdinand Lilo was the last
speaker of the evening. and he spoke
as follows:
There are no thoughts so ennobling;
there are no memories so inspiring. as
those of home. The endless comfort
Of a mothers care: the fearless trust
in a fathers guidance: the tender
sympathy Of sisters and brothers,
stand u in the surrounding gloom,
Pleasant. indeed. is the ~retropect
of him who, after years Of turmoil
and strife, can recall to q
quiet. happy home; h in his heart
still sings the old songs Of those by
gone days. and fingers on the scenes
of his childhood with fond recollec-
tons. All he poetry and beauty Of
life is conferred there. All the treas
ures of owe and sympathy are gath
cred there. All the sacrifice of which
the human heart is capable is freely
offered on the shrine of home. Fer
vently we echo the beautiful words Of
the poet:
MAY hearts of native proof be reared
To guard each hallowed wall,
And green forever be the groves
And bright the f1owery sod
Where first the child's glad spirit
loves
Its country. and its Cod"
We feel that our love of home is
the fountain of our patriotism. A
patton Of homes must be a nation Of
htriots.- Like a mighty river gath:
cred from a thousand rills. the love
of home asserts itself in a time of ma
tional crisis. For a home may con-
Germ individuals. but its protection
concerns a people. Our beloved re.
public. was little more than an outpost
Of the wilderness when 1t showed tho
world that it's freernen would stand
between their loved homes and Wild |
wars desolation.
Should we turn our thoughts to our
fatherland n inquire the reason for
the intense patriotism Of people, |
we would find it in the homes. In a
little hut in some lonely vale, where
his only neighbors are the eternal
nm |