The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-26
INTERESTING CENTER
 OF GAELIC THOUGHT
Whole Village of Vetersay Stronfly Attached to Own Language and
 Habits-History Interesting

From the Philadelphia North American.
 One of the most interesting centers or Gaelic life and thought today says the Brooklyn Eagle. Is vatersay, the most southerly island of the Hebrides. Here Gaelic is the mother tongue the home language of the islander
 Gaelic books, catechisms and books of devotion are in common use in every household. ut may never be mentioned here, by the way. that of the 300 in- habltants of V4ersay. one family is non -Catholic). Gaelic is taught hand 1n-hand with English in the school con- tinuation classes. The head teacher is a native speaker, and carries out all his instructions through the medium of Gaelic. The priests are native Gaelic speakers, and hence confessions, prayers and sermons are all in the na- tive tongue. One young man, a fish erman crofter like the rest has for years past been contributing Gaelic articles for papers in Canada and Aus tra1ia
 The whole community. while reaIiz- ing the practical advantage of a knowl- edge Of English. are nevertheless proud of and strongly attached to their own language. That is the great thing The children never hear one word of Eng fish spoke out of school: they beg their teacher to allow them to sing their own traditional Gaelic songs at their tongues end
 The recent history of vatersay is interesting. Four CT five years ago one Laird" lived and possessed the whole island, while scores of poor fisher cotters starved in the surrounding isles In 1909, however. they banded them selves together. and. having vainly en- deavored to persuade the landlord to sell his superfluous acres, they. with out more ado, landed and took forcibIe possession of them. Of course, there vas lawsuit and 10 of tne raiders spent long months in Edinburg jail Then the government came to their re- lief. bought the island. compensated the Laird. and sent the stalwart raid CTS home victorious. HitA
 Wooden shack houses were quickly erected, lands divided, schools and teachers residences built ethe latter by the Barra school board), and then the enterprising little colony settled down to the plesent monotony of daily life. Horses, dogs and grazing grounds are all held in common. and it is inter- esting to mark the spirit of true fra ternity which is the result of this sense of joint ownership.
 They are simple, primitive people light he-rted end generous. The bag pipe is their musical instrument When the days work is over the men gather into their favorite ceilide houses to talk tell stories or sing the sonrs of their own musical language. so nearly akin to the Irish The girls are there, too, but sit apart, knitting and gossiping in whispers, while tha hean-a-tige spins wool in the corner. for here every house has its spinning wheel. and many houses possess hand, looms, with which the women weave quilts and blankets.
 The herring season. from May to Julv is harvest time with them. Then Inc waters are crowded with boats from all parts of the united Kingdom. cur- ing stations are erected: the men fish the women and girls sort, salt and pack by task work, which they fnd very profitable, many of the girls clear ing net profit of s60 to $7O during the season. This with the earnings of their menfolk. enables them to live securely sor another year.