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A NEw BEGINNING

The evolution of the Acadian community between 1890 and 1945 is marked by a series of important and diverse projects under- taken by members of the elite to preserve and promote French life on the Island. Spurred on by the nationalist fervour resulting from the first national conventions, Acadian leaders devoted themselves to finding appropriate ways to stem the growing tide of anglicization. Given this spirit, the last decade of the nineteenth century constituted acrucial period in the history of the Acadians on Prince Edward Island.

The most outstanding event of the decade, if not of the entire period, was unquestionably the creation of the French-language news- paper, L’'Impartial. Founded in Tignish in 1893 by the school teacher Gilbert Buote and his son, Francgois-Joseph, the paper set out to defend the cause of the Acadians, as the editor stated in the first issue:

To advance the Acadian cause in social, intellectual and moral domains, such is the goal of L’'Impartial. The interests of our people will form the object of our most active vigilance whenever there is a question of gaining recognition of our rights. (TR)!

The first French-language newspaper on Prince Edward Island contributed a great deal to promoting Acadian identity by making Acadians aware of the richness of their language and culture. Realizing that French on the Island was in peril, Buote sought every possible way of preserving the ancestral language. For almost twenty years LImpartial served as the mouthpiece for Acadian nationalism and published innumerable articles on the French language, on Acadian history, education, religion, agriculture and colonization’. Gilbert and Francois-Joseph Buote and the contributors to the newspaper strongly encouraged Acadians to set up institutions that would foster their development and to participate in their nationalist and patriotic associ- ations.

L'Impartial also served as a forum where its more educated readers could exchange ideas and criticize each other publicly. One of the longest debates revolved around the possibility of establishing an Acadian college on the Island. The idea was kept alive in the columns of the newspaper from 1903 to 1907 and stimulated so much interest that many people undertook to subscribe financially to the project.