were reversed between 1841 and 1848, most especially in
potato production and the pig population. Potato rot
struck P.E.I. crops in 1845; ironically, it was the same
disease that was causing the severe potato famine in Ireland
at the same time.3 Grain harvests also generally were lower
in the 18405, due to damp weather; so serious was this
decline that the RBI. Government had to supply free grain
to many farmers so they could plant crops during the years
1846 to 1849; the Government also stopped the export of
grain, meal and potatoes; and enacted laws to prevent
Islanders from manufacturing liquor from grain and
corn.“ The shortages in crops likely explain the drop in the
pig population as well.

These failures were especially difficult for tenants, which
included most farmers in the five settlements. They relied
on their crops to pay rent and to buy objects they could
not make locally. Their rents by the mid—18405 had increas—
ed to one shilling per acre. The Rent Books for the years
1846 to 1854 show an increasing number of tenants, about
three—fifths of those in the Kinkora-Shamrock area, pay-
ing their rent in farm products: oats, wheat and pigs.5
Previously, they had paid in cash.

During the 18505, twenty-four new farms were leased in
the four settlements in Township 27; their average size was
54 acres. This contrasts with the average size of a farm of
85 acres in 1841. In addition, about tWelve farmers reduc—
ed the size of their leases; and five were claiming squat-
ters’ privileges. Finally, about nine individuals from the
five communities were receiving government relief money.6

Despite these grim statistics, the settlers not only per—
sisted, they undertook the building of several communi-
ty structures. Table 2:1 indicated there were six schools and
three churches built in Township 27 between 1833 and
1848. The three schools existing in 1841 were in the follow—
ing places: Job Wright’s farm, at South West (Middleton);

16

'John Wright’s farm, Bedeque Road (Searletown); and

Donald McDonald’s farm, Seven Mile Bay. This suggests
there was one school available for residents of the

Middleton area in 1841. By 1848, a school was available
at Kinkora, identified as “School #33: The Irish Settlement
on the Anderson Road”.7 According to the inspector’s
report, the school opened in April, 1848; at the inspection,
August, 1848, there were forty—five pupils present but
seventy-six registered. The one-room school is described
as “crowded”, but the pupils “were well supplied with ap—
proved books, suitable to their age and studies?’ The
teacher, John Gallagher, was praised as “unwearied in his
exertions, and his success commensurate with his zeali’ The

report continued:

On ascertaining that the people chiefly interested
in the propsperity of the school were either indigent
or ignorant or indifferent about it, Mr. Gallagher
adopted the praiseworthy expedient of buying a
large selection of books, slates, etc., etc.; he also gave
them the use of valuable maps, and procured other
indispensible auxiliaries, in addition to some ap-
paratus contrived by himself; consequently, the
pupils have made great progress. Although the ex-
periment proved satisfactorily successful, yet the
teacher complained of irregular attendance often
occurring from the apathy of the parents of the
pupils, and he regretted that the personal sacrifice
that he had made was not generally appreciated.

These positive observations are of interest because they
are in sharp contrast with the general picture of teachers
and education at the time given by the same inspector.
Teachers were criticized as “irregular”; schools often had

no blackboards or maps; students were not making pro—
gress; and the schools were “positively repulsive in their