Salaries were still forty-five pounds for a first or lowest class teacher, and fifty pounds for a second class teacher. School districts still bore the cost of furnishing, construc- ting, heating, and repairing the schools, and supplying books. Women were permitted to teach female students and boys under twelve years of age. Landowners and tenants were taxed half a penny per acre; busineses were also taxed to pay the costs of free education.

In 1853 the new list of school districts named Middleton as District #108, and South West as District #109.14 From that time until 1867 the name South West, usually shorten- ed to Sou’ West, was applied to the whole area compris- ing Kinkora and Shamrock. A school opened in Shamrock in 1857; and in 1867 it was named the Thistle and Shamrock school district to serve the Scottish people in Township 67 as well as the Irish in Township 27]5 (A list of the teachers for all five school districts from their begin- nings until 1990 is printed in Appendix 1 at the back of this book.)

The first Catholic church in the area was built at Kinkora between 1847 and 184936 It was built from wood reluctantly

donated by the landlord.

As time wore on the Irish settlers gained the respect and goodwill of Honorable Joseph Pope, Mr. Mann’s agent, who suggested to that gentleman that land should be given to his tenants on which they might erect a Catholic Church. At first Mr. Mann received the proposal with scorn, saying that “the ignorant Irish” should have no land on which to build a Papist church. Mr. Pope replied that such was not his opi- nion — he knew the Irish and had reason to judge them more favorably. Besides, the very fact of their having a church would make them more God-fearing and better citizens, and also be the means of teaching them to pay their rent more conscien tiously.”

18

A church was built and dedicated to St. Malachy, a respected Irish saint who was born in Armagh, and later became its archbishop;18 some people also suggested that the name was chosen to honor the first pastor at the church, Father Malachy Reynolds, also an Irish im- migrant. (A list of the pastors at St. Malachy’s parish is printed in Appendix 2.) At the opening of the church in 1849 the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mann, and her Catholic husband, Mr. Constant Guillon were present and donated several furnishings, including an altar carved by Mr. Guillon.19 St. Malachy’s Parish includes the five com- munities in this study, and extends into Townships 28 and 67.20 The photograph below shows the church sometime after 1872 when the tower was added. This building con- tinued to be used for religious services until 1901, and then was relocated and served as a community hall until the 1960s.

First St. Malachy’s Church 0. 18705 1 (Courtesy of Public Archives of REJ.)