Those who went away sometimes also publicly express- ed their emotional ties with their home communities. An example of this is found in the wedding celebrations of two young women formerly from Kinkora, and who were mar- ried in Maine and new York, in the 1930538 At each wed— ding, attended by various former “Kinkorans” there were rousing choruses of the salutation “Kinkora Forever? in ad— dition to accolades to the bride as “Kinkora’s fairest” daughter]9

While some people were leaving these communities, others were arriving. The 1891 Census records the presence of the first “store keeper”, Jerome Buote, age 22, in Kinkora. The first resident doctor in Kinkora, Dr. Joseph St. Clair Gallant, arrived from Rustico in 1895 and stayed there until his sudden death, at age 33, in 1906.20 These men appear to represent the first P.E.I. Acadians in these com— munities; however, informal sources suggest that Mr. Buote and his helper, Mr. Peters established the general store in Kinkora in the mid-18805.

The decade of the 1890S was filled with numerous social activities in the communities. Shortly after his arrival Father John, J. MacDonald began a branch of the Catholic temperance organization, The League of the Cross.21 In ad- dition to requiring its members to attend Mass and receive the sacrements regularly, it sponsored various educational and recreational activities. League members had four debating clubs, in the communities, and a singing chorus directed by the church organist, Mr. DJ. Cameron. The League sponsored a lecture series, held at both Kinkora and Emerald. 'Iable 5:2 names the speakers and their topics dur- ing a four-year period, 1892—95.

Tea parties were popular and were well organized — each one had a special name and theme. In 1892 the “Tunnel Tea” was held at Cape Traverse to take part in the political ex- citement surrounding the government’s proposal to build

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Table 5:2 - League of the Cross Lectures, 1892-189522

Speaker Topic Peter McCourt, Journalist Archibishop Hughes James McIsaac, Journalist Canadian History Silas M. Bent, Journalist John Boyle O’Reilly Rev. A.J. MacDonald Sir Thomas Moore Rev. Patrick Doyle St. Patrick Dr. McMillan The Moon

Dr. Caven Canadian History Dr. James H. Maclellan Mr. J]. Johnston, Lawyer

Mr. P.J. Trainor

Hygiene League of the Cross Canadian History

a tunnel between P.E.I. and New Brunswick. (See follow— ing page for the advertisement for this Tea Party”) Ironical- ly one-hundred years later a tunnel is still being debated by Islanders. In 1898 the “Novel Tea” used the “basket-social principle”, according to which, every woman would bring a meal-for—two in a basket, and the men would bid for the numbered baskets, and then share the meals with whoever made them?4

There was a long-term goal behind these various social gatherings. Father John J. MacDonald, the pastor, had decided by 1892 that a new church needed to be built in Kinkora, so during the decade these events were part of his fund-raising plan for a new church for the new century.