ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
     
    
   
   
    
     The author gratefully acknowledges the valuable contributions of all those who provided 
     
     written or verbal information, or assisted in any way to make this history possible. Also to the 
     
     many people who offered to help and regularly asked if my book was finished, and who 
     
     provided more support than they probably realized. It would be difficult to list all the names. 
     
    

    
     More specifically, my sincere thanks and appreciation to my sister Anne Harland for her 
     
     valuable assistance with research at the Public Archives and Records Office of Prince Edward 
     
     Island; to my husband Harold and our friend, Karl Proude, for laminating all four hundred 
     
     covers; to those who wrote specific passages (names are given in the text), providing a reprieve 
     
     when the end seemed so far away; to my very special children, Gordie and Carolyn, for 
     
     proofreading my first draft, and for their helpful advice and suggestions; to my sister, Bev 
     
     Millar, for assisting with proofreading for accuracy of dates and figures; to my fellow worker, 
     
     John O’Malley, for final proofreading of the entire manuscript and for his technical advice; to 
     
     my friend Judy Sonier, who typed and printed the work, for her patience, cooperation, expertise, 
     
     and special interest in the book; to my parents, Laurie and Jeanette Birch, for their assistance, 
     
     love, and support throughout this undertaking. 
     
    

    
     Most of all, I want to thank my husband Harold who was supportive in so many ways; 
     
     he encouraged me on countless occasions and often took over the household chores completely 
     
    
   
   
    
     so I could finish this book on schedule. For you, Harold, thanks and love