after mass, congratulating the parishioners, pastor, and the fore— man, Dunstan Martin for their efforts. He called the church, “Un chef d ’oeuvre en son genre.” (A masterpiece of its kind.) The stat— ue, eight feet high and 1,800 pounds, was “hissa” (raised) to the accompaniment of the hymn the Magnificat and the recently cho- sen Acadian anthem Ave Maris Stella. The organist for the mass was Mrs. J .B. Gaudet. The only music for the ceremony outside would be the recently installed church bell donated by the Mother Parish of Tignish. The crowd was estimated at 2,500 and the col— lection was higher than normal at $201.00 but there is no mention of a Picnic “in connection.”

The organ played by Mrs. Gaudet was likely the Karn reed organ still in use and one of the largest reed organs ever made. It was built at Woodstock, Ontario by the Karn Organ Co. which also had factories at Berlin, Germany and at London, England. The probable purchaser was Rev. Chiasson who was a strong promoter of church music and purchased the exact same organ for South Rustico shortly after his arrival there from Palmer Road in 1902.

Another addition, reported in the January 3, 1901 L’Impartial, was a clock presented and installed at a special Midnight Mass held to commemorate the end of the 19th century and to celebrate the beginning of the 20th. Under the headline “Cadeau a l’eglise de Palmer Road” (Gift at Palmer Road Church) we are told:

The pastor and parishioners to thank Azarie Gallant, merchant Leoville, Lot 1, for the gift useful as well as beautiful All those who were present at the Midnight Mass the evening of December 31, [1900] were able to admire this magnificent clock.”

Perhaps it was intended as a gentle reminder (hint) to the pas— tor about his sermons. But, for whatever reasons, it has since dis— appeared. It did not “stand the test of time!” The same year (1901) Father Chaisson closed out his tenure at Palmer Road by building a Parish Hall next to the Palmer Road School across the St. Louis Road. It had an auditorium with stage downstairs and a hall upstairs useful for meetings and dances. Bouncers had a stairs down which to eject people!

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