James Gallant Physical Education

The move to the new school on October 10, 1965, brought the teachers and staff into a very bright and uplifting atmosphere. Approximately 135 students were welcomed into the new facility. Housed in the new school were eight classrooms, a teacher's staff room, indoor washrooms and the convenience of water fountains installed on each floor. The school stood tall in the confines of the white fence that ran along the perimeter of the school property.

Consolidation was quite an accomplishment for the communities. The children were close to home and no longer did our communities fear that our children could be absorbed in the schooling districts of North Rustico, Hunter River and Kensington. In fact, after consolidation a num- ber of students from the Stanley Bridge School District, with the permis— sion of the Unit 2 School District, attended St. Ann's School. Some fami- lies transferred their children from the New Glasgow School District to St. Ann's. As well, between the time of St. Ann’s consolidation and the closing of the Cavendish Consolidated School, a number of students transferred to St. Ann's Elementary School.

The first members who were Trustees of St. Ann's School were as follows:

Chairman - Louis Doiron Secretary — Ronald Bolger Pius MacIsaac — St. Ann's Gordon Myers - St. Patrick's Russell Parsons — Millvale Arthur Pineau - St. Mary‘s

These members were nominated by Father Denis Gallant. Our local Board of Trustees continued to take care of our school matters until 1972. In 1972, the divisions were made for the five provincial school boards across Prince Edward Island. Consequently, St. Ann's fell into the jurisdiction of the Unit III School Board. With the change, each of the zone of districts was allowed one representative to sit on the Unit III School Board.

At the onset of St. Ann's Elementary School, it was considered by the greater population of the North Shore area that St. Ann's Elementary School was a Catholic School. This belief could be associated with the school's location. The greatest majority of students were of the Catholic faith, and in the first year of operation all the teachers who were hired were Catholic. However, this is completely erroneous, because all monies that covered the costs of building St. Ann's School came from the provin- cial department of education. St. Ann's was a public school. Any religion that was taught at St. Ann's School happened at 3:30 pm, after school

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