-92,-

I I

_ (blotting paper had not been thought of). Folding and seal- ‘ ing one of those letters neatly would puzzle people of to- day.

Two French priests arrived about 1800——Abbe de

’ Calonne, brother of King Louis XNE Minister of Finance, held 3 a missionary post in and around Charlottetown, and Father

I Pichard served Rustico, Malpeque and Bay Fortune. They re— mained a few short years, and were then transferred, leaving Father MacEachern again alone to attend to the spiritual welfare of all the Roman Catholic people throughout the Is- land. 'After a visit from Bishop Pleasis of Quebec, Father Beaubien was sent to help Father macEachern, his headquarters

to be at Rustico. About 1818, a French priest, Rev. Mr. Cecile came

to assist Rev. Mra MacEaChern among the Acadians at Miscouche. Father MacEachern Was then living at St. Andrew's where the first chapel was built, and in 1829 he was appointed Bishop ‘ci the new Diocese of Charlottetown. In 1826 he bought the place known as the College Farm at St. Andrew' s from a Captain Burns, and built St. Andrew' s College, which proved a great ‘boon to the people of this Island and the neighboring prov~ inces. This same building was afterwards brought down the ice of East River to Charlottetown, and set up as St.Joseph's Convent on Pcwnal St. between Grafton and Kent Streets, ’ where it stands today as the central portion of Rochford Square School. While never a financial success, it filled

a pressing need at the time; it was closed about 1845. Two 'bishops, 18 clergyman, and many prominent men claimed it as ~their alma mater. Among the teachers of the old college

were Rev° Iessrs. Brady and LeFrance, Mr. Slattery and the linguist Thomas Irwin, who there put together the alphabet

of the Micmacs, and wrote primary school books in that language.

Bishop thEachern's care of his people ended only with his life; it is recorded that his house at St. Andrew°s stood ready, day and night to receive travellers on the East River ice - a light burned in his window as a beaconenand his kitchen was left open and table set, where travellers called and departed at Willa

He died in 1856 and is buried by the altar at Sto Andrew's Church.