Among its rectors following Father Walsh were Rev. Charles MacDonald, Rev. James Brady and Rev. Pius MacPhee. Francis John MacDonald, familiarly known as Father Francis, was the first St. Andrew’s student raised to the priesthood. In all, two bishops and twenty-two priests were numbered among the institution’s alumni. The college was in active opera- tion until 1844 when it was deemed advisable by Rt. Rev. Bernard MacDonald, then Bishop of Charlottetown, to erect a college on a larger scale nearer the city. It was not, however, until 1855 that St. Dunstan’s College, St. Andrew’s successor, became a reality.

But what of the man whose “zeal, foresight and determination” in establishing the Island’s first institution of higher learning must be ack— nowledged? After he had placed the college on its proper course, he left it in the care of a Board of Trusteees and moved to a new home on Canavoy Farm, a tract of land at Savage Harbour which he had lately purchased from John Stewart of Mount Stewart. There, on April 22, 1835, in the 76th year of his age, he breathed his last. Six days later, the pioneer churchman was buried under the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s

Church.

During the pastorate of Rev. Pius MacPhee (1856-1860) it was decided to replace the old church with one better suited to the needs of a growing congregation. Towering over eighty feet high and situated on a magnificent location overlooking a broad sweep of the upper Hills- borough, this imposing structure, when completed, ranked among the fore— most ecclesiastical structures of the Province. It has been described as “perfect in its appointments and in faultless taste.” The altar, with its adornment of white and gold, was surmounted by a large and striking stained glass window representing the marriage of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. At the entrances to the side chapels were small shrines, one to Our Lady, the other to St. Joseph, each containing life size statues of rare artistic beauty. Handsome stations of the cross, ancient oil paint- ings and numerous tablets were in their appointed places. Commenting on the opening of the structure for Divine Worship, the Islander for De- cember 5, 1862 remarked that “the pastor and people of St. Andrew’s are deserving of much praise for the strenuous efforts lately made by them for the completion of this church, one of the neatest edifices of its kind on the Island.”

The laying of the cornerstone of the new church was the first official act of Bishop MacIntyre following his consecration a short time previously. His Lordship recognized that the old church could supply a. long-existing want, that of a COILYQLLscthl in the west end of Char- lottetown. A move of epic proportions followed. According to the Annals of St. Joseph’s Convent, the project was undertaken towards the end of January, 1864, when the Rev. Dr. MacDonald (Father Dan) went to St. Andrew’s to superintend the detaching of the church from its founda- tions. On Monday, March 7th, 500 men, Protestants as well as Catholics, assembled with 120 horses. The horses were attached to two heavy iron runners that had been made fast to the church. The signal for starting was given, and the hugh pile began to move. For the first twelve miles all went well; however, in order to round the end of Appletree Wharf, the cavalcade was obliged to approach the channel where" the ice was thinner than that along the shore. They did so, and, with a tremendous crash, the building fell through and became embedded in the bottom of the river. Next day, however, under the direction of Rev. Angus Mac- Donald, Rector of St. Dunstan’s College, a large group of men succeeded in dragging the chapel out of the water. After this superhuman effort,

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