51

ern post offices. The people of the community went to pick up the mail and have a chat. The mails were more important then because i: was the only form of communication between close relatives se» parated by distance. I

The arrival of the newspaper was important in the early days of the community. An East Point correspondent to the Regist- er in 1825 stated that his neighbours (most of them illiterate farmers) gathered at his home to hear the paper read.l64

The first mention of an East Point School was in 1851 when a sum of money was voted for Lawrence Rice the teacher.165 However, between the years 1851 and 1848 many schools in Eastern

Prince Edward Island were known as East Point Schools. In 1847,

for example, three schools were referred to their address being

East Point.166

The first teachers at these schools usually boarded at district homes. He was considered a servant and had to perform menial tasks. The Education Act changed this. The prototype of a schoolmaster was a farmer—teacher who combined the keeping of a school and the keeping of a farm for his livelihood. As well, the District School served the purpose only of that District. This was due to the increase in population. The third type of teacher was the schoolmistress. They were supposed to remain single and be "proper" ladies.

The school trustees along with the government managed the day to day affairs of the school. An annual meeting was us— usally held and money was voted for the purpose of the school.

As well two trustees were usually appointed to oversee the coming