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In Agar/,1, 1848 the first school in the settlement was opened. The school inspector, John Arbuckle, reported that seventy—six pupils were enrolled, although only forty—five were present on his visit. lhe teacher was John Gallagher. Mr. Arbuckle wrote the following report on the school:

Irish Settlement, S. W. Bedeque:

The room was crowded, and certaintly the appearance of the children, all of whom were supplied with approved books, suit— able to their age and studies, made a favorable impression upon my mind. The teacher is unwearied in his exertions, and his success commesurate with his zeal. -

On ascertaining that the people chiefly interested'in the prosperity of tLe school, were either indigent and ignorant or indifferent about it, Mr. Gallagher adopted the praiseworthy expedient of buying a large selection of books, slates, etc.; he also gave them the use of valuable maps, and procured other indis— pensable auxiliaries, in addition to some apparatus contrived by himself; consequently the pupils have made great progress. (22)

The following year the enrollment increased to 110 pupils; but in 1851 it dropped to fifty.§a§lls. No explanation for the sudden change in enrollment is available other than the probablity that new schools opened and closed with the availability of teachers, thereby loWermng or raising the enrollment of other schools. Mr. Gallagher appears to have

remained the teacher at this school until 1853.

The 1840's on P.E.I. were economically difficult years, especially for tenants. A severe hail storm destroyed crops in 1843. (26) In 1845 the potato crop was down by about a

third and rot severely damaged what was harvested; this is