CHAPTER II STELLA MARIS SCHOOL

The first mention of an Acadian School in the North Rustico area was made in the Annual Report of the Board of Education in 1855. A variety of spell- ings were used for this school: Gouckett’s Creek (1855); Gauchet’s Creek (1856); and Gaultier’s Creek (1858). In the 1865 report, this “Creek” school disappears but “St. Andrew’s” school appears. It stood at what is known as the “Mill Brook” which had also been called “Gauthier’s Creekf’ It is assumed that the

Gauthier’s Creek School was re—named St. Andrew’s School between 1862 and 1865.

By 1901 St. Andrew’s had grown from a one to a three—room school; the enrollment had grown from 41 to 120. The school inspectors continually reported the attendance as poor and intermittent. The winter months were a hardship for the younger children while the older ones went to work in factories in May and June.

As early as 1910, the inspector reported that there was insufficient playground for the school. The inspector continually recommended that the schoolhouse be moved to a more suitable site. In his report in 1931, Inspector Gallant reports on the efforts made to improve the situation:

“The ratepayers of St. Andrew’s, North Rustico, took steps during the summer months to remove their schoolhouse to better grounds but could not secure a more convenient site. It is to be hoped that their efforts will be more successful next year as the present site is too small and not to say the least, very dangerous for the safety of the pupils owing to the increased motor traffic passing by the schooli’

St. Andrew’s School Pupils and Teachers I930.

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