Chapter Five 85 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Later in the seventies, a new high school was 
     
     opened in Elmsdale 15 miles (25 kilometres) away, 
     
     replacing the three regional ones in Tignish, Alberton, 
     
     and O 'Leary. This very small community was chosen as 
     
     its site because it was more or less equidistant from the 
     
     three bigger communities, and thus acceptable to them 
     
     all. The impact of Westisle Composite High School, as it 
     
     was called, on the survival and independence of the 
     
     surrounding communities has not been studied; however 
     
     it seems likely that both good and bad aspects of each 
     
     community’s life — its individuality, in short — have been 
     
     eroded, while the school's distance from any community 
     
     - it stands at some distance from Elmsdale proper - means 
     
     the students there are really not part of any community 
     
     during school hours. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It was well into the eighties before a new 
     
     elementary school capable of housing all the students 
     
     under one roof was built in Tignish. It remains one of 
     
     the Island’s largest rural elementary schools. 
     
    
   
   
    
     At the same time as the Development Plan was 
     
     promoting fewer and bigger schools, it concerned itself 
     
     with post—secondary education. lt was responsible for the 
     
     amalgamation of St. Dunstan's University and Prince of 
     
    

    
     ’ales College into the University of Prince Edward Island 
     
     (UPEI). In addition, it provided for the establishment of 
     
     Holland College, a vocational and technical community 
     
     college which was to have branches throughout the 
     
     province. The branch nearest to Tignish was in a wing of 
     
     Westisle Composite Hi gh School, a fifteen-minute drive 
     
     from Tignish. This proximity of community college courses 
     
     contributed to the possibility of diversification in the area, 
     
     as well as providing job training for those who wished to 
     
     move away. Diversification contributes to independence, 
     
     which, in turn, contributes to survival. Welding, for