respect to education. This initial attempt at regulating education, entitled The Free Education Act, stated that education was a birthright:

The Board of Education, appointed by the Governor in council, should have control of all public schools and should examine candidates for teacher’s license; that no more than two-hundred school districts should be established and that schools should beat least three miles apart: that all children over five years of age should be admitted to the school of their district and that children outside the boundaries of any school district might attend the nearest school; that no fee should be demanded of scholars attending a school where the teacher received pay under the Act; and that assessment for school purposes should be on all householders

residing in a district. (2)

The Public Schools Act of 1877 expanded upon this 1852 Act by addressing the question of religion and declaring that all schools on Island were non—sectarian.

Even with their schooling paid for. students from the country areas continued to miss a lot of time from school. This occurred especially during the fall harvesting season. In 1871, an attempt to accommodate this reality was evident in the school vacations established in the month of October. (3) Education was. however, still a matter of secondary importance for many rural families.

Irregular attendance, sickness, bad weather, and parents’ lack of interest continued to plague education throughout the Island for most of the I800s. The turnover rate of teachers was high, with some schools having as many as two to three teachers per year. The pay was low, they were often overworked having at least eight grades to look after, and their lives were strictly regulated as indicated by rules that were in effect for

teachers in 1879:

Rules for Teachers in 1879: [4)

1. Teachers each day will fill lamps and clean chimneys before starting work.

2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of coal and a scuttle of coal for the days sessions.

3. Make your pens carefully. You may Whittle nibs to the individual taste of the children.

4. Men teachers may take one evening a week for courting purposes or two evenings to attend church regularly.

5. After ten hours of school. you may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.

6. Women who marry or engage in unseemingly conduct will be dismissed.

7. Each teacher should lay aside, from each pay a goodly sum for his benefit during their declining years so that they will not become a burden to society.

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