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Later developments on educational lines produced better fruits, and were more inspiring. The uncertainties surrounding employs ment of teachers and payment of salaries, deterred those adopting that estimable profession from securing requisite education. In some sections no schools were taught during successive years. However, this deplorable dilemma eventually led to an adequate solution. In 1864, Parliament enacted the Compulsory Education Act. Under its salutary provisions, sweeping improvements soon transpired . The country was carefully surveyed, and boundaries of almost every school district changed in the line of accomodation for pupils. Each section was now assigned by a special name. This introduced new sub-divisions and different designations in many cases. Some communities had selected such within a few years, either at public meetings or through a religious or benevolent society in the vicinity. Several were established when petitioning for establishment of Post Officies.

The Baptist Church at Grand or Digby Joggins, was named Hill Grove in 1862, which was afterwards applied by the School Commissioners to the Section comprising west side of Grand Joggin with Shelburne Road to Marshalltown, and also north-eastern portion of Digby Ridge to division line between Lots one and two of Separate Grants.

Isaiah W. Wilson.Geography and History of the County of Digby. Cha.18, pp.259-260.

Lansdowne was then a wilderness. Hill Grove and many other interior sections were occupied only by Aboriginals, who still lived unmolested in their forest fastnesses. As the Shelburne Road lots included Hill Grove, Surveys were effected thede before other districts lying inland.

Isaiah W. Wilson.Geography and History of the County of Digby. Cha.5, p.62.

June 10th, 1799, Hiram Betts, a lotalist who had resided in St. John, New Brunswick, purchased of Captain James Craige, the farm now occupied by Abraham Nichols, Esquire, at Hill Grove, and immediately erected a small dwelling on eastern side of Cross Road leading to Marshalltown. Amid the dense wilderness, he founded the settlement long known as Digby Ridge.

Isaiah W. Wilson.Geography and History of the County of Digby. Cha.10, p.99.

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