To fix this, the people running Markland ran a day camp for the children for two weeks in the summer of 1934. The children were given uniforms, like boy scouts and girl guides. They were called Beothuks. The trustees reported to the Commission of Government, "these children had very little idea of discipline and practically no capacity for amusing themselves. During the fortnight the camp was run, the children improved tremendously both in physique and morale." A fortnight is two weeks. At the camp, the children learned to play games and to sing in groups.

The trustees believed that education of children was very important. Unlike all the other schools in Newfoundland, the schools at Markland were non-denominational. They were run without help from churches. Every child was given soap, a towel, a toothbrush and tooth powder to use at school. The children were being educated to become farmers. They looked after a school vegetable garden and helped to care for the cows that provided the school with milk. Every day, they helped to fix their own school lunches. This was to make sure they ate well, and to teach them to cook.

The trustees had a lot of control over the lives of the people in Markland. Children would only be allowed to take the exams of the Council of Higher Learning if a doctor approved. These tests had to be taken before children could go on after finishing school. The trustees said, "Dr. Grieve advises the Trustees that the forcing of children for examinations is a too common practice in Newfoundland and leads to many a nervous breakdown." It seems unlikely many nervous breakdowns really were caused by exams. Now, we take it for granted that only the parents have the right to make a decision like that.

By December, 1934, over 2,500 people had applied to come to Markland. Six families waiting for better houses lived in five log cabins, and 60 houses were either completed or being built. One barn was finished, and another was under way. A "staff house" was being built, and the community store had a 32 foot front.

Most settlers spent the first winter cutting logs for lumber. A sawmill was built where two rivers met. After spring planting, the Marklanders moved on to road construction, land clearing, and sawing logs into lumber. By January, 1936, there were 120 homes, all occupied, 2 sawmills, a store, two schools and 17 community buildings. About 600 people lived in six small communities strung out along the road in places where the land was good for farming.