They arrived in New York and traveled half a continent by train, canal, stagecoach and ferry in a foreign land where they could barely speak the language. Finally, on Oct. 22, 1840, more than three months after leaving France, the women crossed the Wabash River. In 1838, the Trail of Tears relocated the Pottawattamie Indians to southeastern Kansas, settling at Sugar Creek. Saint Mary's College took root in Michigan as a boarding school. Additionally, it is the first in the nation to offer a Music Therapy Equivalency Distance program. Today the student population is 60 percent women and 40 percent men. The 45,000 square-foot facility includes an NCAA regulation-sized gym seating approximately 1,000 spectators, a practice gym for auxiliary revenue and intramural sports, a 2,000-square foot lobby, locker rooms, a training room, a fitness room, offices and storage space. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. The curriculum of St. Mary's College -- then as now -- was the liberal arts. From those early days of educating the sons of California’s working class to engaging in the California labor movement, to guiding students to serve the needy here and abroad, Saint Mary’s has cultivated a distinctive approach to doing good—engaging critical social issues through intellect, spirituality and action. The College moved from its cold, windswept campus in San Francisco to Oakland in 1889. In 1846, the College was granted the first charter for the higher education of women in the state of Indiana; It conferred the first Bachelor of Arts degree in 1899. One of only two in the nation to hold such a distinction at the time. The history of the Catholic settlement in which the college is located dates back to 1788. There was an error processing your request. The day's top 5 news headlines, sent weekday evenings. Construction continued beyond as well, with the 21st century alone bringing new academic facilities, a new student center and a visitor’s center. He purchased the land and built several buildings, but a disastrous fire destroyed the main building and four smaller buildings. Due to the smaller numbers and lack of resources, the ravaging effects of the modernism sweeping through the world, the seminary closed in summer 1967 and the Jesuits moved back to St. Louis. The College currently has 10 intercollegiate programs at the varsity level in women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, women’s equestrian (Hunt Seat), women’s equestrian (Western), volleyball, men’s cross country and men’s golf. Founded in 1821, St. Mary's College was the oldest extant Catholic college in Kentucky and was the third oldest Catholic college originally founded for boys in the United States. In 1843 four Sisters of the Holy Cross ventured from Le Mans, France, to the wilderness of northern Indiana. Sent every Monday at 10 a.m. You have permission to edit this article. Although much has changed since 1840, SMWC remains dedicated to empowering young women and men to emerge as strong leaders prepared for life’s opportunities. In 1931 St. Mary’s College became a seminary, focusing on the crucial last phase of Jesuit priests’ Theological training. For full functionality please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Tribune File Photo, This is an artist's view of how the planned Welcome Center would look. By the 1800s secondary schools for girls became popular. Although established under the auspices of the Catholic faith, Saint Mary’s accepted students of all denominations. E. Elena Songster, Chair (925) 631-6279 ees4@stmarys-ca.edu. Saint Mary’s Female Institute (the former name of SMWC), informally known as the Academy, opened on July 4, 1841, 29 years before 4th of July became a national holiday in the U.S. St. Mary’s College: A Jesuit College and Seminary, Copyright 2020 SSPX Society of Saint Pius X. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic College in Indiana, expanded its mission to include men in all programs in 2015, yet continues to embrace its rich history as a women’s college. Thank you for reading! In December 2013, it announced the new RN to BSN completion program for current registered nurses who are seeking a bachelor of science in nursing, a degree program also offered at the College. SMWC’s bold vision to educate students of all ages with an appetite for knowledge is evident in the delivery of its other distance programs. Saint Mary's College1928 St. Mary's RoadMoraga, CA 94575(925) 631-4000, 1928 St. Marys Road,Moraga, CA 94575(925) 631-4000, A rich history, writ large by visionaries and spirited explorers, Archbishop Joseph Alemany had been dispatched to the West Coast in the mid-19th century by Pope Pius IX with the words: “You must go to California. He came back after two years with cash and gold dust to the tune of $37,166.50, a princely sum for the time. Edward Sorin, who had asked the founder of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, the Rev. This information was provided by The History Museum. Despite this uncertainty, students came to them seeking an education even before the College’s first buildings were erected. History is the study of human motivation – what has made people do what they did in the past and when there were so often so many possible options for them. By 1873 St. Mary’s College was thriving and was at its height by 1930. In the areas of academics and sports, the College developed an excellent reputation. Current graduate programs accepting new students are Master of Arts in Art Therapy, Master of Arts in Music Therapy and Master of Leadership Development. In 1886 the Church of Our Lady of Loretto was added to the east end of the chapel, replacing it. During the 1970s proposals were introduced to merge the all-female Saint Mary’s with all-male Notre Dame. Determined to open a school, he sent the intrepid Irish priest, Father James Croke, to seek donations from farmers, ranchers, merchants and the gold miners in the Sierra Nevada. Eleven of the original buildings, including the Chapel, Dante and Galileo Halls, are still in use today. A closer look at its early days — during a period of limited opportunities for women and widespread discrimination against Catholics — shows that its founding was precipitated by a commitment to helping students “Aspire Higher.”. Two years later, the Master of Healthcare Administration was launched, followed by other additions to academic offerings. It was established by a group of pioneering Sisters of Mercy who arrived from Ireland on 9 April 1850. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Saint Mary’s was one of four colleges in the nation where the United States Navy conducted pilot training. St. Philippine Duschene and her Ladies of the Sacred Heart, at the insistence of Fr. Many of these early institutions evolved into formal colleges in the late 1800s and early 1900s. ". This location on the Oregon Trail was chosen as offering a more spacious and healthier location. In 1838, the Trail of Tears relocated the Pottawattamie Indians to southeastern Kansas, settling at Sugar Creek. Soon the Brothers were able to increase enrollment, stabilize the College’s finances and establish Saint Mary’s as the largest institute of higher education in California at the time. Bachelor’s degrees were given for Arts, Science, and Philosophy. Today, through the renamed Woods Online program, both women and men earn college degrees in a wide variety of majors, at a pace that works for their lifestyles. History of Saint Mary's College As early as 1835, Jesuits had been working with the Indians in southeastern Kansas.