The history of St. Mary's Academy & College is steeped in Catholic tradition and punctuated by the struggles of rugged frontier life. The story of our campus and the work done here for the salvation of souls provides interesting, entertaining, and thought-provoking reading. From its inception, which saw schools established for the Potawatomi tribe, through its days as a boys' school and college, through its seminary days during which more than 1,000 men were ordained to the Eternal Priesthood, and up to the present day, the primary focus on this campus has been Catholic education.

In this section of our website, we plan to offer our visitors various articles on the history of our campus and a photo album from the days of yore. Please check back often as this section is updated. In the meantime, please peruse the articles below.

The History of St. Mary's - A Time Line

Time Line of St. Mary's Academy & College
Prologue
1827 - 1847: Early Jesuit Contacts with the Indians of Kansas
1848 - 1869: The Mission at St. Mary's: Pioneer Days
1869 - 1931: St. Mary's College: A New Direction
1931 - 1967: The Seminary Years
1967 - 1978: The Silent Years

Historical Bits and Scraps

The Pioneer Sisters of St. Mary's Mission - an article by Mary Gentges, SMC '86
The Pioneer Priests and Brothers of St. Mary's Mission - an article by Mary Gentges, SMC '86
Bishop John Baptist Miége - a short biography of his life and his works in Kansas
Tom Playfair's School - Fr. Finn, Tom Playfair, and St. Mary's
St. Mary's and the War
Memoirs of an Alumnus - a letter from William Bernard, M.D., recalling his attendance at St. Mary's in the early 1930's
The Governor's Proclamation - the text of the proclamation of the Governor of Kansas, made on the occasion of our 25th Anniversary

Check back soon!