St. Mary's College, located at St. Marys, claims to be the oldest institution of learning in Kansas. In 1846 the government gave the Pottawatomie Indians a reservation along the banks of the Kansas river, in the present counties of Shawnee, Wabaunsee and Pottawatomie. The Jesuits followed and in 1848 opened a school where the present college stands. From 1848 to 1869 the school was one for Indians and first settlers, but on Dec. 24, 1869, it was chartered as a college, empowered to confer degrees and academic honors in all the learned professions. In 1870 a new building was commenced. It was finished in 1872, and was destroyed by fire in Feb., 1879. A few days later classes were resumed in the academy building of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart, which building was later purchased. The college started out with new life and vigor. The fourth year the enrollment was 250, and the increasing number of students made new quarters necessary. In 1880 the present north wing of the main building was constructed; in 1884 another wing was added, and in 1898 still another. In 1882 the class room building was erected; in 1891 Junior Hall was built; in 1907 Loyola Hall, a commodious dormitory, was thrown open for occupancy; and in Dec., 1907, the corner-stone of a chapel named "The Immaculata" was laid.

The system of education is substantially the one in use in all the colleges of the Society of Jesus throughout the world. The purpose of the mental training given by St. Mary's is not proximately to fit the student for some special employment or profession, but to give him a general, well rounded development. The course of study is divided into three departments—the college, the academy and the English-commercial department. The courses are not elective but prescribed. St. Mary's has a corps of instructors numbering about 30 and is a Catholic school for boys. It has an enrollment of 450 students.