ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY, CHICAGO 1844.
Catholic secondary education in Chicago dates back to June 3, 1844 when Bishop Quarter opened a school for boys under the dignified title of 'College of St. Mary'. Though the school began with only five boy students within two years it was converted into a full time university.
Of its beginning, Bishop Quarter wrote to Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati, under date of September 2, 1844, as follows: "I commenced a small college in a very humble way -- hoping that at some future day we may have means to carry on more extensively -- we have given it the euphonious name of St. Mary's University."