Celebrating 40 years of women at St. Edward’s

Maryhill College, a coordinate college for women, was established at St. Edward’s University in the fall of 1966. Maryhill, which admitted 70 students the first year, was administered by the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The reasoning behind the establishment of a coordinate, or separate women’s college, instead of a co-educational one was “To give each sex a distinctive and appropriate education.”

Although the presence of the IHM sisters was acknowledged in the first issue of the school newspaper that fall, the presence of women students on campus was largely ignored. Finally, in October, Maryhill students wrote a letter to the editor of the Hilltopper “to inform you that Maryhill women are here.” By 1969 the faculty and students of St. Edward’s had called for the transfer to a co-educational system which was established in 1970.

Hilltopper, October 20, 1966
St. Edward’s University: A Centennial History

For additional information contact the St. Edward’s University Archives.

Picture of the Month Gallery